Page 323 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

"We'll get another one."

Coach meets me at the boards. "How's the shoulder?"

I blink. I forgot to check."

A slow smile spreads across his face. "Good."

He turns toward the next line. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

***

By the second period, the game has found its rhythm.

Bodies crash along the boards.

Shots come from impossible angles.

Every shift leaves lungs burning, exactly the way hockey should.

Halfway through the period, I chase down an icing call, arriving just ahead of the opposing defenseman.

He finishes his check cleanly, driving me shoulder-first into the glass.

The entire arena inhales. Thousands of people drawing the same frightened breath.

For the briefest instant I feel the impact travel through my body.

Then...nothing. No sharp pain. No hesitation. Just solid contact.

I push off the boards, steal the puck from his stick, and send it safely up the wall to Colby before joining the rush.

The crowd explodes. Not because of the play. Because they watched me get back up.

As we skate past our bench, Liam can't resist. "There he is!"

Toby laughs. "Told you he'd forgotten how to stay down."

Coach says nothing. He simply folds his arms and watches the next shift begin.

The scoreboard reads 2–2 as the horn sounds to end the second period.

Everything we hoped for will come down to one final twenty-minute period.

As I skate toward the locker room for the final break, I glance once toward the stands.

Annette is already on her feet. She catches my eye and smiles. Not worried. Not relieved.

Simply proud.

For the first time all night...

I realize I'm proud of myself too.

***

The locker room settles into its familiar rhythm during the intermission.

Nobody delivers an inspirational speech. The game doesn't need one.