When Coach handed me the starting lineup in the locker room to do the callout, I had fire in my veins. Sorrento always gave me shit for not being mean enough in my pump-up speeches, but I had it in me on this day. The guys responded with shouts and claps.
“We’re going to go out there, and we’re going to put the extra fucking nail in their coffin. We are gonna keep these motherfuckers in the ground. They thought we gave it hard on Friday when they were in our house. We’re going to show them that we can take ‘em in their house—and we’ll make it look easy.”
That got a hearty cheer.
“We’re going to show them that we’ve got fuckin’ rust in our veins, and that rust is thicker than blood.” I pointed at each guy and got a clap after each. “Leroy, I want your hardest hits. Owen, you’re going to zip around them as fast as you can on those youthful tree trunks. Dottie, don’t you fuckin’ hold back. You bring that Siberian thunder. Let’s send ‘em home crying, let’s show ‘em that if you fuck around, you find out, and let’s show ‘em what it means to be a Rustie. So starting tonight on the ice . . .”
I ran through the lineup and by the time we hit the ice, I was ready to grind.
It didn’t take long for a fight to break out. Dallas’s captain, a guy I knew and respected, came straight for me when we first shared ice time. He dropped his stick and threw his gloves before he made it over to me, and I responded in kind.
“You knew this was coming, Jonesy,” he said with a twisted grin.
“I’m ready for ya.” And I was. I grabbed his jersey and gladly threw the first punch. The refs let us carry onuntil they sent us both away with five for fighting. When I sat down in the penalty box, I looked for the TV camera. Before I grabbed a towel to dab my bleeding lip, I licked the blood, winked at the camera, and blew a kiss.
If I had to get my ass beat over my girlfriend, at least I was going to have fun doing it.
FORTY-EIGHT
VIOLET
NOVEMBER | COLUMBUS, OHIO
My boyfriend wasa gif by the morning after the game. Margot was the first to send it to me, giggling from her workstation behind me.
MARGOT
(gif of Colt licking his bloody lip, winking, and blowing a kiss)
you got the dreamiest one ;)
“Get back to work,” I grumbled, but I wasn’t serious.
Her giggling continued. “Hard to work when I’m in the same room as the subject of a hockey beef. That’s like royalty.”
I groaned. “I honestly haven’t been online. I don’t need to witness the internet calling me a puck bunny.”
“You didn’t really, though, right? Date the other guy?”
My stomach turned. “No. He’s a terrible person. Disgusting.”
“You’re telling me. He’s got a real creepy vibe.”
I froze. I could probably trust Margot with the truth, but Iwasn’t sure I felt like going into it. “Your Spidey Sense is accurate. Creep is a kind word for him.”
I heard the signature creak of her chair whirling around, so I turned to face her. I expected to find her silly face, but she looked concerned. My tone must have given it away. Her voice was cautious. “How creepy?”
I rubbed my lips between my teeth and tucked my ankle under my opposite thigh. “All the way creepy.”
Margot deflated. “To you?”
I nodded and swallowed hard.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I had no idea. Thank you for telling me.”
I cracked my knuckles to give myself something to do. “I don’t exactly broadcast it.”
When I looked up, Margot had pain in her eyes. “You know I don’t give out hugs, but in this case . . .” She stood and opened her arms.
