I rise from my seat and leave, too. I sit on the bench in front of my stall and do what Kirby says. I close my eyes and clear my mind. The problem is that Aria and Noah keep popping in at unexpected moments. I shake my head, but they’re still there.
“Don’t fight it. Embrace whatever visions your brain presents to you. Your subconscious, your soul, knows what you need if you let it.”
I glance up at Kirby, who’s standing over me with one of his indecipherable expressions.
“Trust me.” He winks and wanders off to offer unsolicited advice to other team members.
I close my eyes again and let the images flow. A strange sense of peace comes over me as I accept what my brain wants to tell me. I’m interested in Aria, maybe just for sex, maybe more, and I’m determined to help Noah in any way possible. Fighting my feelings isn’t the answer. Facing them head-on is. And that nagging intuition I have that something isn’t what it seems—I’ll take care of that.
Once I make those decisions, the game rises to the forefront, and I visualize the puck sailing into the net, blocked shots, and hard passes to an open teammate. Those are the things that win games, and we need to win this one. We can’t go back to Colorado down three to one.
Minutes later I’m on the ice for warm-ups. I do stretches first, then stand in line to shoot pucks at Roman. After, that I practice passing from one teammate to another. I look into the sea of black-and-gold jerseys. I notice Aria and Noah sitting in the first row next to Gardenia and the twins. I’m glad I was able to get those tickets.
I salute the three boys with their faces pressed against the glass and grin. They leap excitedly as if they’re on springs. I laugh and follow my teammates back to the locker room.
Minutes later, the first period starts. The crowd is the loudest I’ve ever heard. Eighteen thousand voices raised in support. Their cheers lift us higher and higher, pushing us to do great things.
And we do.
We win it. I score twice. Dash once, and Kirby once. Our line is on fire.
I do a postgame TV interview before heading to the showers.
I welcome the warm water sliding over my naked body, and that wayward mind of mine slips into another fantasy where Aria stands naked under the showerhead with me. Getting wet and naked would be a great postgame celebration, but it’s not happening.
Not this time. But another time…
Chapter 20
Other Messes
~~Aria~~
The Icehawks won!!!!
Gardenia and I stay in our seats and wait for the crowd to disperse. We soak up the victory and bask in the glow. The boys won’t stop bouncing and yelling. We shake our heads and laugh. I’m grateful she’s a friend and has forgiven me for the shit I wrote about the team. I will not betray the trust she’s placed in me. That Aria doesn’t exist anymore.
I don’t have any good friends to confide in, and I’ve missed being close enough to another person to tell them my secrets. I’ll take our friendship slow and tread lightly. I don’t want to screw it up again.
Once the arena empties out, Gardenia and I exit to the concourse. She checks her text messages. “The Barlowes rented the Pizza Zone again tonight. Do you want to join us?”
Noah hears her and starts begging. “Please, Aunt Aria. Please. Please. Please.”
“I really shouldn’t.”
“Yes, you should.” Her tone leaves no room for argument. She’s not taking no for an answer.
“Please, Auntie. Please. Just for a little while?” Noah stares up at me with those pleading blue eyes I find hard to resist.
“Okay, for a short while.”
“Good. I’m heading over there now. Jake will meet us.”
“I’m right behind you.”
Minutes later, I’m seated next to Gardenia in an empty pizza place. The team, staff, and other family members haven’t arrived yet. The boys are playing the video game machines in the back of the large room.
Gardenia turns to me. “Any leads on jobs?”
