The puck hits my stick, and I do a quick curve, passing itover to Hancock, getting the defenseman off me before I circle around again. A quick glance up at the time, and we’re down to seconds.
Seconds to bring us from facing sudden-death overtime to winning this thing. The guys want it. We all want it. The energy of the team, the crowd, the fans, drives me onward.
Hancock sends it back, and I scoop it into my stick. Two steps, and with a hard slap, it hits the edge of the net. My stomach rises to my throat, and I’m not sure.
I hold my breath as it wobbles, as the goalie reaches out, and at the last second…
He misses.
The place explodes in screaming, air horns, stomping. Caps rain down onto the ice, and it’s all over. The final buzzer sounds as the Jumbotron lights up with the wordsMake Some Noise—as if this crowd needs it. They’re all on their feet.
Our goal song plays, and the guys huddle around me, slapping my back, grabbing my neck, pulling me in for a hug. Lifting my chin, I can’t help a laugh when I see everyone dancing to the music and waving their hands.
It’s my first big play in the NHL, and I think of the one person I’m so happy is here to see it. The person I want to share it with most. My eyes go to the stands where the girls sit.
Haddy is there bouncing Lucy and waving her little arm. Heather has both of my daughter’s hands in hers, and they’re dancing side to side. My brow lowers, and I look all around, but I don’t see Gina anywhere.
The smile on my face fades a bit.
“Hey, bro, let’s do this!” Mav pulls my arm as he skates off the ice in the direction of our locker room.
My heart beats faster, and I start to get worried. Didsomething happen to her? She’s been at her seat the whole time.
Hopping over the boards to our bench, I quickly remove my skates. I leave my gear by the bench, stepping into the stands, not worrying about the spectators grabbing me and doing their best to slap my pads.
They’re all happy, but I’m too distracted by finding her. Music plays, everyone celebrates, but when I enter the short hall leading out to the concourse the sounds fade to silence.
Her back is against the wall in the shadows, and a guy I don’t recognize has his arms around her. He’s holding her tight against his body, and she appears to be holding him in response.
Anger burns like fire in my throat as I watch him move his nose into her hair, inhaling, and closing his eyes.What. The Fuck?
My muscles vibrate with adrenaline, and it takes everything in me not to rush forward, grab him by the neck, and throw him across the hall.
The one thing that stops me from doing it is when Gina steps back, she smiles up at him and exhales a little laugh.
She touches his shoulder, and my insides freeze. My world goes black, and I have to get out of this place. She turns and sees me. She says my name, but I can’t answer. The anger in my chest is too strong, and without a word, I turn and leave in the direction I came.
23
GINA
He won’t talk to me. My heart hammers in my chest, and I’ve texted, called… nothing. It’s all silent.
I want to be angry at Baxter, but it’s not his fault. Tears are in my eyes, and I ache to my bones.
How long had he been there? Had he even heard what we were saying?
I chased after him to try and explain, but he’d scored a hat trick that won the game. He was a superstar, and the excited crowd was a crush around him.
As much as I tried to jump and push through them and scream his name, in their minds, I was simply another adoring fan.
When it was clear I couldn’t get to him, I decided to give up, and instead, I’d meet him at his house and explain when he got there. I booked a rideshare and texted Haddy that I was leaving.
As soon as it dropped me off, I ran straight to his house to wait.
I sat on the porch steps in the dark studying my phone, counting the seconds, wondering how long it might possibly take. Eventually, Heather and Maddie pulled into the driveway, climbing out of the vehicle singing the Champions’ victory song, but he wasn’t with them.
My shoulders fell, and I couldn’t stand. I didn’t want them to see me this way, so instead I sat in the darkness, watching them enter through the side door. I laid my forehead on my arms as I listened to them laughing and chatting so happily.
