Page 120 of Risking the Pucking Defense

With one eye still on the TV, I click on the notification that tells me someone is here.

“Oh good, you’re in. I thought you might want some company to watch the game.”

“Uh…”

“Shit. I can go if you don’t want⁠—”

“No, no. Come on up.”

I allow her entry into the building and then unlock my door so she can let herself in, and with my heart racing with surprise, I turn back to the screen.

“Damn it,” I hiss, realizing that I missed watching him come out.

But while I might be annoyed at myself, I’m mostly in shock.

I can’t remember the last time someone went out of their way because they thought I might need something.

It’s…fuck.

It’s blown me away.

“Did I miss it?” Bea shouts, flying into my apartment with her arms full of stuff.

“No, puck drop isn’t for⁠—”

“Not that. I meant the warmups,” she says in a rush as she flops onto my couch and lets her collection of snacks cascade around her.

“Oooh. No, they just started.”

She grabs a packet of chips and rips them open, her eyes on the screen, searching for her man. “Thank fuck for that. Watching those hips move is about the only thing that’s going to get me through this first trip.”

I can’t help but laugh.

“I thought you’d be watching with Casey and Freya,” I say. I’ve previously overheard them talking about getting together to watch when the guys are away.

“Oh, yeah. I was. But I cancelled on them. Thought you might have needed the company more.”

My mouth opens and closes like a fish, but I can’t summon any words. Instead, I turn my attention back to the screen, my eyes almost immediately finding the number ninety-six.

Hot damn. Bea might just be onto something…

35

HAYDEN

The W in Boston was a hard-fought fight. We ended up winning in overtime, but really, it could have gone either way. They came out with a point to prove, and fuck, they almost made it.

Thanks to Handsy being a fucking legend, we managed to get the advantage before we got our asses back on the bus and headed for the airport.

It’s amazing how quickly you forget the exhaustion from all the travelling, and equally as amazing how fast it hits you again.

As much as I’d love to say we managed to come out on top in New York, it would be a lie.

We struggled to get it together. At times, we looked like a team that had never played together before. Coach was losing his shit because nothing was working. Everyone’s frustration levels were through the roof, but despite pushing harder, it just wasn’t our game.

We walked away with our first pre-season loss. It stung, but it’s inevitable, and we all headed home with heavy hearts. Everyone is ready for it. After a summer of spending time with loved ones, being away, especially for those with families, is hard. And it’s only going to get harder in the coming months.

The flight home is much quieter than the one to Boston only a few days ago. No sooner have we taken off than the sound of guys snoring rings out around me.