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Thank fuck. Two-one, and there has to be only seconds to go. God knows we need a ten-minute break.
As play continues, Jake and I dominate, with Jay flying through the center, passing the puck through to me as I make my way up the right side of the ice.
Just as I draw back to take the shot, I feel the wind beneath me swipe my face. The second I take the shot, Josh is there and he’s taking me down with him.
We crash down to the ice, half hitting the barrier as I lose footing and he slams me down to the ground. I lie there for several moments, as the siren wails out around the arena, unmoving.
Holy fucking shit.
Ashton is the first face I see above me.
He rips his helmet off. “You alive?”
“Doesn’t feel like it,” I mutter, holding my ribs. Fuck, something doesn’t feel good. “I hope I didn’t break something.”
He helps me up, and I see Ty and Jay to my right as they help me off the ice.
“Go get that looked at.” Coach pats me on the back as I make my way to the bench and take some breaths. I glance up, but she still isn’t there.
Fuck.
I get strapped up back in the locker room, while we have our intermission. The medics tape around my ribs where the pain is coming from. Luckily, nothing appears to be broken, but it hurts like a motherfucker.
“You all right?” Assistant Coach Ted asks me when I hobble off the bench, ready for the second period.
“I’m okay.” I nod. I’ll say fucking anything to get back out there. Trouble is, he knows it, they all do.
He assesses me for a moment and nods, seemingly satisfied that I’m not wincing in pain, even though I feel like it. “You took quite a knock, James. We can substitute if you need to get your bearings.”
I shake my head. “No substitute.”
“You okay?” Ty nods to me.
“Yeah, man. Fucking Josh Beauman ain’t gonna know what hit him when we get back out there.”
“That’s the spirit,” Jay cajoles as we get ready for the second period.
There’s nothing like a bit of old-fashioned rivalry, I suppose.
The crowd is loud and proud when we get back out there.
Just as we skate onto the ice, Ashton skates over to me.
“You good?”
I nod.
“You know Emmerson is here,” he says.
“What?” I immediately look toward the players’ bench, but I still don’t see her.
He shakes his head and thumbs over to the front row, farther down to the right of the players bench, a row below where my parents are sitting. She’s sitting there with her mom and Susie. I notice Cindy has joined them too.
I stare hard as a fucking huge grin creeps across my face, just as the whistle blows.
We haven’t even made eye contact yet, but I feel the electricity, the energy.
Fuck, has she been here the whole time?
