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Jordan snacked on the cheese fries as the puck dropped.
Sam passed the puck to Luc, who sped down the ice, chased by an Arizona player. Luc was shoved into the corner and hit up high, and the puck squeaked out to a nearby opposing player. Sam chased the winger down the ice, hooking him with his stick and pulling him down.
Arizona’s coach was looking for a penalty, but none was called.
The crowd cheered as play continued.
Tyler took a shot from the blue line, sliding the puck right over the goalie’s glove.
GOAL!
The crowd roared, the horn sounded, and music blared. Everyone in the arena was on their feet cheering.
The Renegades led 1–0.
The player that Sam had hooked earlier in the period came after him in retaliation and cross-checked Sam in the corner. Tyler joined in the scuffle and took a punch to the head. Harrison pulled the guy off Tyler and a fight ensued.
Talia cheered for Harrison, as he punched the guy who had gone after Tyler. They grabbed one another’s jerseys and twisted round and round until Harrison tossed the Arizona player down to the ice. The linesman broke it up, sending both players to the penalty box.
Talia yipped and whistled. “Is it weird that I enjoy watching him get dirty out there?”
“No. But I still can’t get over how tough Harrison is on the ice. In person, he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
Despite everything going on with Tyler, Harrison, and Sam, Jordan’s eyes kept wandering to Noah, who was playing well, not causing any waves, and making no mistakes.
Arizona scored with one minute left in the second period, and the score remained tied the rest of the regulation.
“Overtime always makes me nervous,” Talia said.
Two minutes into overtime, Noah skated towards the net, dropped to one knee, and shot the puck. Anxiously, they all stood to watch.
GOAL!
The puck slipped right by the goalie’s pad.
A horn sounded and music played. The Renegades had won the game.
Jordan’s heart raced as she watched the guys all skate out on to the ice, congratulating one another. Then they filed in a single line to the goalie to praise him. She had seen it on television, but it was all so much more exciting in person.
Noah looked up in their direction before he skated off the ice. She wanted to believe he was looking at her, but it was likely he wasn’t looking at anything in particular.
“Looks like you’re good luck, Jordan. You might have to come to more games,” Talia commented.
Dumping the popcorn bin and the tray that had held the cheese fries into the trash, Talia grabbed her arm. “C’mon we need to go this way.”
“To where?”
“Noah asked me to bring you to where the families wait for the players.” She tugged at her arm. “You’ll see.”
She followed Talia, who knew the arena better than she did. With Talia at her side, she glanced around the hallway. Wives and girlfriends, children, and toddlers waited. The little ones mostly wore tiny jerseys that said DADDY on the back, with presumably their father’s number. A strange feeling hit her belly.
Did she want this? Of course she did, someday. Her future dream was always this—a family. But a hockey family? That was a dream she’d shut down the day her ex had left her.
“Earth to Jordan,” Talia said, snapping her fingers in front of Jordan’s face.
Jordan’s head snapped to look at her friend. “Huh?”
“Do you need a ride home?”
