Chapter 24
Zane
“I am so ready to win this thing,” Blake grunts while we wait for our turn to hit the ice. The stadium feels electric, almost like it’s on fire. I can’t see the crowd yet, but I can already feel the energy buzzing around us.
“We will,” I tell him, and he nods once, as if he fully agrees.
“Perth is going down,” Blake grins.
“We beat them earlier this season. Let’s make the Hawks suffer again,” I reply.
Enter Sandman starts playing, and it’s our turn to skate onto the rink. We go out in our usual order, and the moment my skates hit the ice, I take a quick look around.
I spot Lisa, Tess, and Leo in our usual section, and beside them is my girl.
Just seeing Gwen sends a shiver through me.
It’s going to be hard to stay focused with her this close, but I will.
Earlier today, she told me she was wearing orange lingerie to celebrate game day, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
We complete our warm-up laps, and the Hawks are already on the ice as well. Their two star players, Perth and Johnson, are circling Blake.
“You think they’re going to bring trouble?” I ask Blake as we get into position.
“They can try,” he says confidently, “but they won’t succeed.”
Before long, the puck drops, and the game begins. The crowd erupts so loudly that it feels like the entire city has shown up.
Perth slams into me as I make my way toward the goal. He’s on the Hawks’ defense and is known for starting trouble. Coach warned us about him before the game and told us not to engage, no matter what. So I don’t.
Perth tries to shove me again, but I skate away and refocus as we regain possession.
Blake controls the puck and drives toward the goal. The crowd’s roar intensifies, nearly drowning out everything on the ice.
Perth and Johnson catch up to Blake and collide with him at the same time. The crowd reacts instantly and boos and shouts, filling the arena in protest.
Blake bends forward on the ice, and I quickly skate over to him.
“Are you alright?” I ask. He nods, still catching his breath.
“All good,” he pants, slowly straightening up and flashing me his signature player smile.
“Let’s do this,” I tell him, and he smirks.
We fall back into what we do best. Blake and I take control of the puck. I move forward while he blocks off a Hawks player. Their goalie stares at me with an intense, almost hostile expression, which only fuels my focus.
I take the shot, and just like that, it hits the net.
The crowd gets even louder, and I immediately look over at Gwen. She’s jumping up and down with joy, cheering loudly.
Holt and Blake jump me on the ice in celebration, knocking me off balance. I can’t help but laugh.
“Legend!” Holt yells while Blake helps me back up.
For the rest of the first half, we play more defensively. The Hawks barely get a chance to come near our goal, and by the time intermission arrives, they’re furious.
We quickly make our way to the locker room, where the team is waiting with water.
“They’re going to come for you,” Coach yells as we gather ourselves.
His bald head is shiny, and that’s when we know it’s serious.
Blake and I learned early on that when Coach is stressed, his head gets shinier.
“They’ll go for Miller first. Protect Miller and pass to Saxon. Blake, stay ready,” he instructs.
“We got you,” Blake says, backing me up, and I nod. I know this is going to be rough, but I’m ready.
Intermission always goes by fast, and soon we’re back on the ice. The crowd is packed into the bleachers, making the entire stadium vibrate.
When the referee drops the puck, my focus sharpens, and the crowd fades into the background.
The puck comes my way, and I see Perth and Johnson moving toward me. I pass it to Blake, and as I do, I notice their other two players trailing him. It’s an unusual setup, and I don’t like it.
Perth and Johnson quickly turn and head toward Blake as well. Before we know it, all four players converge on him, and all I can hear is his shout. The stadium goes quiet, and in a split second, a fight breaks out.
Holt is fighting the goalie while I skate toward Blake. I manage to pull Johnson off him, but Perth keeps coming. The referees step in and separate the Hawks.
I catch my breath as Blake is cleared, but my stomach drops when I see him.
His hand is on his shoulder, and his face is pale.
“It’s my shoulder. It’s dislocated,” he says, sounding disappointed. “It hurts,” he groans.
“Those bastards,” I murmur as I glance over and see a smug look on Perth’s face.
“I can’t play. That asshole got me,” Blake says as he slowly skates off. The crowd gives him supportive applause, but it won’t be enough to ease the moment.
“We’ll win this for you,” Holt tells him as we watch Blake leave the ice.
Coach sends Jake onto the ice, though he looks just as upset as the rest of us.
The game continues, and Coach tells us to play defense. We protect the goal at all costs, and it’s working. The Hawks can’t get a single shot through, and there’s only a minute left on the clock.
“We’ve got this,” I tell myself as the final countdown begins. Perth takes another shot at the goal, but I block it with my knee. I land hard on the ice, but it holds.
We play out the final seconds until the buzzer sounds and the stadium erupts.
“We did it!” Holt yells. “Where’s Blake?”
Blake is sitting on the bench in our section, and we skate over to him. We bang on the plexiglass and shout at him.
“I told you we would win!” Blake yells back as Jenna helps him leave.
“You have to get that checked now,” she says, and Blake finally gets up. I already know she’s been trying to get him moving, but knowing Blake, he didn’t want to miss the game.
I look up at the crowd and spot Gwen. She’s celebrating with Tess and Leo. Lisa isn’t there; she must be getting drinks. We’re all meeting at my place anyway.
I find Holt back on the ice and pull him into a hug.
“Not bad for someone leaving the team,” I tell him quietly. “I think I might even miss you.”
“We’ll meet on the ice again next season,” Holt winks. “And you’re coming to my party, right?” he adds, grinning.
“You’re a weird guy, but yes, I’ll be there,” I respond. “I wouldn’t want to miss my buddy’s goodbye party.”
“Buddy?” he asks, surprised, but I don’t answer. I skate off and make my rounds, thanking the crowd.
In the locker room, Coach is ecstatic. He jumps onto the bench and pops a bottle of champagne, spraying it all over us.
“I told you guys we could do it!” he yells.
“Not without you, Coach,” Holt tells him, and Coach smiles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Coach smile before, so it feels strange.
“Blake is getting X-rays at the hospital. Celebration’s on Monday,” Coach adds, and everyone agrees right away.
The Grizzlies allow some of the press into the locker room, and we all get up, jumping and celebrating again.
“What’s it like to win?” a female reporter asks me.
“It feels like skydiving, bungee jumping, and canyoning all at once,” I tell her excitedly. “It’s amazing.”
“How are you going to celebrate?” she asks.
“I’m going to celebrate with my amazing girlfriend,” I answer immediately.
In the background, Holt finds another bottle of champagne and starts spraying some of the reporters with it.
“Is it true that the article about her was false?” the reporter asks, and my mood dims slightly. I don’t want to think about the pain Gwen has been through.
“It is. Gwen is an amazing woman. She’s my rock, my world, my everything,” I tell the reporter, and she smiles.
Holt makes his way toward us and sprays the last of his bottle on the reporter while shouting in excitement. He looks like an animal.
“Time to go,” Lauren, our director, tells the reporters, and one by one they leave the locker room.
I quickly check my phone and see a wave of celebration texts coming in. I scan for Blake’s name, but there’s still no update from him.
We wait another five minutes for the crowd to clear before leaving. Security says it isn’t safe to go out yet, so we stay in the room a little longer.
“It wasn’t our best game, but we did what we had to do,” I hear Coach say into a phone.
“Do you think we’ll ever be good enough in Coach’s eyes?” Holt asks as he sits beside me, looking over at Coach.
“I gave up on that a long time ago. I just focus on giving my best. When I get home after a day and feel tired and sore, I know I did it right,” I tell Holt, and he nods.
“Then we definitely did it right today,” he sighs, stretching his neck.
My phone buzzes, and I quickly check, hoping it’s Blake. I sigh when I see it’s my dad calling. We haven’t talked since he was at my apartment, when he told me to basically break up with Gwen.
“Hello,” I say as I pick up.
“Congratulations. You did pretty well out there,” dad says.
“Thanks,” I reply, short and monotone.
“I’ve been meaning to call you sooner,” dad says softly. “I know this isn’t the best time, but I needed to talk to you.”
“About what?” I ask, my tone sharp.
“I wanted to apologize,” dad says, and my eyes widen. He’s never apologized for anything in his life, at least not to me.
“You do?” I ask in shock.
“I realize I was a bit… quick to judge your girlfriend,” dad explains. “I saw you two on the ice in the semis, and since then, I’ve regretted my actions.”
“Well, thanks, dad,” I say softly, unsure if this is really happening.
“I’d like to invite you and Gwendolyn over for dinner. Your mom has agreed to make your favorite casserole,” Dad tells me, and I can hear the discomfort in his voice.
“I’ll ask Gwen if she’s open to that,” I tell him, and I hear him take a deep breath.
“Please also tell her I’d like to apologize to her in person,” he adds, and I’m even more surprised.
“I will. I’ll call you tomorrow, ok?” I ask, and dad agrees. “Tell mom I said hi. I love you guys.”
“We’re proud of you, son. Love you too,” he says before hanging up.
I sit on the bench in the locker room for a few minutes, staring at the wall in front of me. Did that really just happen?
I only snap out of it when Eddie from security comes in and tells us it’s clear to leave.
Coach reminds us about the upcoming celebration when we head out. We all know it’s no longer an invitation, it’s an expectation.
“See you Monday,” I tell Holt before heading to my car. I toss my gear into the back and get in quickly. I check my phone one more time for any update from Blake, but I still haven’t heard from him.
I pull out of the parking lot and head home to see Gwen and my friends.