“So you are starting to believe?”
He looks at me with his head cocked to the side in thought. “Believe what?”
“That we can win. That you’re a part of it.”
A soft smile pulls at his lips. God, those lips. “Let’s just get through these last few games. Then we can start thinking about playoffs.”
I slide my hands into my pockets. “What makes you so hesitant to be hopeful?”
“Experience, I guess.” He shrugs and stops walking. He turns to face the water, then takes a few steps closer to the edge. I follow him. “I’ve never really been on a winning team before,” he continues. “And I’ve always come in second place after Ander. I know how this sport works. I may be young, but I understand the business of hockey.”
“You do,” I say. Which is true. Honestly, he probably understands it better than most. Yes, we all grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL, but Brandon has had a front-row seat to that dream for more players than anyone else I know. While never having it for himself.
“I’ve watched what this sport can do to people. I’ve seen how quickly seasons can fall apart and players can get traded. I know how in a split second, a hit gone wrong, a player’s career can be ended.” He looks over his shoulder at me again. There’s a sad half smile on his face. “Hell, the only reason why I’m even here is because a player’s own father couldn’t come to grips with him being gay. My entire career has been fast tracked because Kennedykissed Marshal in front of the entire world. Had he not done that, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation. You’d be enjoying a nap, and I’d still be nameless in Wisconsin.”
I step closer to him and put my arm around him. “While all of that might be true?—”
“Is true.”
“Then to me it sounds like more than enough reason to soak all of this in and enjoy the ride.”
“I am enjoying the ride,” he says. “But I’m also preparing for the fallout.”
“And what is it in your mind that you think the fallout is?”
“I don’t know.” His shoulders rise and fall under my arm, but he doesn’t try to get out from under it. “One of us gets traded to Vancouver for a better draft pick.”
“Not me. They’re on my no-trade list.”
“Really?” He looks at me, curious. “Who else is on there?”
“All of Canada.”
“You can do that?” His eyes are bright as he steps away from me, and gestures with his head back towards the direction of our hotel.
I resist the urge I’m feeling to grab hold of his hand as we walk back.
“That’s not it, though, is it?” he asks.
“No.” I shake my head and look down at my feet in the sand. “I also have Dallas on my list.” Sighing, I look back up and give him a nudge with my elbow. “What about you? Who are you putting on your list?”
“Buffalo. Definitely Buffalo.” He laughs. “But seriously, probably nowhere. I just want to be able to continue to play. I’m not sure it would matter much to me what team that is.”
Feeling oddly vulnerable, I can’t help myself as the words escape past my lips. “It would matter to me.”
“No it wouldn’t,” he says. “You’ve always done fine without me.”
FOURTEEN
Brandon
Florida is not making it easy for us tonight, that’s for sure. The score has been tied one to one since the first period.
I look up at the clock on the jumbotron above the ice. There’s just over a minute left to play in regulation. If either team doesn’t score soon, we’re headed into overtime. We’re all gassed. That is the last thing anyone wants.
“We just need one more!” Danton yells out on the ice as everyone gets into position for the next face off. Roysy’s line is out there right now, with Reinhold taking the draw. He has a pretty good percentage when it comes to winning face offs, but he’s no Ryan, that’s for sure. I wish our line was out there. But I understand Coach Chris’s thought process here. Roysy’s line is better defensively than ours. Ryan, O’Shea, and I are skill guys. Roysy and company are pests. Complete menaces out there whose sole purpose is to annoy and bother the other team’s best players into making a mistake.
Which is exactly what is happening the minute the puck is dropped. Reinhold loses the face off. But Florida doesn’t have the puck for long as even though he lost, Reinhold uses his closeproximity to shoulder check Florida’s center, causing him to give up the puck.
