There’s another shot on goal; another save that almost looks lazy until you consider how fast Seth had to move in all that gear to make it. That’s what gets me about watching him. The way he looks like he’s always standing in the right place and can predict exactly where they’ll place the puck before they ever decide.
“Oh no,” I hear Levi say and my attention moves back to the ice where a player for the other team has gotten a break away. A slick rebound and a quick slapshot from the opposing center later, Seth moves fast, but it’s not enough. The puck slips past him, clanking against the back of the net earning a point for the other team.
I can see Seth shouting curses at his defense behind his mask.
“That sucks.”
“That’s how he lost that tooth,” Levi says casually.
“Oh?” I ask, trying to play it cool while my brain replays Seth’s smile from the night we met in perfect, torturous detail.
My cheeks heat instantly. I noticed that missing tooth months ago, tucked in the back and only visible when he really smiles. And for some reason, I found it ridiculously attractive when he pulled off that ridiculous Sloth mask and grinned at me. Maybe because it’s one of the only times I’ve ever seen him look truly unguarded around me.
That version of Seth was different. Carefree in a way he never is now. Intense and passionate without constantly holding himself back. He laughed easier that night. Touched me easier too. Like for a few hours he forgot to carry the weight of everything around with him.
Maybe the mask helped with that. Maybe it gave him permission to become someone else for a little while. To be fair, the version of me he met that night wasn’t entirely real either. Because I don’t do one-night stands. I do feelings. Emotional intimacy. Connection. Love.
And maybe that’s the strangest part of all. Neither of us were fully ourselves that night, yet somehow it still felt more honest than half the interactions we’ve had since.
Levi’s watching the ice, but he’s smiling harder now.
“Yeah. Boone and I were messing around on the lake behind our parents’ house when we were kids. I sent a pass flying to Boone, and his left arm’s always been lethal. Hit it just right—kind of a chip with enough power that Seth didn’t see it coming.” Levi’seyes crinkle with big brother amusement. “He was smaller than us back then. The runt of the family.”
I blink, trying to imagine Seth being smaller than anyone because now he’s easily the biggest of the three Tremblay’s.
“And?”
“And it hit him in the cheek so hard it knocked his tooth out through the skin and left a tiny scar on his face.” Levi chuckles. “Mom was pissed. Dad laughed and told him he needed to stay alert or the next time it’d be his eye popping straight out of the socket. That scared him really good.”
I try to imagine a younger Seth playing on the ice in Alberta with his brothers. The image in my mind makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I didn’t grow up with siblings. I never had that built-in camaraderie or the constant chaos of someone always being in my business. And even though I know I missed out on that, I love hearing stories like this. It makes me feel it even more. Andwantit. To feel a part of something. A family.
Especially ever since I lost my mother. I’ve been seeking the community and connection and starting to think I might have found it in Brookhaven with Aly, Rhiannon, Rosie, and Natasha.
“Bri!” The voice of the director of medical snaps me back to reality. He motions toward Penn, who’s noticeably hobbling as he skates toward the bench for a substitution.
“Take a look at him,” he calls out. I switch instantly into clinical mode.
Penn winces as he sinks onto my bench. I zero in on the way he’s favoring his right leg.
“Let me take a look,” I say softly, crouching beside him, my hands already moving to assess. Looks like a nasty sprain.Nothing too serious, but enough to sideline him if we don’t get on top of it.
I grab an ice pack from the cart. “Let’s get this iced and stabilized. We’ll reassess after the period.”
Penn nods, teeth gritted against the discomfort as I secure the ice where it’s started to swell.
“You’re playing well.”
He starts to relax a little as his attention shifts back to his team still on the ice. “Thanks.” I can tell he’s disappointed by another injury.
“Don’t worry. We’ll get this under control, and you’ll be back to playing soon.”
He forces a smile at me as I straighten, wiping my hands on my pants. My eyes drift right back to Seth. He’s laser-focused, locked in, but I can see the tightness in his jaw. He’s pissed about that last goal. Pissed that he let one through. I know athletes like Seth. This will only make him work harder.
“He’s not letting anything else get through now,” Penn says mostly to himself. I know he’s right.
“Damn straight,” Levi adds with a nod.
I watch as Seth resets in the crease, his movements sharp, his focus deadly. I wonder if his hamstring’s bothering him. Coach Steele has had him in the entire game with no sign of subbing. I notice the way he shifts back and forth on his hips and see how he’s slightly pulling to the left.
