Chapter 15 Nick
FIFTEEN
NICK
I spent the day getting settled into the cabin at the Lumber’s Ranch. GJ was right. It was a beautiful spot. A little log cabin sat on the edge of a river, almost out of sight of the main farmhouse.
As I was unpacking my bags an alpaca cruised by the window, pausing to stare at me while it chewed on some straw.
I hadn’t lived anywhere like Chance Rapids.
Muriel brought me a casserole for lunch, promising me she wouldn’t let me starve.
I’d eaten it and then passed out until it was time to head to the game.
The cabin was a world away from the snow globe holiday nonsense of downtown Chance Rapids.
The sidewalks were crowded with people bundled up and heading to the rink.
Luckily the Chance Rapids Bobcats players had their own designated parking spots, otherwise I would’ve had to park miles from the arena.
A band was set up in the parking lot and a guitarist wailed out an electric version of “Feliz Navidad.” As cheesy as the party was, it sure smelled damn good.
Smoke from several barbecues billowed into the evening air.
People were laughing and drinking. Some were dancing in the back of their pickup trucks.
Kids played with mini sticks in the middle of the lot.
Or at least they tried to play mini sticks, there was a yellow lab who kept stealing the ball.
“Stupid small-town hicks,” I muttered, then felt guilty.
I didn’t think they were stupid. I thought they were lucky.
Most of them had no idea how perfect their lives looked from the outside.
Gulping down jealousy, I headed into the sanctity of the rink.
No matter where I was, or who I lived with, the arena always felt like home.
The dressing room was buzzing. The energy of the players practically vibrated the concrete walls. The hair stood on my arms. I’d forgotten what it was like to get worked up for an important game. I took a seat next to Chaser. “How many people do you think are out there?”
“Just the whole town. And Windswan too.”
I rolled my eyes. “I got that, but can everyone fit in this barn?”
“Didn’t you see the jumbotron set up behind the band? Most of those people couldn’t get tickets, so they’ll watch from outside. Next year’s series is already sold out.”
“Really?” I furrowed my brow. “I knew that this was a big deal, but…”
Mack took a bite of a protein bar and washed it down with an energy drink. “Rapidians wait all year for this game. A lot of their kids are more excited for game three than they are for Christmas morning.”
“Wow. No pressure there,” I grumbled.
Mack elbowed me. “Don’t worry. If we lose, it will only ruin everyone’s Christmas.”
The closer it got to game time, the reality of what I was going to do started to settle in.
Coach Coalman burst into the dressing room and gave an impassioned speech.
I sat back with my arms crossed. No one else in the room knew the truth.
The man was going to benefit from their demise.
He was putting on a good show. If I wasn’t in on it, I’d think that he really wanted to bring the Christmas Cup home to Chance Rapids.
“Tinsel.” He pointed to me and then gestured to the hallway.
I followed Coach to his office, where he shut the door behind us. “Are you all sorted out?” His jaw flexed as he chewed his tobacco.
“You mean, do I know which games we are throwi—”
He held up his hand and put his finger over his lips. His voice lowered to a whisper. “Do your stuff tonight. Like we discussed, we can win one.”
“Got it.” Tonight was going to be easy. I could put aside any of this garbage and just stop the puck. “Are any of your scout friends here tonight?”
He punched me in the arm. “You know I’m not going to tell you that. I don’t want you showing off for the scouts.”
“But they are coming? You are going to talk to them, right?” That was the whole reason I’d agreed to this “job.”
“Of course. I’ll put in a good word for you, like we discussed. And, once your job here is finished, I’ll have ten grand for you too.”
I looked behind me. It was dirty and I felt gross. The last thing I needed was someone overhearing our plans to throw a community hockey game. My reputation would be toast. “Just make sure to have that conversation, Coalman.”
He grinned. “Don’t worry. Now go out there and have some fun.”
If I thought the Otters fans back East were crazy, the Bobcats’ fans were another level.
One side of the rink was reserved for families, and the other side served booze.
Someone was thinking ahead when they made that decision, the last thing the players needed was a bunch of drunken Australian chairlift operators tossing beer cups onto the bench.
The family side was filled with kids whose faces were painted the same green as the Bobcats’ jersey. There were so many signs in the audience that I wondered how anyone was going to be able to see the game from behind them.
“I feel sorry for the Windswan Eagles,” I said to Chaser as we started our warm-up.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be in their shoes on Friday when we go to Windswan.” He laughed and skated off.
As I dropped into my pregame stretches, I wondered if Evie was in the stands. For the first time since I’d arrived in Chance Rapids, I was nervous. This wasn’t some rinky dink little tournament. This was a big fucking deal. Not only to the players but to everyone in the stands.
Any doubts that I had about being able to fulfill my obligations to Coach dissipated the second the puck was dropped.
I went into game mode. The Windswan Eagles were good, but I was better.
At the end of the second period, we were up three–nil.
Chaser had scored all three goals and the ice was littered with hats.
During the second period intermission Coach pulled me aside. “You need to let one in. It can’t be this obvious.” His eyes darted behind me. He looked paranoid, but I guess that’s what happens when you have a gambling problem and you owe the wrong people a bunch of money.
“I thought you said I could do my thing.” I crossed my arms, not an easy thing to do in my goalie pads.
“I forgot how good you are.” He patted my shoulder. Coalman and I had a few good years together back east before he turned into this man I didn’t recognize. He used to love the game, and someone who cared about the sport as much as he did, would never do…what he was doing.
I didn’t spot GJ until the third period.
She was seated next to the timekeepers, but she wasn’t sitting.
She was standing on her chair, initiating the wave.
As arms flew up around the arena, I banged my stick on the goalposts and poured my water through my goalie mask.
When the wave returned to GJ, I saw her—Evie was at the game.
My heart thudded and I blinked hard, trying to forget that I’d seen her.
The puck dropped and the captain of the Eagles, a player with the last name Costello, broke away. I stared him down as he headed toward me like a freight train. Mack was hot on his heels, but I knew that he wasn’t going to catch him.
I don’t know why I did it. I never look at the audience, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Evie’s eyes were glued to the ice. I shook my head, but when I returned my focus to the puck, it was too late.
Costello surprised me with a dangle and then went five-hole when I was ready to catch it over my shoulder.
The hush that fell over the arena was bone chilling. The red light flashed above my head. To my right, Coach gave me an approving nod. He thought that I’d followed his instructions, but that was an honest goal. I didn’t think that any of those players would be able to get anything past me.
My cocky confidence was shaken. Never once had I questioned whether or not I could control every shot that came at me.