Page 59 of Her Player

I hated how worked up this had her.

“Even so,” the official began again, “without clearer cameras, we have to default to what we saw in real time. However.”

“However…?” Coach asked.

“However,” the official said with a nod of his head, “we studied the helmet. That puck was shoved in between those bars in a very distinct fashion. You don’t get a puck stuck like that without aim. The chances of it happening naturally are too low according to one of the other officials I’ve deliberated with.”

I looked over at Victoria and practically watched her fucking hackles rise. She wanted answers, so I cleared my throat.

“Get to the point, we have a goalie to check on,” I said.

“Rhett,” Coach warned.

Victoria shot me a grateful look, however, and that was all that mattered.

The official gave me a warning look before clearing his throat. “The game has been forfeited and struck off the books, but it has also been found, after doctors looked over their team as well, that their team is drunk.”

All of us fell silent. “Sorry, what?”

The official looked over at me. “Their center who shot that puck at your goalie in the first place? His blood-alcohol level is twice the legal limit. How he skated around on the ice like that, I’m not even sure. But it prompted us to test the team.”

“What did you find?” Coach asked, finding his voice.

The official looked over at him. “Two of their other team members have alcohol in their systems right now as well. That constitutes their fourth match penalty this season, among other things, which leaves them ineligible for the wildcard game with the New York Bulldogs.”

The team that lost against the Canadians this week.

All of us collectively held our breath before he continued.

“So congratulations, Vegas Vipers,” the official said, “you’re headed to the wildcard game where you’ll face off with New York for a chance at the championship game against Canada’s team.”

The official looked around the room, but the only one to move was Coach. With a nod of his head, the official left our locker room, the door thudding closed behind him.

I expected the locker room to erupt into cheers and applause.

But all we did was turn to Coach just in time to watch him draw in a deep breath. “If a game forfeiture was going to happen, I’m glad it happened this way.” He let that hang in the silent air for a while before he continued. “Because when all is said and done, the only people on that ice who have your backs are the ones standing in this room right now.”

All of us looked around at one another as Coach slipped his arm around Bry.

I wanted nothing more than to march over there and wrap Victoria up in my arms.

“So we battle it out with the New York Bulldogs next weekend. We will keep our regular workout schedule throughout the week. No deviations. No distractions. No additions or subtractions.” He scanned the room, eyeballing every single one of us. “And I expect all of you to have your heads screwed on straight for that game. Understood?”

“Yes, Coach,” we all answered in unison.

“And Jett?”

“Yep?” my best friend piped up beside me.

Coach pointed at him. “Replace that fucking stick, you numbskull. I know you cracked it out there on the ice. Don’t you let me see you on that ice next weekend with that stick.”

Jett grinned. “No wrapping it in duct tape, got it.”

Coach looked over at Victoria. “Anything you want to add?”

Her eyes landed on me, and for a split second, nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed. It was just her and me in that locker room, and I still saw that anger simmering behind her eyes. She was hopped up on adrenaline, ready to pummel someone’s face in. It wasn’t until Jett nudged me that I blinked and looked away. And when I scanned the room, I saw the entire team volleying their heads back and forth between the two of us.

Like a goddamn tennis match.