“You’ll do it?” My voice rises, and he grins.
“Sure, why not?”
“Haddy’s going to be so happy! Of course, that means you’ll have to spend a lot of time with me. Or at least, Ladybird will.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.” My lungs tighten at the way he says it. “Just tell us where and when, and we’ll be there.”
4
OWEN
“Gav and I have a Tic-Tac-Goal play we’ve been using for a few years, but we need to switch it up. That’s where you come in.”
We’re only a few weeks away from the start of the season, and we’ve started practicing all day, every day, getting ready. I’m learning the names of my teammates, most importantly Donovan Price, the team captain.
Price is a giant of a guy, a redhead who pretty much keeps to himself. He’s not as showy as Mav, who I knew before I got here was the star of the team and the best right winger in the league.
Gav is a defenseman, but he’s great at putting pressure on the offense and stealing the puck. He’s the fastest skater I’ve seen, faster than me, which gives him an advantage. Going in for a pinch, he has to move fast and make no mistakes.
Saxon, or Sax, is the other D-man who covers for him. He also covers Price as left-winger when our captain needs abreak. I’m doing my best to skate hard, learn fast, and keep my eye on the puck.
“What do you want me to do?” I look over at Gav, who’s circling around, coming up the back of the net.
“In the past when he’d do this, he’d send it straight to me, and I’d slap it into the goal.” As if on cue, Gav does just that, and I watch Mav send the puck straight into the net so fast, it’s a black blur. “The other teams have been studying us, so we decided to add one more step. Tic-Tac-Tac-Goal. You’re the second Tac.”
“Okay…” My brow furrows behind my mask, and I’m not sure I’m following. “Let’s give it a go.”
“It starts like this.” Maverick skates to the center, and Gavin goes to the line, where he’d be if he were defending.
They spring into action. Gav takes the puck and shoots it across the ice to Mav, who races down the center in the direction of the net.
Akers, our goalie, gets into position like he’s going to keep them from scoring, and Mav sends it across to John Hancock, yep, that’s really his name, while Gav flies around behind the net.
“Stone, you’re up!” Mav yells, and Hancock sends it to me, as I skate closer to the goal.
Catching it with my stick, I keep going, not sure if I should try to score or pass it.
Maverick gives the order. “Now to Gav!”
With a quick slap, I shoot it to my teammate, who has just come around the back corner of the net. My stomach drops when the puck clips the edge of the goal and starts to wobble, taking flight.
Gavin scoops it out of the air so fast, then sends it over to Mav, who slaps it straight past Akers into the goal.
Shouts of approval fill the stadium, and we glide into a huddle, slapping each other on the shoulders.
“Not bad for a first timer!” Gav grins, grabbing the top of my pad and giving me a shake. “The Cliffs won’t know where to look.”
Sax slaps me on the back, and we continue practicing different plays, passing, and then do a short scrimmage. They’re all good guys, even the young ones, chief of which includes Maverick. He’s cocky, the resident beautician, but he’s friendly and more than ready to help me get up to speed.
Donovan sets a steady tone as team captain, and his pep talks are level but inspiring. He’s the oldest next to me, but I’m not pulling any kind of age rank. These guys are helping me achieve a level I didn’t think I’d see in my career.
Hell, last year they went all the way to Edmonton to face off against the Slicks, historically the greatest team in the league.
I don’t know how many years of play I have left, but maybe we’ll win the cup before I’m done. Then maybe I can retire and go back to being a small-town sheriff like my dad.
“We need a nickname for you, Stone.”Gav is on the couch with his baby daughter on his chest.
Dinner is finished, and Haddy let me help wash the dishes this evening. I noticed Gigi gave her a side-eye before she ran upstairs saying she had to upload some paperwork before a deadline.
