“Mills,” I bark, and Gregory is already there because he always is. The puck snaps to my stick, tape to tape, and the ice opens up in front of me.
I read it the way I always do. Their center cheating high. Their defenseman pinching just a little too far. The seam is there for a heartbeat.
I slide the puck across. Nothing flashy. Just right.
Mason Barber reads it perfectly and pinches down from the blue line like a freight train with a personal vendetta. He gets a piece of it, the goalie kicks it out, and the rebound spills into the slot.
Dex Miller comes flying in like gravity personally offended him.
He rips the shot.
Ping.
Post.
The entire arena makes the same wounded sound at the same time.
Dex throws his arms up anyway, skating past me. “That was in.”
“It was in your imagination,” I shout back as I turn to chase the breakout.
Day game. Kids watching. And Dex still thinks reality is optional.
I backcheck hard, legs burning. Their winger tries to cut inside. I angle him off and pin him to the boards just long enough for Gabriel to scoop the puck free.
The kid behind the glass pounds on it like he’s trying to free us.
I glance up for half a second and see his face lit up like Christmas.
My chest does this small, stupid warm thing.
Then the whistle blows and the moment’s gone.
TV timeout.
I glide to the bench, breath fogging my visor. Coach Hale leans forward, clipboard tucked under his arm, eyes sharp.
“Good pressure,” he says.
I nod. That’s high praise coming from him.
Dex flops onto the bench beside me like he’s been shot. “Captain, I have been robbed.”
“You hit the post,” Mason says flatly.
Dex points at him. “Don’t invalidate my pain.”
Gregory taps his stick against the mat. “Statistically speaking, that was physics.”
Dex glares. “Dude, if I wanted math, I’d date an accountant.”
I snort before I can stop myself.
The music dips. The jumbotron flashes red hearts for reasons I don’t want to understand.
And then the announcer’s voice booms through the arena.
“Outlaws fans! Don’t forget! Coming up next week, it’s Hearts on Ice: A Valentine’s Charity Night!”
