I reach over and grip Mack’s forearm. “This is always so freakin’ stressful.”
“I know.” She nods, her eyes glued to the ice. “Your dad went to bed at midnight and was up at four thirty. He’s been a bundle of nerves.” My dad is the team’s goalie coach, so he’s deeply invested in all of this.
Just like the rest of us.
“Come on, come on, come on!” I whisper as Anton takes the puck toward Seattle’s goal and shoots. It bounces off the post and then one of the guys from Seattle is flying down the ice toward Simon. And he’s all alone. Anton went for a line change and somehow, the guys are caught with no one protecting our goal.
“Fuck,” Mack mutters, gripping my hand.
Luckily, Simon blocks the shot but the guy shoots again. And again.
“Oh my god.” There’s a scuffle behind the boards, and finally the new line is in there. Including Zaan.
They’re still battling hard, like their lives depend on it, and I guess it does since the season is over for whoever loses tonight.
Seattle shoots again, and a third time, and there’s less than a minute on the clock.
“Jesus, if I was later in my pregnancy, I’d probably go into labor,” I whisper to Mack.
She chuckles. “Let’s not do that.”
“Oh shit!” I gape as there’s another breakaway and the guy from Seattle is barreling down on Simon.
Then everything happens so fast it doesn’t register at first.
The guy from Seattle pulling back his stick and firing the puck toward the goal.
Zaan throwing himself down on the ice to stop it.
And then someone blows a whistle, play stops, and Zaan doesn’t move.
“Zaan…” I’m on my feet, fists pressed against my mouth.
“Oh no.” Mack is beside me, her arm around my waist.
“Please get up, baby…” I whisper. “Please get up.”
The team’s trainers run out onto the ice and drop down, talking to him.
And still, he doesn’t move.
“No no no. Mack, what’s happening?” I cry out.
“I don’t know, honey.” Her voice is gruff.
The arena is silent as we wait.
They bring out a stretcher.
“I have to go!” I turn and push my way past everyone, practically flying through the concourse toward the private elevators that take you down to the player level. I have an all-access family pass that gets me down there, though they usually don’t like us to hang out anywhere but the family lounge.
But I don’t give a fuck.
I have to get to him.
Now.
Chapter Nineteen
