15. Dan
CHAPTER 15
DAN
The clock reads thirty seconds left in the third period. It’s a tie game against the Lumberjacks, 2-2. I don’t want a tie in the final Ice Breakers’ game. I want a win—and I know my teammates are just as hungry for it as I am.
The atmosphere in the arena is nothing short of electric. The crowd wants the win, just as much as we do.
My legs burn as I race toward the puck, but there’s no time to think about that now, not with a win within our grasp, and the time on the clock ticking.
We need one final push for a goal. With literally seconds to go in the final period, Scotty’s voice cuts through the noise, shouting for a pass. Due to unforeseen circumstances within the team, he’s gone from coach to player for this, our final game, and right now, he’s definitely proving his worth.
I glance over, my breath heavy, my lungs on fire. And there Scotty is, exactly where I want him to be to make the shot. I slap the puck his way, feeling the connection through my stick. Scotty catches it cleanly, like the expert player he was back in the day, weaving easily through the opposing defense, like a thread through a needle. It’s poetry in motion watching him glide, and I wonder if this game will be the clincher in deciding whether to go back to the game as a player.
I dig my skates in as I chase after him, searching for any opening I can. Scotty’s eyes meet mine for a split second, communicating exactly what he needs me to know, before he flicks the puck back at me, passing me the assist.
He sees as clearly as I do that the net is in my sights. I can make it. I can do this .
With every ounce of strength left in my tired body, I line up my shot and give an almighty swing at the puck. I hold my breath as it sails through the air, as though in slow motion, past the Jack’s goalie’s glove. It crashes into the back of the net just before the red light blares.
We did it. We did it!
The crowd erupts in elated cries and chants for the Ice Breakers, for me, for all of us.
We won, and I got the winning goal—with an expert assist from Scotty.
There really is nothing like it, this feeling you get when you’re up against it, victory in your sights, and you risk it all for the win.
My teammates pile on me, shouting and laughing. They’re all so heavy, I can barely stay on my feet. It’s hard to stand when a pack of big burly guys hurls themselves at you .
Scotty pulls me into a tight hug, both of us breathless and grinning.
“Great pass,” I say, my voice hoarse from shouting.
“Great shot,” he returns, clapping me on the back.
Elated, I turn from him to find Keira in the crowd. She’s on her feet, along with her friends and family and the rest of the town, grinning and waving and jumping up and down in glee. I skate over to the plexiglass in front of her, just as I have after every goal and at the end of each match, thumping my chest with my gloved hand before I blow her a kiss.
Just as she has every time before, she has a mixture of pride, happiness, and embarrassment on her pretty face.
That’s my girl. My Kiki.
It doesn’t get much better than this, people. Making the final shot to win the last game, closing out the series, and all of it in front of the woman I love.
Today has got to be as close to perfect as a day can get.
We line up to pay our respects to the Jacks before we all take a well-earned victory lap of the rink to the team song. “Ice Ice Baby” may not be a song I ever particularly liked before, but today, I’m a total convert, so much so, I’d say it’s now my favorite song.
The crowd goes wild, a ripple of cheering and squeals of delight following us as we move slowly around the ice as a team. I’ve led these fine players over the last five games, and it has been both an honor and deeply satisfying to do so on my home turf for a worthy cause, in front of my family, my friends from before I left for the NHL, and in front of Keira.
By the time we’ve done our third victory lap, I gesture to the guys that it’s time to bid our final farewell, and we wave at the crowd one final time as we leave the ice.
The atmosphere in the locker room is electric, everyone pumped that we not only won the final game, but that we won the series, too. With it is a tinge of sadness, too. It’s been great to work with these guys—even Cooper Montgomery with his perpetual scowl. He’s a good guy and a great player. Playing with Dawson again after all this time brought back great memories of our college years together, and it’s with tears in my eyes that I slap him on the back as we hug.
“Awesome defense today,” I say. “I’m gonna miss having you on my team.”
“It’s been real, man,” he replies. “Let’s try to spend more time together in the future, when our schedules allow.”
I grin, knowing I’ve rekindled an important friendship in my life. “You got it.”
As the captain, of course, there’s the press conference that follows, and this time it’s an absolute pleasure to front for the team, sharing my genuine pride in our success on the ice.
“Where are you going next now that you’re over your injury? Back to the Blizzard?” a journalist asks.
“I’m headed back to Chicago for my day job tomorrow morning, but I do plan on spending a lot more time Maple Falls in the future. This place is home to me, and being back here has reminded me of that,” I reply, searching the crowd for Keira. I don’t find her, which is weird. She usually comes to these postgame press conferences. In fact, she’s never missed one, always at the back of the room, her presence reassuring me.
“Any particular reason for that?” the journalist asks, refocussing my attention.
“It’s my hometown and I’ve missed it here. My family. My friends.” I spot Mom, Dad, Emmy, and Mimi in the crowd. Each and every one of them is smiling proudly back at me, and it warms me to know I was able to lead the team to a victory here in my hometown arena in front of them. Although they’ve all seen me playing for the Blizzard in recent years, it means so much more when it’s on home turf—and for such a meaningful cause.
“Does that have anything to do with the person you’ve been blowing kisses to over the last five games here?”
I can’t help but smile at the thought of Keira. “Maybe,” I reply elusively, but anyone who knows me could read my expression from a hundred yards away.
The press conference finally wraps, and I shake Zach Hart’s hand.
“Thanks for all your hard work, Dan,” he says.
“It’s been an honor and a pleasure, sir,” I say.
“You’ve been a great leader for the team, just as Troy said you would be. And enough with the ‘sir.’ It’s Zach.”
“Zach. You got it.”
“You can call me sir, if you like,” Troy says, resting an arm on his brother’s shoulder.
I laugh. “Never gonna happen, man,” I tell him with a grin. I give him a hug. “Thanks for including me in this. It’s been … life changing.”
His brows pop up toward his hairline. “Life changing? High praise indeed.”
I grin at him, confident in the decision I’ve made, a decision that will see me back in Maple Falls more often, and, one day permanently. It’s an idea that began forming in my mind over the last few weeks as I’ve spent more and more time with Keira. It’s an idea that feels so right, I wonder why I never thought of it before. I guess I was so busy building my hockey career, always driving forward to be the best player I could be, to be captain of the team, to make a name for myself, that I forgot to stop and be with the people who matter the most. To be in the place that matters the most.
“I’ll see you ’round a bit more. I plan on spending more time here as my schedule allows it,” I say.
“Your wrist is okay now?”
“Like new.”
“In that case, you’ll be needing to get back to the Blizzard, but I hope you do come back here more often. It’s been good having you around, and the fans? They sure do love you.”
“What can I say? I’m the Maple Falls hometown hero.” I throw him a wink as we laugh together, because as much as it feels good to have the love of the crowd, there really is only one person whose love matters to me the most.
As I make my way to my car, I pull out my phone and message Keira.
Me:
Everything okay? I didn’t see you at the press conference. I’m heading to the wrap party now. xoxo
I hit send and wait for a reply. The three little dots appear on my phone, telling me she’s responding. Then they disappear.
Weird.
I climb into my car and send her another message.
Me:
Are you already at the party?
This time there aren’t even any little dots, telling me she’s tapping out a reply. I figure she’s probably busy talking to somebody at the party, and I take the short drive to the Rustic Slice Pizzeria, which has been booked out for us tonight.
Pushing through the door, I’m hit by the warmth of the restaurant, the delicious smell of pizza filling my nose, laughter and chatter in the air. I search the place for Keira, but don’t spot her. Instead, I find Mom and Dad, who wave me over.
I greet them both with warm hugs.
“We are so proud of you—do you know that?” Mom says as she reaches up to smooth out my hair. Such a motherly thing to do.
“I do know,” I say kindly. “I owe you a lot. Both of you.”
“We’d do it all again, son,” Dad says, clasping my shoulder. “All of it.”
“Thanks,” I say, choked up. “It’s like I invented a cure for cancer or something.”
“Winning a hockey season comes a close second,” Dad jokes.
“Mimi wanted to be here for the after-party, but she was a little tired after the game, so we took her home, but she said to give you this.” Mom places a kiss against my cheek.
“Thanks. Hey, have you seen Keira around? I figured she was here,” I say.
“If she’s not already, I’m sure she’ll be here soon. Half the town’s here tonight to celebrate, and we know she’s your special someone.” Mom’s eyes sparkle as her face creases in a knowing smile. “I always liked that one, you know.”
I beam back at her, my heart full. “Yeah. Me, too.”
“Pizza slice?” a waitress asks, thrusting a large tray in front of me. “Oh, it’s you. Great work tonight, Dan.”
“Thanks. It was a team effort,” I reply as I take a slice.
“Sure, but they couldn’t have done it without Dan the Man,” she replies.
“You got that right,” Dad agrees, still beaming proudly.
All this adoration could go to a guy’s head. Maybe it’s a good thing I’m heading back to Chicago in the morning, even if I don’t want to leave.
“Thanks for this,” I tell the waitress as I take a bite of pizza. “I’m going to go find Keira,” I say to my family. “Catch you later?”
“Sure thing,” my sister says as Mom says, “Anything for the hero of the hour.”
Seriously, too much adulation can’t be good for a guy.
I circle the room, stopping to talk to teammates and old school friends, looking for Keira. With no sign, I pull my phone out once more to check for messages. What I read makes me stop in my tracks.
Keira:
Dan. The past few weeks have meant so much to me, and I know I will never forget you.
Something unpleasant squirms inside. What is she saying? She’ll never forget me?
There’s another message.
Keira:
It’s completely spineless to do this by text, but I know if I see you I’ll cave. You’re leaving tomorrow morning, and I think it’s for the best that we say our goodbyes.
What the …? She cannot be serious. After everything ... she’s breaking up with me?
There’s one final message.
Keira:
I’m sorry, Dan. I will always love you.
I blink at the screen, barely believing the words. Tension tightens my chest, a knot twisting painfully in my belly.
Keira doesn’t want to be with me? She loves me but it’s over ?
No. I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it. Whatever is going on with her right now, wherever her head is, I need to see her. Reason with her. Show her that I love her and want to be with her, no matter what.
I won’t let her end this. We are meant to be together. I’ve always known it, but I’ve never fully allowed myself to embrace it. Now that I have, there’s no way on this sweet earth I’m going to let her go.
With my mind made-up, I charge to the exit, determined. As I make my way through the crowd of people, I feel a hand on my forearm and look up to see Cooper’s PR person, Blair.
“I know where she is,” she says without preamble, and I snap my attention to her. She doesn’t need to mention Keira’s name.
I lock my jaw, my body taut with tension, determined to find her and make this right. “Tell me where.”