Page 42 of From Ice to Home (The Heart of a Ranger #1)
Just as he gets off the ice and starts heading toward the locker rooms, he looks back.
The crowd roars and Lucas’s smile widens as he takes a second.
His dark hair is wet, curling in the nape of his neck, his eyes sparking with adrenaline—and something softer too.
I feel my cheeks heat from the attention and I fight against the urge to sink lower into my seat.
My heart is pounding, butterflies surging in my stomach as he winks at me.
As my gaze zeroes in on the man God gave back to me, I blow him a kiss, watching as the words on the jumbotron read:
‘Congrats to Our Newlyweds #RangersFamily’
The announcer's voice booms through the arena. “And now for a special shout-out to our very own Lucas Walker and his new bride, Hannah Walker! ”
The crowd goes wild and I try to keep my composure, my hands trembling slightly as I settle back into my chair when the jumbotron switches back to ads and sponsors.
“You two are too cute,” Avah says next to me, her voice light and teasing.
“You’re the new wife ?” Megan says, tilting her head like she’s trying to solve a puzzle. “How on earth is that possible?” Her eyes dip straight to my hand.
My empty hand.
“You’re not even wearing a ring.”
I resist the urge to hide my hand, like I’ve been caught in some kind of lie. Because it’s not true. Despite my ringless finger, I’m Lucas’s wife. The reason I’m not wearing my wedding ring has more to do with my own insecurities than anything else.
I open my mouth to give her some sort of explanation when Avah comes to my aid.
“She doesn’t have to wear a ring for it to be true,” Avah says, leaning forward with a raised brow. “Not everyone needs to tie their man down with a rope.”
“Yes, they do,” Megan replies flatly, her voice laced with something darker. “Especially in this world. Every woman wants in, and they’re like a pack of dogs out there waiting for a spot. Some of them won’t even be that nice to wait, they’ll rip your throat out and take it.”
Her words hit hard, the truth in them ringing in my ears. It’s a harsh unspoken reality that I don’t want to accept, even though I know it’s out there.
“Guess it takes one to know one, doesn’t it,” Avah shoots back. The conversation has taken a turn it shouldn’t have and before I can step in, Megan gets up.
“I’m done,” she says, lifting her hands in surrender before grabbing her bag and heading toward the back of the suite. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this. ”
She heads toward the back of the suite and the tension lingers long after she’s gone.
Avah buries her face in her hands.
“I did it again,” she says, her words muffled and sincere. “I shouldn’t have said any of that.”
“Well, maybe that wasn’t your finest moment either,” I say, still trying to shake off the unease left by Megan’s words.
“I seriously need to work on my temper,” she says, looking at me with a rueful grin. “I have no idea why that woman brings it out in me.”
She shakes her head, a small frown forming between her eyes as her voice grows quiet. “Or, maybe I do, but it’s not something I’m willing to unpack.”
Looking at Avah, it’s obvious she’s dealing with a few things and I can only hope that I can help her work through some of it in some meaningful way.
The whistle blows, drawing our attention to the second period starting.
Within the first few minutes, the intensity of the game ramps up.
The Leafs’ offense goes on a tear, hammering shot after shot at Nikolai Petrov, who seems to be an impenetrable wall in the goal.
He drops to his knees to block one slapshot, deflecting the puck with his pads, then spins just in time to glove another shot aimed at the top corner.
The Leafs are growing more aggressive, more desperate with each passing second.
Their right wing loses the puck as EJ intercepts it in the defensive zone, heading in the opposite direction at an incredible speed.
Their goalie isn’t prepared for EJ and Lucas who team up and speed down the ice for the third goal of the game.
The red light flashes and the crowd erupts. ’Hey! Hey! Hey!’ echoes through the arena as Lucas and EJ ease up, clapping their sticks together in celebration of their excellent teamwork.
The team resets, lining up at center ice.
Just as Lucas steals the puck, a player from the Leafs aims for him.
I hold my breath, waiting for the hit when Declan appears from the side, throwing a massive hit on the Toronto player.
He hits him into the boards, his elbow crashing into his face before both of them fall to the ice.
The crunch of the collision echoes through the arena and the crowd leaps to their feet.
Declan loses his helmet in the scuffle and shoves the Toronto player again.
The linesmen step in between the players, separating them as the whistle blows. Declan’s face is filled with fury and he obviously shouts at the linesman before skating toward the penalty box. He doesn’t wait for the call, already knowing he’ll get his two minutes.
The ref steps up onto the red line. “Double minor, interference and unsportsmanlike conduct. Four minutes.”
“Murphy doesn’t hold back,” Avah mutters under her breath, her tone laced with a mix of admiration and irritation.
“It almost sounds like you like him,” I say, wondering if that’s part of the reason she’s having such a hard time around Megan.
Avah looks at me with a raised brow. “I never said he wasn’t talented. Even I can see that the Rangers wouldn’t be the same without him on defense. But as a guy…” she winces. “Meh.”
I can’t help but laugh at her analysis of Declan Murphy. I get the feeling he doesn’t do life halfway, and it’s something I can appreciate.
The third and final period starts and the tension in the arena is palpable.
The Leafs will have to fight for a win if they want to stand a chance.
Nikolai is in the crease, tapping the goalposts with his stick in an odd series.
Declan is in the penalty box for another two minutes and they’ll have to play with their captain as their only defensemen.
The Leafs pick up the puck, their center barreling straight toward Petrov. Lucas tries to block him off, forcing the Leafs’ center to swerve behind the net, and tuck the puck past Petrov right at the goalpost.
It’s in.
The Toronto Maple Leafs do their own celebration on the ice, high-fiving the rest of the team on the bench before heading back to their positions.
They’re still ahead, but the Leafs have gained some momentum with that goal. And it shows in the way they play.
As they reset, Declan gets back on the ice and the Rangers are full-strength. For most of the period, it’s a battle between the two teams. The Leafs are eager to get another goal on the board while the Rangers want to keep their two-goal lead at all costs.
They’re facing off in the neutral zone, the clock winding down with less than two minutes left in the game. Just as the Leafs swarm the offensive zone, they pull their goalie out of the net, sending a sixth player into the zone to help score and tie this game.
It’s a battle in the Rangers’ defensive zone, neither team giving ground as the clock winds down.
The puck is passed from stick to stick, bodies clash, fans are on their feet.
With eight seconds to go, Lucas manages to get the puck away from their center, sending it out of their zone.
The puck sails down the ice, straight into the empty net.
The horn blares, the music hits, and the arena erupts around us.
A rush of pride fills me as I join everyone, jumping up, my throat raw from cheering. But it doesn’t matter, because this is Lucas’s moment and I’m here to see it.
Avah hugs me, smiling. “Looks like your husband just sent the Rangers to the finals!”
All Glory to God!