Page 29 of Power Play

“Hey, girl. You miss us?”

I recognized Colby’s voice and laughed. “Of course. It’s so much quieter around here when you guys are gone.”

“Well, we are back for tonight’s game, and I think this will be our last time here.”

It was sad to hear the defeat in her voice. The Fury didn’t deserve the losses they were racking up. Two more players had been injured in game four, and they lost. It looked like it was going to be a shorter series than they expected.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“It is what it is.” She sighed. “But you’re coming with us tonight.”

“I am?”

“Of course. You’re a part of our cheer team, and we need all the help we can get.” I heard a voice in the background but couldn’t make out the words. “Oh right, and Sydney wants to know if she should have the pool house cleaned.”

I shook my head. She was serious about that? I was basically a stranger. I didn’t think she would really let me stay there.

“I haven’t really––”

“I’ll tell her yes.” There was a pause and then she came back. “Meet in the lobby at four.”

“Okay.” We hung up.

I knew better by now than to argue. They knew my room number and would show up to drag me out if I even thought of protesting. It was already three so I took a quick shower and got ready before heading down.

Sydney was waiting with Colby and Lucy. It was sad to see their numbers dwindle. Two more players had been injured and I didn’t know if they’d make it back in time.

“Hey, guys.” I gave each of them a hug before we headed out in the direction of the arena. “How are Kendall and Wyatt?”

“They’re good. Wyatt’s not going to be back in time for the series, but he’s pushing through physical therapy,” Lucy answered.

“That’s good.” Their energy was so much lower than the previous games. “How’s the rest of the team?”

Sydney shrugged. “They’re tired and beaten up, but trying to pull it together for the last few games. I don’t think they have the fight in them to turn the series around, but they don’t want to make it easy on the Storm either.”

“I wish it was any other team,” Lucy grumbled. “I’ve hated them for years.”

“It just doesn’t feel earned. If both teams were playing their very best and we got to see really great hockey, and then the Fury lost I would be okay with it. But it’s not like that at all.” Colby shook her head. “It’s infuriating.”

“A bit different from your basketball boys, huh?” Lucy nudged her.

“Completely,” she agreed.

“Basketball boys?” I asked.

“Yeah, I still have a few basketball clients I work with.”

“I didn’t know that. I thought it was just Noah.” She told me at the first game, as she introduced everyone else, that she was a personal assistant and that was how she met Noah.

“There’s only two or three I can’t seem to shake.” She winked. “They’re so easy to work with and the extra income makes it worth it.”

I smiled and we entered the arena through a side entrance and headed up to the third floor where one of the boxes was reserved for the Fury’s friends and family to hang out and eat before the game. Most of them stayed to watch, but the girls liked to be closer to the action. I did too.

As the guys came out on the ice, I noticed their slumped shoulders, some favoring one side, and they were overall slower than ever before. Sydney was right, they were beaten up. Not just physically, but I could only imagine how low morale was. How could they get hyped up without their captain? With so many guys out injured? I didn’t know their team as well as the other girls, but the loss of Reese Murray and Grant Fisher was huge. Grant was on Jason’s line and they had a chemistry that made them a real force on the ice. How would that affect him tonight?

I got my answer in the first period. The game was so hard to watch. There were more fights than any of the previous games. Checks into the boards happened one after another. The referees weren’t calling anything.

During the third period, there was blood on the ice.