the floor in a hockey salute. We need to get out there for our warmup skate, but Coach has a few words to say first.
“This game is the single most important game you play this season. We beat Briar, we go to the national tourney. We beat Briar, we’re one step closer to bringing home a national title.” He rumbles on for another full minute, pumping us up, telling us we need to win, growling that the title belongs to us, that we need to bring it home. “What are we gonna do?” he shouts.
“Bring it home!”
“Can’t hear you.”
“Bring it home!”
Coach nods in approval. Then he throws me a curveball. “Connelly, say a few words.”
My head jerks up in surprise. “Coach?”
“You’re the captain, Jake. Say something to your team. This could be the last game of the season. Hell, your last game at Harvard.”
Fuck, I don’t like that he’s messing with my ritual. But I can’t object, because unlike nearly every other athlete in the world, Coach doesn’t believe in luck or superstition. He believes in skill and hard work. I suppose I admire that philosophy, but…respect the rituals, dammit.
I clear my throat. “Briar’s good,” I start. “They’re really good.”
“Great speech!” Brooks breaks out in hearty applause. “Standing ovation!”
Coby snickers loudly.
“Can it, Bubble Butt. I wasn’t done.” I clear my throat. “Briar’s good, but we’re better.”
My teammates wait for me to go on.
I shrug. “I was done that time.”
Laughter rings out all around me, until Coach claps his hands to silence everyone. “All right. Let’s get out there.”
I’m about to shut my locker when the phone I left on the shelf lights up. I crane my neck to take a peek, and a satisfied smile tugs at my lips. It’s a message from Brenna, wishing me good luck. There’s also one from Hazel, offering the same sentiment, but I’d expect it from Hazel. From Brenna, it’s unprecedented.
“Coach, my dad’s calling,” I lie as I catch Pedersen’s attention. “Probably wants to wish us luck. I’ll just be a minute, okay?”
He gives me a suspicious look before muttering, “One minute.”
As he and my teammates lumber toward the tunnel, I call Brenna. But I don’t get the greeting I expect.
“Why are you calling me?” She sounds outraged. “You should be on the ice warming up.”
I chuckle. “I’d think you’d be happy to hear that I’m not out there.”
“Wait, is everything okay? You’re still playing, aren’t you?” Concern echoes over the line.
“Yes, I’m still playing. But I saw your text and I wanted to make sure you’re not in danger.”
“Why would I be in danger?”
“Because you said good luck. I assumed someone was holding a gun to your head.”
“Oh, don’t be a brat.”
“So you were seriously wishing me good luck?”
“Yup.”
“Did you mean it?”
“Nope.”
“Who’s the brat now?” I hesitate. “Look…whatever happens tonight, I don’t want to stop seeing you.” Then I hold my breath and wait, because I genuinely don’t know what she’ll say.
I know what I want her to say. I want her to say that she hasn’t been able to get me off her mind since we slept together, because I haven’t gotten her off my mind since we slept together. The sex was unreal. So goddamn amazing. And that was our first time. If it’s that good when we don’t even know each other’s turn-ons yet? When we don’t know exactly how to get each other off? Means it’s only going to get better. That blows my mind.
“I want to keep seeing you,” I press when she still hasn’t answered. “Do you want to keep seeing me?”
There’s another delay. Then she sighs. “Yes. I do. Now get out there so we can kick your ass.”
A smile cracks my face in half. “You wish, babe.”
I shut the locker and turn around, flinching when I spot Coach in the doorway.
Shit.
“Babe, eh?” Coach mocks. “You call your father ‘babe’?”
I release a weary breath. “I’m sorry I lied.”
“Connelly.” He grabs my shoulder when I reach him. Even with my padding on, I can feel the steel in his grip. “That girl…whether or not you’re serious about her…you have to remember, she’s Jensen’s daughter. You need to consider the possibility that she’s playing mind games with you.”
Hazel said the same thing. But I think they’re both being paranoid. Brenna doesn’t play games. “I’ll take that into consideration.” I force a smile. “Don’t worry, it won’t affect my performance on the ice. We got this.”
We don’t got this.
From the second the puck drops, the game is a complete