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Griff shifted his weight and regarded me hesitantly. It was always harder to win him over. He was the best playmaker on the team, and the C on his chest proved it. “What kind of plan?” he asked, deciding to humor me.
I puffed up my chest. “Fuck up the face-off. Switch with me.” If a center cheated and moved for the puck before the ref actually dropped it, the center was kicked off the face-off and a winger had to step in to take it. “Please. Lemme take it. Just this once.”
Griff adjusted his helmet and squinted his serious blue eyes, probably trying to think of a way to turn me down.
“C’mon man,” I tapped my stick lightly against the back of his legs. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”
“Ha!” he barked out.
I shook my head. “Recently. Have I steered you wrongrecently? Remember my lil romance book trick play? C’mon. Please?”
His eyes lingered on the jumbotron above us for a brief second. We were tied 1-1. “Fine,” he relented. “Don’t make me regret this, Jetts.”
“Well,Iwon’t regret it,” I mumbled under my breath as I went back into position.
As soon as the refs had everything under control, everyone was back in their places again, waiting for the puck drop.
Griff took his usual stance, legs wide, hands spread far apart on his stick.C’mon buddy. Do it. Do it. Do it,I mentally urged. Sure enough, a split-second later, he twitched forward and the ref immediately scootched back. The ref motioned for Griff to switch.Fuck yes.
I zoomed in close to Garrett’s face. Garret’s eyes shifted between me and Griff. There was no one to protect him from me now. I smiled maniacally.
“What’s wrong, Sanderson?” I asked in a low voice. “Didn’t think you’d have to face-off against me, eh?”
He snorted, but his eyes were guarded.
As soon as the puck dropped, I went low to snap the puck behind me, but mainly to toss Garrett on his ass. I towered over him and laughed before jumping into the play.
Griff and Duke were skating up ice with the puck. My legs burned as I skated to catch up. Griff was gonna take a fake-shot and drop the puck back for me, I knew it. He’d be expecting me up there.
And seconds later, he did drop it back, and I was right there on the blue line to catch it and take a shot.
But right as I was about to fire off a wrist-shot, I was pummeled from behind. The crowd let out a collective “ohhh!” which I fucking hated. The refs motioned for a penalty, but Duke had the puck now and Hassik was hustling to the bench to keep the play going.
Garrett made eye contact with me and grinned.
“Jettersen!” Coach yelled for me to get off the ice, but I ignored him– a move that I knew could be career-suicide. For once in my life, I didn’t give a shit about any of this. Because I had my eyes laser focused on Garrett.
And as he skated in the corner, I rushed him. And this time, I actually jumped into the check at full-speed.
Our bodies collided for longer than they should’ve, and the glass shattered around us. Garrett fell almost completely into the stands.
I righted myself, brushed some glass off my shoulder, and full-on cackled at the sight of him struggling to push himself back onto the ice.
My guys on the ice were now embroiled in a brawl against the Columbus players. I was about to jump in to help TJ when the ref grabbed my jersey and started skating me to the door.
My first game misconduct in the NHL… and I wasn’t even mad about it. I just hoped Josie wouldn’t be either.
As I stepped off the ice, I blew a kiss to the camera and hoped she knew it was for her.
42. Josie
I could not believe what just happened.
I sat there gulping like a fish out of water as SportsCenter replayed Tyler smashing my ex through the glass.
A minute later, my phone dinged with an incoming text.
Tyler:That kiss was for you, Miss Josie. Happy New Year. Hope you’re enjoying the game over there.
