Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
CONNOR
Daisy
Good luck!
Me
You know what would be real good luck?
You in the stands, wearing my jersey and screaming my name
Daisy
In your dreams
Me
Every damn night
“You zoned out for a second there,” Finn says as he slides onto the bench next to me.
It’s the last game of our season and I’m hiding in the corner of the locker room with my gear on. Pathetic.
I should be buzzing with excitement, but all I feel is dread. “Are you okay?”
“I have a lot on my mind.” I run my hand through my hair, trying to ease the tension along my scalp. It’s been there ever since Mom and Sarah left earlier this week, probably the result of the big looming uncertainty I suddenly feel about my future. “When did you know you wanted to go pro?”
He tips his head, looking intrigued. “I’ve known since my brother took me to see my first game. I think I was eight.”
“But how did you know?”
“I just did.” He shrugs. “It doesn’t matter how tired I am or what I’m doing, no matter what hockey is always at the back of my mind. It’s the one thing I keep coming back to.”
“I’ve never had anything like that.”
“I thought you wanted to move home?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” I sigh, leaning back against the wall.
My head hits it with a soft thud, but even the slight jolt on impact is not enough to clear my head.
“Ever since my dad passed, I’ve had this feeling that time is running out and I have to hold onto it with everything I have.
But the tighter I grip the faster it slips through my fingers.
I’ve spent years chasing the past. I’m not sure who I am without it. ”
I clear my throat and he bumps his skate against mine, no doubt trying to break some of the tension. “It doesn’t matter where you are, you can’t stop time.”
“I still don’t want to go into the pros.”
“You don’t have to. Contrary to what Luke thinks there are other paths in life,” he jokes half-heartedly. “Are you going to talk to him?”
“I don’t know.”
“He means well, even if he’s an asshole about it sometimes.”
I want to agree with him, but before I can Ethan steps forward and the chaos around us dies down.
“Listen up.” he claps, demanding our attention.
“I’ve never been sappy and I’m not going to start now.
But this is my last game in this jersey, so you better make me proud to wear it, or I’ll start to regret ever accepting being your Captain.
” A roar of agreement breaks out from most of the players. “Let’s fucking do this!”
Ethan leads the charge out of the locker room, the rest of the team close on his heels.
Finn stands and I follow. “You good?”
I nod, grabbing my helmet off the bench and gesturing for him to lead the way. “Let’s kick some ass.”
UMass rides us hard, sinking one into the net early in the game.
They get another one on the next drop too, quickly evened out by a goal from Tanner on an assist from Luke.
We’re hot on their heels, covering most of their goals with one of our own, until Ethan breaks free in the second period and sinks the puck into the net on a clean sweep, putting us in the lead for the first time all night.
And from then on it seems our luck has finally turned.
The last minutes on the clock are ticking by fast, when the UMass right winger gets time for slashing and we’re in powerplay in the final minutes of the game. I’m quick on the breakaway, taking possession of the puck and flying forward.
Within seconds, I’ve got their defense hot on my heels and I know I’ll be boxed in any minute now.
When I look over my shoulder, Luke is gesturing towards me, his eyes laser focused on the puck and I send it off without hesitating.
He flips it on his stick, before sinking it straight into the net between the goalie’s legs.
The whole arena is in an uproar when the buzzer goes.
We fucking did it. We might have started the season barely scraping by, but we’re finishing it three points up with our heads held high.
The adrenaline is palpable when we filter back into the locker room twenty minutes later. For the first time in a week, I feel the tight ball of dread in my chest loosen slightly.
We’re crowded together, side by side and helmets at our feet, when the seniors push a grinning Ethan forward into our huddle.
“We fucking did it!” he drawls and the entire team erupts in cheer. “Lads, it’s been an honor to lead you but it’s time to move on. Brooks. Conway. Get your ass up here, we’re got a vote to take.”
Luke and Dylan both shift into the circle, each taking up a spot on either side of Ethan while he continues addressing the rest of us, “You know what it takes to win, what you have to do to get there. Think about who you want to lead you there. You know the rules—one vote each, no abstaining, and no senior votes.”
“Better choose wisely ‘cause you’ll be stuck with them,” Logan, our senior defenseman, chuckles beside me.
“All in favor of Brooks as your new captain,” Ethan calls.
I tense when half of the team raise their hands in favor of Dylan Brooks. My teeth clench at the sight.
I have no clue how he managed to sway that many votes in his favor—I thought we were all on the same page in terms of not letting assholes taint our reputation just because they’re good players.
“Conway.” I watch all of my best friends’ hands shoot up in the air without hesitation.
Ethan raises his brows when both of mine stays down. I was hoping that no one would notice—that the support for Luke would be so big that I could get away without casting a vote myself, but it’s a tie between the two, and I’m the only one left to cast a vote. “McKibben, your vote.”
I clear my throat, picking at the peeling tape on my stick to avoid looking at my best friends. We might not be on speaking terms, but I know it could only ever be one choice for me. “Give it to Luke.”
Ethan grins, turning to Luke on his left. “Looks like you’re in charge now, Conway. Make them proud.”
“Hell yeah, Luke,” Ollie calls, followed by an onslaught of “Looking good Cap” and “All hail the captain.”
Ethan fishes out two bottles of champagne from the sports bag on the bench behind him and passes one of them off to Finn.
The team breaks out in cheers as they pop the bottles and aim the spray of champagne at him. Within minutes he’s drenched, his jersey sticking to him over his pads. He’s beaming at the team like he just won a championship final and I know I did the right thing.
“Right team, that’s our queue to wrap up. You better clean up fast, there’s a table at Seventh Heaven with our name on it and our new captain is buying tonight.”
We shower and dress faster than usual. I tell myself it’s just because I could use a drink, not because of the blonde waiting in the hallway when we finally step out of the players’ corridor.
She’s leaning against the wall, a content smile on her face, as Vanessa shows her something on her phone. That easy smile tugs me towards her. I think I could wrap myself up in it forever.
I’m lucky that Finn is just ahead of me, sliding his hands over Vanessa’s hips and pulling her back against him. She squeals, whatever she was busy showing Daisy quickly forgotten.
I take the chance to pull Daisy in for a hug of my own. She falls easily against me, hooking her arms around my neck.
“Well done.” I feel her small puffs of air against my neck, making me shiver, as I bury my face in her hair.
“Thank you for coming.”
Our friends are only a few feet away, so I know I’m going to have to let her go soon or she’ll push me away. I pull back before she can.
“I wouldn’t have missed it.”
I take her in.
“Still no jersey?” I pout.
She nudges my shoulder. I play along, stepping back like she’s wounded me. “I’m not picking any sides. Just be glad I’m at least wearing blue.”
“One day I’ll get you into my jersey, Tulip.”
She rolls her eyes. “You have an unhealthy obsession with that idea.”
“If only you knew the extent of it.” I grin.
“Are you coming Daisy?” Vanessa calls from where she’s extracted herself from Finn’s embrace. He’s hovering close by, his arm around Luke’s shoulder.
“I’ll share a cab with her,” I answer before she can.
Vanessa blinks at my response. Then a knowing smiles spreads on her lips and I think I might have messed up, but Daisy doesn’t even flinch. “I guess I’ll see you there then,” Vee says, before linking her hand with Finn’s and letting him lead her down the corridor after the others.