Page 61 of Mac Meyers Needs Me

The girls laugh, but let it go, which I appreciate.

“LoTR movie marathon?” Cammie asks hopefully.

Tally perks up. “Does that mean you’ll finish the next chapter soon?”

“I plan to keep my laptop close.”

“I think we all vote yes.”

CHAPTER 23

MAC

Stiles passes to me and I pass to Lovett, bolting down the ice to get into position. We’re leading 2-1 and looking to add some padding to the score with another goal. Stiles has already managed an assist tonight, and I want to soak up some of his mojo for myself.

The puck comes my way again, and I tap it to Deever, a third-year player who’s the size of a tank. He passes back to Stiles as I skate behind the crease and narrowly miss slamming into the boards. Maybe Fee is more than just my girlfriend, maybe she’s my muse too.

There’s a skirmish to the right of the net, sticks smacking the ice as Tilton fights to maintain control of the puck. It ricochets back and forth, ping-ponging in my direction. I knock it away from Windsor’s center, putting it back in Lovett’s capable hands. But I lose my footing this time and miss my chance to be part of the action as Lovett passes it to Stiles, who tips it into the net.

We got the goal, but I wasn’t as helpful as I wanted to be.

Back in the locker room everyone is cheering on Lovett and Stiles. I get it. They’re magic on the ice and the scouts are all over them this season. It’s not a question of whether they’ll be picked up by a team, it’s which team will score them. My stats are better than they were a month ago, but I worry they won’t be where I need them to be by the end of the season.

“You all right, man?” Lovett asks as we strip out of our gear.

“Yeah, just up in my head about my game play,” I admit.

“You’re playing cleaner, man. I know you probably don’t see it right now, but there’s a difference, and you kept the puck away from the other team, and that allowed Stiles to score another goal, so it’s still a win.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” But it’s a win for Stiles, and I need a few of my own.

I’ve put my name in for summer programs in Sweden and Germany this summer, but I also applied for the Hockey Academy. My current stats might get me a spot overseas, but I don’t know about locally, or if the pros will call me up when I graduate at the end of the year. Before, any of those options would have been good, but now that Fee and I are dating, I’d rather stay closer to home.

It’s late by the time we return to the hotel.

“You guys hungry? Want to see what they have on the late-night menu?” Gage asks once we’ve dropped our stuff in our rooms.

“I could eat,” Brody replies.

“Same.”

I have new messages from Fee, asking how the game went. “I’ll meet you down there. I just want to touch base with Fee.”

“I’ll message before I come back up if you’re longer than a few minutes,” Brody calls over his shoulder.

Mac

We won, but I didn’t score any goals.

Fee

If I was there with you, I’d help you score some goals.

In the bedroom.

JK

Actually I take it back. I’d absolutely try to take your mind off things and make you feel better if you were here.