“Why?” I ask. Hockey players are notoriously superstitious, so having rituals in and of themselves isn’t weird, but Isla’s are more specific.
She shrugs. “That’s what I did before my game back in high school when there were scouts there to watch me. I had the best game of my life at the time, and I wasn’t going to fuck that up by deviating from what obviously works.”
“I have lucky socks,” Wes says. “They have Easter eggs on them. Wore them before my first NHL career hat trick. Now I wear them every game.”
“It’s a wonder those socks are still holding up,” Nico laughs. “They’re full of holes.”
“As long as they’re on, I can have another pair on under them. It works for me.”
“I have a Caesar salad with a Diet Coke for lunch,” Bet adds. “I stay out of the sin bin if I do that.”
“Poutine for me,” Sid laughs. “Reminds me of home.”
“What do you do, Lev?” Bet asks.
“Nothing,” he shrugs.
I roll my eyes. “What he means by that is he literally doesnothing.He will not let anyone take practice shots on him on game day.”
“My first shutout when I was eight was when I almost missed the game. I didn’t get to practice. Clearly, it works.”
“Nico probably eats a chunk of Swiss cheese,” Isla teases.
Nico scoffs. “Just because I’m Swiss doesn’t mean I eat Swiss cheese.”
“Do you?”
“Yes,” he sighs, “but that’s not the damn point. I don’t eat it on game days, though. I retape my stick depending on what day it is. Each day of the week has a different color. Tomorrow is red because it’s Saturday.”
“What about you, Wolfe?” Zhuri asks Asher.
“Thirteen laps around the rink during warmups. My number has always been thirteen, so I started doing that back when I was still in Squirts. And I won’t say slap shot. Every time I do, none of my shots make it into the net.”
“I avoid my phone until after the game is over,” Theo states. “If I don’t look at it before, I can’t see what people are saying. That and wearing a brand new pair of underwear.”
“What about our co-captains?” Lev asks. “They’re being quiet.”
“I put my skates on last after I re-lace them,” Zhuri answers. “Also, put baby powder on my stick blade. If it was good enough for Gretzky, it’s good enough for me.”
“Cam’s is my favorite,” Wes laughs, and I elbow him.
I sigh. “One of my old teammates on the Tyrants playedShake It Offin the locker room before my first NHL start, and I scoredmy first career goal in the first minute of the game. I always listen to Taylor Swift before games now.”
Isla laughs. “Didn’t realize you were a Swiftie, Cam.”
“I’m really not,” I reply. “She’s not bad, but her music isn’t really my taste. Just listen to her before games.”
The conversation continues while I watch as Zhuri gets up and heads down the hall. I give it a few seconds before I follow after her. I gently grab her arm before she runs into the bathroom and lead her down to my bedroom instead, closing the door behind us.
“Cam,” she chuckles. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
I dart my eyes over to my en-suite. “It’s right there. Use it after this.”
“After what?”
Her question is answered when I press my lips to hers, holding her close while she’s wrapped up in my arms.
I smile at her. “Haven’t kissed you since before everyone else got here. Couldn’t go another second without feeling your lips on mine.”
