Chapter 64
ONE MORE CHANCE
FLETCHER
The locker room is silent tonight, a quiet focus and calm falling over the space. We lost the last two away games in overtime, and the game the day before yesterday. If we lose tonight, we’re done. I rub my hand over my growing beard in an attempt to slow my racing heart.
I just got off the phone with my girls, and I need to get into the right headspace, but the only place I’d rather be is at home with them.
Maybe Crowley was onto something when he retired early to be home with his kids.
I shake off the thought before it takes root.
I’m not ready to retire, no matter how much I want to be at home with them. I still have years left in me.
Do I want to win the championship? Of course. But it hurts being away from them. I’ll never get these moments with Lydia and Thea back. She’ll never be this small, and I dread missing even a second of it.
I turn my focus away from them and toward the men in the locker room. I stand, calling for their attention. “Alright. I know we’ve had a rough few games, but I wanted to say a few words. We are all ready for this game, and win or lose, we’re a team, and we are in it together. Never forget that.”
Each of my teammates nods and claps. Calvin lets out a whoop, and the rest of the team follows until everyone is on their feet, cheering and hollering. We all have a pep in our step now as we head out onto the ice for warm-ups.
Habitually, I skate to my favorite spot on the ice and glance up, a pang of disappointment sinking in my chest knowing that Lydia isn’t in the crowd.
She wanted to come tonight, but there was no way she could have.
She’s still in quite a bit of pain and isn’t ready to bring Thea out into the germ-infested world quite yet. Neither am I, to be honest.
In the suite is Zoey with her fiancé, and Grace with her parents, Mabel and Stan. My mom is home with Lydia, of course. Trigg’s family is watching at home in Norway. It feels good, knowing we have everyone’s support.
Once the game starts, we’re all focused on every single movement by our opposing team, fighting for possession of the puck and shooting every shot we can.
Three periods isn’t enough. The game is tied one to one, and we go into overtime, playing three on three. The last couple of games have prepared us for this, even though they haven’t ended in our favor, I still have hope.
Trigg is a machine, blocking thirty-nine shots on goal.
Overtime starts, and I take the ice with Calvin and Waffles. We pass back and forth, trying to find an opening to shoot, but nothing comes. My shift ends, but Calvin and Shep stay on, Adam taking my place.
Something isn’t clicking. Adam isn’t locked in the way he should be. Calvin shouts something at Adam, but I can’t hear it over the roar of the crowd. There are two minutes left in overtime. Two minutes to secure the next game and stay in the playoffs.
Calvin slaps the puck across the ice to Adam, but it tips off his stick, straight into the opposing player's stick. The player takes off toward Trigg.
“Shit,” I mutter.
The player passes to his teammate at the last second, and he shoots the puck over his shoulder and into the net before Trigg can stop it.
The lamp lights up red behind the net, and the crowd groans. Trigg slumps to his knees, dropping his head into his gloved hand. Calvin slides to a stop next to him, rubbing his back.
Adam stands before them, completely dejected. Shepherd skates off the ice, following the rest of the team down the tunnel to the locker room.
That’s it.
Our season is over.
Coach lets out his frustrations in the locker room before sending us on our way. There’s nothing left for us to do now, and I glance around the room.
“I know it was a tough loss, but I’m proud of each and every one of you. We fought hard this season, and we’ll fight even harder next year.” I tip my chin toward my teammates, noting that Adam is sitting with his head in his hands on the bench.
Calvin sits beside him, and I leave them to their conversation, knowing they need the time to themselves. They’ve known each other for a long time, and Calvin can comfort Adam better than I can.
I finish my cool down and grab my things from my locker, waving goodbye to the guys. I’ll see them at some workouts and events over the summer, but it’s always a little bittersweet to leave after the end of the season.
Zoey and Grace stop me in the hall, offering hugs, and I show them a few photos I took of Thea this morning. She was smiling in her sleep. Lydia and my mom both said it was just gas, but I don’t know. I’m convinced it was a smile.
Mabel and Stan are there too, offering me congratulations and telling me they expect to see us at their lake place this summer.
Heading out of the arena, I take a deep breath. On the bright side, I now get uninterrupted time with my girls. I drive home, and when I enter the apartment, Lydia is sitting on the couch, feeding Thea. She has a somber look on her face, and I shrug.
“I’m sorry,” she says, her brows knitted together. “It was a tough game.”
“It was.” I sit beside her and give her a long kiss. “Missed you.” Leaning down, I press a gentle kiss to Thea’s forehead. “Missed you, too, ladybug.”
“So, what now?” Lydia asks, tilting her head to lean into my chest as I wrap my arm around her shoulders, scooting in close.
“Now, we get to spend as much time as we want together, all summer.”
“Sounds pretty great, if you ask me.” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Mabel and Stan want us to come to their cabin sometime.”
“I’d love that.”
“Maybe someday we could get a lake place there, too.”
I already have a plan in mind to get a place there. It’s a beautiful area, and I’ve always wanted a summer getaway.
“That would be fun, but anything with you sounds fun.”
“Agreed.” I kiss the top of her head. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
Thea squirms in her lap as she finishes eating, and Lydia passes her to me to burp.
“Hey, pretty girl,” I say with a smile, smoothing the curls on the top of her head, resting her on my shoulder, and patting her back.
Here with my two girls, life feels pretty damn good.