Okay, not maybe.
I do.
It’s been a fantasy of mine for years that I would skate to her section and tap the Plexiglass to wave at my girlfriend. We’re finally together, but she can’t be here. Well, I’ll make someone pay for that. And since I can’t get mad at her mom without hurting Lottie, I’m funneling all my emotion into this game.
The Stripes will be eating my star dust tonight.
Three minutes in, and I’m already being handed puck-shaped gifts on a platter. My chest rattles as everything starts breaking in my favor. One of the defenders sends it along the ice like he’s leading a retirement community parade, and I’m on him in a second, swiping the puck.
Then I’m gone, charging their goal. It’s a clean shot. I fire, and it’s a beauty, sailing into the net before the goalie can even react. I throw my head back and roar. Levi crashes into me first, yelling something incoherent. I steal a quick second to close my eyes and picture Lottie smiling. I just need her here with me—even if it’s only in my head.
She has to know I’m doing all this for us.
Her mom doesn’t like hockey, but it brings in an income and offers a solid career. If I lead my team to victory, I’ll be more than an NHL star—I’ll be a national hero. Surely, Senator Halloway can respect that.
Unfortunately, the Stripes don’t stay down. Mid-period, they respond, tying the game. The plays blur together, and at one point a guy snaps his stick clean in half and gets sent off. Reeves slashes, and we head to the power play. A sting spreads through my gut. I narrow my eyes and focus forward.
All I need to do is look at the puck, and I can sense that it’s mine.
I wind up at the point, uncork a slap shot with everything I’ve got, and I know by the sound it makes that it’s pure gold.
And just like that, I score my second goal of the night. When I skate past the Stripes’ bench, Houli’s smirk is loaded for me. “Careful, Ty,” he chirps. “You’re going to peak too early.”
A niggling in the back of my head warns me to stay humble, but it’s Houli. I can’t resist a sharp, “You mind your own business.” He laughs it off, and the horn blares, bringing the first period to an end.
And what a start that was.
The second period turns into a tug-of-war.
They score.
We score.
They annoyingly score again, like they didn’t get the memo that this is supposed to be my best game ever. I’ve got a woman to impress. Even worse than that, I have a brown-nosing senator to impress. They aren’t supposed to have that much stamina. Still, it only pushes me to dig deeper—there is nothing on this planet preventing me from leading this team to victory tonight. Not with Lottie watching at home and her snooty mom turning her nose up at me.
Stripes are going down.
And just like that, we get another power play. I hate to get cocky, but I’m grinning wide. My fingers jitter, waiting for the perfect moment. When the puck comes to me, I don’t even skate. I snap it toward their goal.
And BOOM!
Hat trick.
It’s official—my first career hat trick! I toss my gloves, and the arena erupts. My teammates pile on me. All of that is nothing compared to the fact I know, miles away, Lottie is cheering. I let out a sigh, sending my thoughts her way.
This is for you, my queen.
All of everything I have is for us.
I hope it’s enough.
I’m ready for the game to be over right then and there, but we’ve got a whole other period to play. I end up nose-to-nose with Taz again, and we’re hauled apart. Stripe’s player, Dante loses his mind, takes a major penalty, and the Stripes’ rhythm visually starts to unravel.
Which is good news for us, because I’m focused. Like I predicted, this game keeps giving us more gifts. Stripes are shooting, but we bury them with our speed, and they can’t keep up. When the final horn sounds, the scoreboard lights up with our hard-earned victory. Usually, I’m quick to leave the ice. Tonight I skate to a stop in front of our goal, catching my breath and letting sweat drip from my brow into my eyes.
I’m not expecting to see her, but I look into the stands and imagine Lottie there. She should be here. Yeah, I know she saw it on her phone.
It’s not the same.
