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“With all due respect, sir,” Hunter replies, “I don’t give a damn about my hockey career right now. I give a damn about my best friend.”
My chest hitches. I’m willing to throw away any future I have on the ice if it means being with Zoey, but I can’t let my best friend do the same for himself. I open my mouth to speak, but before I can get a word out, another voice beats me to it.
“I deserve to be benched, too, sir.” My jaw drops when I see Cole standing up as well.
Replacing two starting line players would be bad enough—but replacing two starting line playersandour goalie would be a guaranteed disaster.
“I did the same thing Liam did,” Cole continues. “I fell in love with someone when I wasn’t allowed to.”
He’s talking about Brooke, his best friend’s little sister. Last summer, after years of dancing around each other, they gave into their mutual feelings, even though her brother didn’t like it at first.
“I betrayed the trust of someone who means a lot to me,” Cole continues. “And I know you mean a lot to Liam, sir. You’re a mentor to him, like you are to all of us. If betraying the trust of someone you respect and look up to means you deserve to be benched, then I’ll be warming that bench right next to him, because I did the same. And I know Liam did it for reasons just as good as I did.”
Tristan stands up next. “He loves Zoey, Coach. Loves her so much he’s willing to risk throwing everything else away to be with her. We’ve all seen with our own eyes how much he loves her, it was clear as day seeing how miserable he was when they were apart.”
Grant and Ryder stand up, too; and I can’t believe my eyes when Walsh joins them. I haven’t even known Walsh that long, but he’s already willing to put his college hockey career on the line to back me up.
I don’t want any of my friends to put themselves at risk for me, but my chest swells with gratitude to see them willing to do so.
Coach’s stern expression melts into one of indecision. “You boys …?” He looks to the side, bringing his hand up to cover the lower half of his face.
After clenching his eyes tight for a moment, he turns his gaze back to us.
“I’ve known most of you boys for years. I’ve been damn proud watching you grow up into becoming the men you are now. If this is how strongly you all feel …” A conflicted expression clouds his eyes for a moment before he bites out, “Damn it, all of you get out there on the ice. That includes you, Newcastle. Normal starting positions.”
I practically jump to my feet. “You mean it, Coach?”
His eyes lock with mine, and I can see a heady and complex mixture of emotions swirling in them. There’s still some anger there. There’s skepticism. But I can also glimpse a cautious acceptance.
“Don’t make me repeat myself, Newcastle, unless you want to give me an opportunity to change my mind.”
“No, sir,” I answer.
A stunned silence hangs in the room, no one else making a move. Coach sweeps his gaze over all of us.
“Any of the rest of you want to give me time to change my mind?” he questions, his voice booming.
“No, sir!” the unanimous answer calls back.
“Then get your asses moving and win us this damn game!”
37
ZOEY
Ifidget in my seat as I stare at the ice anxiously.
I’m in the crowd for the Hot Shots home game. My dad hasn’t contacted Liam since we stood outside his door yesterday evening.
Is he going to bench Liam? Or will he come to his senses? I’m a ball of anxiety waiting for the players to skate out and the game to start, so I can find out just how much trouble Liam’s in.
I’m still mad at my dad for how he’s acted over this. I understand that he’s protective, and I understand that he could have his suspicions considering Liam and I started by sneaking around and trying to keep things secret, but at the end of the day he needs to trust me to make my own decisions.
Ever since I kissed Liam goodbye this morning when he left for his house to get ready—hopefully—for the game, my mind has been a chaotic jumble of thoughts.
Will my dad see the light and let Liam play?
If he benches Liam, will we be able to make him come to his senses after a while when he sees how serious Liam is about me?
