67. LANE
LANE
The week drags like a shift that won’t end.
Nobody says much to me anymore. The guys nod when they have to. Some of them don’t even bother with that. The silence follows me through the locker room, through drills, through the long skate lines where I keep my head down and do exactly what Coach says.
At least he’s letting me practice. I’ll take that.
The rink still smells the same—ice, rubber, sweat baked into the boards—but it doesn’t feel like home right now. Not when tomorrow night, my old team will be on the other side of the ice. Not when there’s supposed to be a scout in the stands and I’ll be in the fucking press box.
Not when I’ll be stuck watching from the stands like I’m not even part of this anymore.
My stomach twists every time I think about it. Fuck, I should be out there. Instead I’m the guy who screwed up and now his team is also paying for it.
The guy who fell in love with the coach’s daughter.
My chest tightens at the thought. Because I miss Cora in a way that’s taken up residence in my ribs. It's always there.
I feel it every time I have a free moment. Every time I reach for my phone without thinking. Every time I remember the way she looked at me like I wasn’t the screw-up everyone else thinks I am.
Like I was… worth something. I almost called her two nights ago. My finger hovered over her name, just waiting for me to do it. One tap and I would’ve heard her voice.
But I couldn’t risk making things worse with Coach. Not now. Not when I’m barely hanging onto my place here as it is. I locked my phone and shoved it across the room.
Apparently, the one person who ever made me feel like I might deserve something good… is the one person I can’t have.
That feels like how it’s supposed to go.
I round the corner toward the locker room, already thinking about tomorrow night and how much it’s going to kill me not being on that ice. My legs are like Jello—I’ve been kicking my ass trying to stay in game shape. It only takes a few days to start losing progress.
Then I hear a voice. Soft. Familiar. It slams me like a check I didn’t see coming.
And there she is.
Cora steps out of the office, black hair sleek and straight past the middle of her back, surprise flashing across her face the second she sees me.
“Lane?”
For a second it’s just us in the hallway. My chest tightens in that stupid, painful way it always does when I see her. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since that horrible morning in my apartment.
But then another voice comes from behind her. One that steals my breath. One I haven’t heard in a long fucking time.
Oliver steps out first. Then Coach Knight.
And finally—Coach Banks.
My stomach drops. What the fuck are they all doing here? My gaze moves between them. Cora. Coach Knight. Coach Banks. Oliver.
A slow, uneasy feeling creeps up my spine. There’s only one reason they’d all be talking. About me.
My eyes land on Cora again, and the memory of that night catches me like a punch to the ribs. The secret I trusted her with.
The one thing I asked her not to say. A part of me wants to believe she wouldn’t do that.
But standing here, looking at the four of them together… I’m not sure what else I’m supposed to think.
I can’t get a word out before Oliver is hugging me. I didn’t expect it. Excitement rolls off him as he exclaims, “Lane! We’ve missed you, man.”
His voice cracks.
It’s hard to be pissed when your best friend who you’ve not talked to in months is saying shit like that to you.
I hug him back, and then it’s like he realizes that we’re not alone. He steps back, rocking on his heels and says, “Sorry. It’s just… been a long time.”
My eyes immediately go to Cora. “What did you do?”
Coach Knight takes a step forward, taking up plenty of space in the hallway, and takes a breath. “She called me.”
“I don’t need your help,” I say to her, my voice snapping.
“But you needed mine,” Oliver says, hands raised like he’s surrendering.
The weight of the last two weeks stands on my shoulders and it feels like I’m going to pass out. Fuck. What is happening?
And then Coach Banks says, “It’ll be tight, but let’s do this in my office.” He opens the door and everyone files in.
We stand there like the silence is strangling us, all five of us. I stare at the spot in front of my feet because I’m about to lose my shit.
“Someone should say something,” Cora offers, looking around.
Coach Knight clears his throat and kicks this off. Whatever the fuck this is.
“Oliver told me about the accident. What really happened. How you took the fall for something that wasn’t your fault.”
My eyes immediately go to Cora. She did tell.
“I don’t know what you said to them,” I start, my voice rough, “but it wasn’t your place—”
“This wasn’t Cora,” Oliver cuts in.
I blink.
He’s standing a few feet away, fists clenched so tight the knuckles are white.
“I told my dad the day you left for Michigan,” he admits. “I know you made me promise, and honestly… I tried. But I couldn’t.” His jaw tightens. “You thought you were saving me. But really all it did was make me lose my best friend.”
He lets out a shaky breath. “It was eating me alive.”
This room is too small. There’s nowhere to be. No space for all of us. I can’t breathe.
“I know you thought you owed us something. But you didn’t. You were enough,” Coach Knight says, and I swear he’s holding back tears. “We took you in because we wanted to. You didn’t need to do that for him. I mean, it means a lot that you care about Oliver like that, but it wasn’t necessary.”
I press my lips together, mashing them between my teeth.
“Cora called me. Only saying she wanted to talk. Really, she just told me what a wonderful man you were. How you took care of her. And then she asked for Oliver’s number.”
Why would she do that?
Cora’s hands tremble as she starts, “I didn’t make anyone do anything. I called Oliver and let him know you were in trouble. Thought you could use a friend—a real one.”
“And when Cora explained that night with you and her, the least I could do was come clean. Own my mistake. If it meant anything would be better for you. It was like paying you back.” Oliver smiles, like he can’t fucking help it—he’s always smiling.
“And then, it was my idea to have a meeting with your coach.”
I will not cry in this office. There’s no way. I look to the light and tap my foot, needing anything to do.
“I’m still mad at you,” Coach Banks admits. “Believe that. But after hearing them out, I do owe you an apology. I didn’t come out and say it, but I questioned your character. And I had no reason to do that. I believe what you told me. And I’m sorry.”
I clear my throat. “Thank you. I appreciate it.” My voice is as low as it can be without being a whisper.
“We have to have some other conversations, about you and Cora…” His face twists, like he’s uncomfortable but trying to get through it as he glances between the two of us. “But I think you’ve done enough.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, trying to figure out what it is he means.
Oliver laughs and says, “That means I get to beat Great Lakes U with you on the ice tomorrow.” His hand claps me on the back but I can’t move.
I don’t believe it.
Shaking my head, Coach Banks jumps in. “He’s right.
Consider your suspension served. I’ll go on record saying we were being cautious with a potential injury that tested out completely fine, and no one will know any of this happened, besides the people in this room.
” His face is soft, in an unexpected way.
“I get to play tomorrow?” I try to swallow past the emotion I refuse to let loose, but I’m doing a shit job because my voice cracks.
“Yes. You get to play tomorrow,” Coach Banks confirms with a smile. “You and I will have another conversation, but now, I’ve got dinner with my beautiful wife. Make sure to let your team know.”
The coaches shake hands and then it’s just the four of us. I don’t know what to say.
Oliver fills the silence. “We came a day early, obviously. Want to grab a bite and catch up?”
I nod, too scared to open my mouth.
“Get cleaned up and meet us out front when you’re ready.” The two men look at me and Cora before stepping outside.
And then it’s just me and Cora left.
I don’t even know what to say.
She starts. “Have fun at dinner. You deserve it.” Her eyes are bright, like the pool you want to jump in on a scorching summer day.
Cora reaches for the door and I grab her arm, pulling her into a hug. I breathe in, smelling the lavender of her shampoo. She sort of sinks into me and fuck, I’ve missed her.
She did this for me.
“Thank you. I can’t believe you did this—”
Cora squeezes me and then steps back. “Let’s talk after the game tomorrow. You’ve got family in town and a game to prep for.” Her smile is sweet and honest, one that grounds me.
Family.
The word has never felt right to me. Like something that didn’t work out. But when she says it, it feels like it clicks. Becomes a part of me.
I nod and say, “Okay, I’ll find you after.”
“You better win tomorrow,” she teases with the door half open, and a smirk I want to kiss.
I laugh as she walks out.
Because no matter what… I think I’ve already won.