Chapter 54
FIFTY-FOUR
CALLAN THE CAMERAMAN
“Callan! Lift your phone up an inch.”
“I knew I should have brought a gimbal,” he grumbles. “This kills my arm.”
“Consider it bicep training so you can impress Lex.”
“Oh, that’s what this is, huh? You’re helping me out?”
“Sure am.” Then, when he does as I ask, I crow, “Perfect.”
Yawning because it’s approaching three AM, I watch as the puck drops and Joker steals possession.
He dribbles the puck as he dances around the opposition before shooting it toward our offensive zone. It collides with the board then swings behind the goal where Zach’s waiting.
“Move the camera toward our boy,” I bark at Callan, who’s quick to obey.
He’s gotten pretty good at becoming my unofficial live feed of the games.
Joker swoops in behind the net, too, and Zach makes a pass. The Twisters’ D-man sneaks in and grabs the puck, but Mason’s ready to snatch it back.
The two tussle and Mason gets elbowed in the face before being shoved onto the ice—
“IS THE REF BLIND?!” I screech when no penalty is called.
They don’t even stop the play!
Thankfully, Gregg’s there to ram that D-man into the boards as he snags possession and transfers it to Zach, who’s waiting beside the crease. One almost gentle tap later and the puck’s where it belongs—behind the goal line.
“YESSSS!” I roar, my delight mingling with Callan’s and the rest of the home crowd.
When someone bangs on the wall next to me, I don’t even complain.
Sans Dyers and corrupt Coach Ridley, the team’s gelling well.
The first few games with new coaching staff were interesting—only Zach’s propensity for breakaways and scoring kept the Dukes en route to the Frozen Four.
But the team-building exercises Zach and Pecan bitch about are so obviously working, I wouldn’t be surprised if they take it all the way.
As for the rest of the game, Gregg scores and Mason too, while the Twisters get one past Peeks.
My eyes are so close to shutting permanently by the time the final buzzer goes off that I only have it in me to send a typo-laden text to Zach:
We’ll done baboon to pride of yo xxx sp l8r