“You know it’s a big deal when your archnemesis gives you a pep talk,” Stiles observes as Grace skates off.
“I wouldn’t call him my archnemesis anymore, but yeah, clearly there’s a lot on the line whenhe’sgiving me the keep-your-head-down speech.”
“I don’t see Tally in the box with the girls.” Stiles waves to Rix, who blows him a kiss.
“She’s coming after her dance rehearsal,” I explain.
“Ah.” Stiles pats me on the back. “Just stay focused. Everything will be fine.”
I set aside my personal shit and, like Grace advised, keep my head in the game. Nashville scores a goal in the first five minutes, making it a rocky start.
I rotate on with Stiles, Bright, Ashish Palaniappa, one of our enforcers, and Grace. We fight for possession, and Ryker deflects shots on net. Grace steals the puck from Nashville, and I rush to intercept the pass at center.
Stiles and Bright flank me as I gain control. Grace and Palaniappa move in to distract their defense. Nashville scrambles to steal the puck, but Bright taps it back to me. I take the shot, but their goalie knocks it away. Stiles grabs it on the rebound and takes another shot, but it goes wide. Palaniappa tips it back tome, and I shoot again as Grace blocks their key defense. This time the puck slides past the goalie’s skate, tying the game.
My teammates converge on me, and we’re a mass of back pats andway to gos. Playing well tonight is essential. I need my team and the media on my side when the news about me and Tally finally gets out.
Stiles scores a goal in the second period with Romero as the assist.
Tally arrives at the beginning of the third period.
“Stay focused,” Grace reminds me as I take the ice again, proving once again that he’s a reliable ally.
I block out the noise and score again with Bright as the assist. We maintain the two-point lead for the rest of the game. Nashville gets chippy in the last five minutes, and one of their players tries to start a fight with Grace, but he won’t engage. Instead, Grace scores a goal during our powerplay, which is the best FU to the guy currently fuming in the penalty box. And we win the game 4 -1.
We stop to give interviews to the waiting media, and I can’t tell if Vander Zee is being awkward, or I’m hyperaware of how things will shift once everyone finds out I’m dating his daughter. How our friends react is the first test, and I’m really fucking nervous.
The mood in the locker room is buoyant on the heels of the win. But it’s all unknowns once I step outside this room.
Coach Vander Zee seems just as off as me. “Good game, boys. You played with skill and not your balls.”
Coach Forrest-Hammer raises an eyebrow.
Coach Arnold coughs.
A few of the rookie players exchange looks.
I can feel Grace and Stiles eyes on me.
Romero’s brows pull together.
“Sorry, you know what I mean.” Coach looks at me. “You’redoing a great job showing up for each other.” He clears his throat. “Keep it up.”
I tug on my tie as Coach Forrest-Hammer adds her much more eloquent two cents about teamwork and cohesiveness.
We leave the locker room and head down the hall to where the girls are waiting. Tally is caught in the middle of the group, and my teammates are blocking my path to her. She looks gorgeous in a pair of jeans and a Terror hoodie. Her hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders, and I long to thread my fingers into those soft waves and kiss her pretty, vanilla-lip-balm-flavored lips.
Her ocean-blue eyes meet mine, wide with uncertainty and anticipation, as I nudge Tristan and Dallas out of the way.
Everything is about to change.
Except Vander Zee moves in before I reach her. “Hey, kiddo! I didn’t realize you were coming out tonight.” He pulls Tally in for an enthusiastic, slightly desperate hug.
She gives me an uneasy look over his shoulder while patting his back.
We should have talked through how this would go, instead of winging it. I don’t want to overwhelm her, but I want to make it clear that I’m in this.
Vander Zee steps back, and I respectfully make my move.
