Chapter 16 – Brianna #2
“And it hit him in the cheek so hard it knocked his tooth out through the skin and left a tiny scar on his face.” Levi chuckles. “Mom was pissed. Dad laughed and told him he needed to stay alert or the next time it’d be his eye popping straight out of the socket. That scared him really good.”
I try to imagine a younger Seth playing on the ice in Alberta with his brothers.
The image in my mind makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
I didn’t grow up with siblings. I never had that built-in camaraderie or the constant chaos of someone always being in my business.
And even though I know I missed out on that, I love hearing stories like this.
It makes me feel it even more. And want it. To feel a part of something. A family.
Especially ever since I lost my mother. I’ve been seeking the community and connection and starting to think I might have found it in Brookhaven with Aly, Rhiannon, Rosie, and Natasha.
“Bri!” The voice of the director of medical snaps me back to reality. He motions toward Penn, who’s noticeably hobbling as he skates toward the bench for a substitution.
“Take a look at him,” he calls out. I switch instantly into clinical mode.
Penn winces as he sinks onto my bench. I zero in on the way he’s favoring his right leg.
“Let me take a look,” I say softly, crouching beside him, my hands already moving to assess. Looks like a nasty sprain. Nothing too serious, but enough to sideline him if we don’t get on top of it.
I grab an ice pack from the cart. “Let’s get this iced and stabilized. We’ll reassess after the period.”
Penn nods, teeth gritted against the discomfort as I secure the ice where it’s started to swell.
“You’re playing well.”
He starts to relax a little as his attention shifts back to his team still on the ice. “Thanks.” I can tell he’s disappointed by another injury.
“Don’t worry. We’ll get this under control, and you’ll be back to playing soon.”
He forces a smile at me as I straighten, wiping my hands on my pants.
My eyes drift right back to Seth. He’s laser-focused, locked in, but I can see the tightness in his jaw.
He’s pissed about that last goal. Pissed that he let one through.
I know athletes like Seth. This will only make him work harder.
“He’s not letting anything else get through now,” Penn says mostly to himself. I know he’s right.
“Damn straight,” Levi adds with a nod.
I watch as Seth resets in the crease, his movements sharp, his focus deadly. I wonder if his hamstring’s bothering him. Coach Steele has had him in the entire game with no sign of subbing. I notice the way he shifts back and forth on his hips and see how he’s slightly pulling to the left.
The third period starts and the next puck that comes Seth’s way, he blocks without even looking.
He swats at it like it personally offended him with a scowl on his face, and when it goes flying away from the ice with such a rapid speed it almost makes it halfway down the court, I swear he’s looking right at me.
Get it together, Bri. Why would he be looking at you?
I provide an update to the medical director who communicates with Coach Steele the bad news about Penn.
“Okay, Coach said you’re out the rest of the game,” I tell him.
“Good thing we’re up,” he snorts, leaning back and finally relaxing on the bed.
He’s calm now, but I can tell he’s itching to be back out there.
These guys live for the adrenaline, the rush, and I can’t blame them.
I feel it every time I work with athletes.
The camaraderie, the thrill of winning. It’s addicting.
“It’s a good game,” I agree, my eyes drawn back to the ice like a magnet.
Penn says something in response that I barely register because I’m already getting lost in the moment again.
The way the blades of the players slice across the ice, smooth and precise, leaving tiny shavings in their wake.
The almost poetic rhythm of the game, the fluid motion of the players crashing into each other, rebounding off the boards, and chasing after that tiny black puck like their lives depend on it.
It’s chaos.
It’s grace.
It’s brutal.
And it’s… beautiful.
Most sports require direct contact with the ball, but hockey is different. The stick adds an extra layer of skill. It’s a delicate balance of power and finesse that few can master.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, pulling me out of another daydream. My heart jumps when I see whose name is flashing across the ID. It’s one of the moms who traveled with Sawyer for her game this morning.
“Excuse me for a sec,” I say, stepping back from the noise to answer.
“Hi!” I say, a little too eager, hoping it’s good news that Sawyer got some playing time, they won, and are at the airport heading back to Brookhaven.
“Hey, Brianna. Sorry to bother you,” Kelly says. I can hear the concern in her voice. “Seth listed you as Sawyer’s emergency contact, and he’s not answering his phone, so I figured I’d try you instead.”
My stomach drops.
“What’s wrong?”
Kelly sighs a little and drops her voice.
“Sawyer’s refusing to board the plane. She said she was really nervous for the flight home and needed a minute but when it came boarding time, she refused to get in line and started crying.
I could tell she was embarrassed, so I pulled her aside so the other girls wouldn’t notice.
The whole group’s on the flight, and they have to close the gate, but she won’t budge.
Don’t worry, I won’t leave her, but we can’t drag her on the plane either.
” She blows out a heavy breath. “I hate to ask, but… can you drive up to Boston in the morning? I’ve rebooked my flight back to Connecticut for free, but she said she won’t get on that one I rescheduled for tomorrow either.
And look, I’d rent a car, but I’m beat and don’t think it’d be safe to drive through the night. ”
I don’t even hesitate. “I’ll come. I can get there tonight.”
“Thank you.” Relief floods Kelly’s voice, but there’s still a thread of concern.
“It’s going to be close to midnight when you get here.
She’s exhausted. Do you think Seth would mind covering a hotel for the night?
I can stay with her until morning if you’d rather come then.
She’s calmer now, just wiped out. I think she needs the rest after the tough game she played. ”
I can’t imagine Seth wouldn’t but if for some reason he’s not okay with that, I know that I will. I don’t even hesitate. Poor girl’s been through enough. She needs rest, and anything else can wait until the morning.
“Text me the address. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll reimburse you.”
I check the time on my phone. Almost nine. The game’s wrapping up, Seth’s going to be exhausted and will still have to do post-game interviews. Kelly’s right, even if I leave now, it’ll be well past midnight by the time that I arrive in Boston. Poor Sawyer must be so scared.
I’m already calculating the route in my head, adrenaline kicking in.
Exhaustion from the long day working with the team is buzzing beneath my skin, but there’s no way in hell I’m not driving to get her tonight.
I can rest when I get there and drive her back in the morning after she’s gotten some rest.
“The game’s ending in ten minutes,” I add, already moving toward the exit. “I’ll update Seth as soon as he finishes interviews and then I’ll hit the road.”
“Thanks, Bri. Actually… she’s asking to talk to you now. Do you mind?”
My throat tightens, and I swallow hard. “Put her on.”
A few seconds later, I hear Sawyer’s small, muffled voice dim against the loud cheering in the stadium behind me. “Hey, Bri?”
Her voice is heavy with emotion, and I can tell she’s been crying.
“Hey, Sawyer,” I say softly, keeping my tone light even though my heart is pounding. “How ya doing?”
“Not great. I just couldn’t get on the plane.” Her voice cracks, and it guts me. “I’m so embarrassed. All my teammates are going to think I’m a baby.”
“They won’t. They’ll understand. I’ve been scared of getting on flights before.”
“Really?”
“Totally. I get it.”
She sighs and I hear how tired she sounds.
“Look, the Mayhem game is wrapping up and I’ll be I’m on my way to you. I’ll be there in a few hours, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispers, sounding a little calmer.
“Do you feel safe spending the night with Kelly until I can get there?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. I’m gonna make sure you’ve got a nice, comfy hotel room near the airport. Get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
“Okay… that sounds good. Thanks, Bri.”
“See you soon.”
She hands the phone back to Kelly, and I quickly confirm the hotel details before hanging up.
My heart’s pounding as I turn back to the ice.
Only a few minutes remain on the clock. The Mayhem holds strong, and despite the one goal in the second period, they close it out with a commanding 6-3 win.
The crowd erupts, the home fans going wild.
But I can’t bring myself to fully enjoy the victory because I need to tell Seth what’s going on and I need to get on the road.
As the team moves to post-game interviews, I work on cleaning up the PT equipment with the rest of the medical staff and tending to any lingering players who need post-game rehab. My body’s moving on autopilot, but my mind is already halfway to Boston.
By the time I finish, I spot Seth just stepping out of an interview.
His hazel eyes are bright, his face flushed with post-game adrenaline, and…
wow. That smile. It’s the kind of smile that steals the air from my lungs, the one that takes ten years off his face and makes my heart do a stupid little flip because it’s aimed at me tonight.
It’s close to the one that I saw Halloween night, when he didn’t know who I was.
He’s fresh from a shower, his hair still damp and messy, and he’s wearing a suit that fits his big, strong body so well it has to be custom made. And he smells divine.