Chapter 66
HAYDEN
Nothing but pure anger surges through me as I’m helped off the ice by our medical team while the guy who took me down makes his way to the penalty box.
This isn’t how tonight was meant to go.
I should be out there with Rett. It was my chance, and I fucked it up.
I didn’t even get to play a whole period before being forced to stop. I didn’t even get the chance to argue, seeing as the ice is painted with my blood.
I don’t spare a thought for the state of my face. I know it’s bad. It hurts like a bitch. My only concerns are the game, and Hailee, who is no doubt watching that at home. There are my parents, too, of course.
I look toward where I know they're sitting a beat before I disappear down the tunnel. Mom’s face is pale, all the blood drained from it, and Dad’s expression is tight with worry.
I can only imagine how much stress my playing hockey has brought them over the years. Dad often jokes that I’m the reason he’s bald. But I think it’s possibly not that far from the truth. Between my sport of choice and Rylee’s illness, his hair didn’t stand a chance.
I give them a nod, not that I’m sure they’ll be able to see it from here. I just need them to know that I’m okay. That they don’t have anything to worry about.
My girl, on the other hand …
“Can I go and get my cell?” I ask, despite knowing what the answer will be.
Eddie Phillips, our team doctor, barks out a laugh.
“Give me thirty minutes, and I’ll have you back out there. Anyone who’s worrying will see that you’re okay,” he tells me as he leads me into a room and demands I get onto a table.
My chest heaves, my face hurts like a motherfucker, but it’s the concern that’s twisting up my stomach that I can’t ignore.
Hailee is going to be freaking out.
It won’t matter that she’s seen this kind of injury time and time again.
Eddie steps up to my side again, his team right there with him, ready to get me patched up and back out there to finish the job.
I suck in a sharp breath as he releases the dressing that was pressed to my face to try and stem the blood flow, and I close my eyes, not wanting a front-row seat to what’s about to happen.
Assuming they’re about to stitch me up and send me back out there, of course.
Their voices float around me, but I struggle to register much of it. The second I hear Eddie confirm that the cut isn’t deep enough or serious enough to require a visit to surgery, I shut off.
I need to get back out there. If Hailee can see me back on my feet and doing my job, she’ll stop worrying.
As promised, a little over thirty minutes later, with fifteen stitches and a helmet with a full cage to protect Eddie’s handiwork, I’m back at the bench with my stick in hand, waiting to rejoin the game at the next shift change.
It hurts like a bitch, but I’m hoping I can use the pain to fuel me to help us win the fucking game.
We’re down by two goals, and there are five minutes left of the second period.
Rett and Linc clap me on the shoulder as I lower my ass between them.
“Looking hot, man. Your girl is gonna fucking love that.”
“Has anyone spoken to her?” I ask, hoping like hell one of them has reached out to let her know I’m okay.
“We tried, man. She didn’t answer.”
“Shit,” I hiss, my eyes on the players on the ice.
“Monroe, you good to go?” Coach asks.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Good. Get ready. Rett, you too.”
I jump the boards and get to work. We’re not leaving this arena without this win. I’m not losing that much blood on the ice and losing the game as well. It’s just not happening.
Sweat drips from me as I intercept a pass and send it toward Linc. We managed to even the score by the time the third period ended, but the last thing I needed was overtime. My face is aching like a motherfucker, and all I want to do is call Hailee. But I can’t until we get this job done.
We’ve already had three scoring chances, but we can’t find the back of the net. We’re doing better than the Blaze, though, because they’re struggling with even getting a shot on goal.
Rett and I are on fire, even if I do say so myself.
He glances over at me and winks when our eyes connect for the briefest moment.
Fuck. Ignoring the obvious, this has been such an incredible game.
I just wish my girl were here to see it in person.
It’s gonna kill me, waiting hours to get home tonight to see her.
We clear the puck and watch as Fletch collects it and heads the other way. He skates around the back of our opponent’s goal before winding up for a shot that flies just above their goalie’s shoulder and into the back of the net.
Our fans who have traveled to the game erupt as we all pile on Fletch.
The rest of our team rushes onto the ice, celebrating as music booms from the speakers.
It takes a minute or two to get back to my feet. Thankfully, the adrenaline is still pumping, which I’m sure is numbing the pain in my face. I can only imagine what it’s gonna feel like once I’ve calmed down.
I spin around to skate off the ice, and the second I look up, my eyes collide with a pair I wasn’t expecting to see.
“Hails,” I breathe.
She looks…beautiful, of course. She always does to me. But…fuck. Her skin is pale, her hair is a mess, and her eyes are wild.
What is she doing here?
I pick up speed and practically run to her the second I’m off the ice, waving Harry off when he tries to stop me for a few words about the game, or more likely, my injury.
“Hails, what the hell are you—”
My words are cut off and my gloves and helmet hit the ground as she launches herself into my arms, tucking her face into my sweaty neck.
I don’t need to turn around to know that people are taking photos; the light of their flashes erupting around us.
“Hails, people can see us, baby,” I whisper in her ear as she trembles in my arms.
She stills, telling me that she’s heard me, but she doesn’t release me, or force me to put her down. Instead, her grip on me tightens.
“Hails?” I try again.
This time, she pulls her face from my neck and looks up at me, allowing me to see her eyes glittering with tears and the dried tracks down her cheeks.
“I don’t care, Hayden,” she confesses quietly. “Watching you…watching you get hurt…fuck. I couldn’t bear it.”
Holding her up with one arm, I cup her cheek with my other hand, wiping her tears away with my thumb when they fall.
“I didn’t even think about it. I just…I just had to be with you.”
I search her eyes, my heart beating wildly in my chest as the world watches us.
I take a step forward, and then another, until we’re in the hallway and hidden from prying eyes.
I back her up against the wall, not willing to let her go just yet, despite the fact that I smell like a dumpster and desperately need a shower. Shamelessly, I need her more.
“How did you get here, baby?” I ask, needing my suspicions confirmed.
“I—” She cuts herself off, swallowing thickly. “I drove.”
All the air rushes from my lungs as I shake my head in disbelief.
“I needed to be here. It was only an hour and a half. Although I think I may have broken a few speed limits. The second I saw you on the ice, bleeding, I just…I grabbed my keys and didn’t look back.
“I didn’t have a clue if you were okay or not. And then I turned up here and you were b-back o-out t-there, a-a-and—”
My lips find hers, cutting her off. The salty taste of her tears hits my tongue, and it only feeds my need for her.
“You drove here? For me?” I ask the second we part.
The sound of the guys making their way past us and to the dressing room hits my ears, but I don’t look up or give them any attention, even the ones who are ribbing us—mainly Rett and Linc.
She cups my jaw, her attention firmly on me.
“Yeah, I drove here for you.”
“Fuck, Hails. I…I love you,” I blurt before slamming my lips down on hers, stealing another kiss to stop her from reacting to those three little words I’ve been holding in for what feels like forever.
“Alright, kids,” Coach mutters as he approaches us. “While I appreciate your need to celebrate, Monroe, how about you save it until later?”
Forcing my lips from Hailee’s, I stare down at her.
Her eyes are still glistening, but there’s none of the fear there that got her here. Instead, there’s a whole lot of emotions that make my heart beat even faster.
“This is a nice surprise, Caldwell. I didn’t think you were on this trip.”
“I…uh…” Hailee finally severs our connection as she glances over at Coach.
“I wasn’t meant to be here, Coach. But I watched Hayden go down, and the next thing I knew, I was on the road.
” She shrugs her shoulders as if she doesn’t quite understand how it happened, and I can’t help but laugh at the look of confusion on her face.
“You’re a lucky guy, Monroe. I hope you know that.”
“I do, Coach,” I say, wrapping my arm around Hailee’s waist.
“Great. Now get your ass in there to shower. No one needs you hugging them smelling like that.” I lean down to whisper in Hailee’s ear when Coach speaks again. “And you’re on press. Everyone is going to want to see that ugly face.”
“Great. Thanks, Coach.” We both watch as he makes his way to the dressing room to speak to the guys.
“You know, the bunnies will say you look hotter with it,” Hailee teases.
“Don’t care what the bunnies think, baby. Just you.”
Her eyes drop to the mess on my face. I haven’t looked in a mirror yet, but I trust that Eddie will have done a good job.
“You always look hot. Does it hurt?” she asks, a frown wrinkling her brow.
“Like a bitch. But it won’t stop me from doing anything I want to do,” I say, letting my eyes drop down the length of her body. “Hails,” I growl. “Are you wearing anything under that jersey?”
Her cheeks blaze bright red as she glances down at herself.
“I just ran out of my apartment. I have panties on.”
“Goddamn. Turn around for me.”
She does as she’s told and I stare at my name and number branded across her back.
Fuck. Does life get any better than this?
“Monroe,” Coach bellows.
“I’ll wait for you,” Hailee says.
“Not coming to press?” I tease, quirking a brow.
“I think I’ll pass. I’ll go find your parents.”
“Sounds good, baby. See you soon.”
I steal one last kiss before I drag my ass away from her. A cheer goes up the second I step inside the dressing room, and then the ribbing begins. I smile through all of it, because while my face might be a little fucked, my girl pushed through her biggest fear and got herself here for me.
I shake my head as I step under the spray of the shower in utter disbelief.
“You did well tonight, man,” Rett states as I drop into the stall beside his. “Not gonna lie, when I saw the amount of blood, I thought you had a one-way ticket to the hospital.”
Honestly? Me too. But I’m so fucking glad it didn’t come to that.
“Nah, it’ll take more than that for me to fuck up my one chance at playing with you, man.”
“One chance,” he mutters, shaking his head as if my words are nonsense. “You are so much better than you allow yourself to believe. Next game, it’s gonna be you and me again, man. You just wait and see.”