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But this time my attempt at getting us back between the lines is the wrong one—too rough, too jarring, too damned quick…and the skid doesn’t slow.
The slide doesn’t halt.
“Shit,” I whisper, pumping the brakes hard.
Note to non-snow-driving self, this isalsothe wrong move.
I might as well be hitting the gas for all that does to slow me down. In fact, it seems to increase our speed, and though the snow is starting to fall even more rapidly, I can see my future with crystal clear accuracy.
The snowbank.
My car.
Me.
Steve.
“Shit,” I hiss as the side of the road sweeps up toward us.
Slow motion, but not.
Warp speed, but not.
Inevitable, absolutely.
I throw my arm out to the right in true dog mom fashion, as though that action will protect my pup from any and all threats as I wrestle with the steering wheel, still trying to avoid the inevitable even as the inevitable is coming closer.
I pump the brakes to no effect.
I push my arm into Steve, pressing him deeper into his doggy seat, hoping it will keep him safe.
I—
Run out of time.
My car rattles and bumps and lurches forward…
And then it’s sliding off the road.
Two
Lake
Beinga professional hockey player has its perks.
Driving through a blizzard because my coach is an asshole is not one of them.
We’ve been hearing about this freakishly early winter snowstorm—hell, it’s November, so it’s not even technically winter yet—for days on end now.
The Snowmageddon that’s supposed to shut down the Sierra Nevadas.
So, cool, cool. Thanks, Coach, for keeping us a couple of hours late after practice was supposed to end. Not like we all have shit to do. Not like we’ve been warned to buckle down, stock up, and brace for the snow.
Not like we haven’t just returned from a long-ass road trip which means that we haven’t had time to do any of those things before today’s mandatory skate.
That he added to the schedule because not only is he an asshole, but the rest of us are too.
Bickering. Fighting in the locker room. All but throwing away a game that was within our grasp to win.
