Page 34 of Hockey Halloween

Palmer

The Ghostbusters are on stage, accepting third place when we get in the ballroom. I scan the crowd for the rest of the guys, but that asshole Ryan finds us first. He comes to a stop right in front of his sister. "Where the fuck have you been?"

“You don’t want to know.”

His rage-filled eyes turn to me, but I ignore him. I lean down and kiss her cheek. “What’s the charity you’re here for?”

“In second place we have…” the comedian onstage says, pausing for dramatic effect. “The best enemies-to-lovers out there after me and my ex-wife, Batman and Catwoman!”

People cheer so loudly I almost don't hear her say, "The Hadley Moore Foundation."

And then Ryan is grabbing her arm and dragging her to the stage.

I spot Daphne's dress—AKA Evan—and bob and weave my way to them at the corner of the stage.

It's crazy, but this night I was dreading has turned into the biggest gift.

And I don't even feel shitty about my career anymore.

I don't have anxiety over facing Ryan or anything.

All that matters is finding Delaney after this is over and making sure I don't lose her again.

She and Ryan accept the check for two thousand five hundred dollars, which is second place.

It's a good amount, but I know she wanted the top prize.

Ryan can't even be bothered to smile or say anything as he's handed the check.

Delaney, being the great human she is, smiles and thanks the crowd.

She was and still is all class. I remember her telling me about Hadley one night when we were both on mess duty and cleaning the kitchen.

She was stoic, but the grief in her eyes weighed on me.

She lost her twin sister. I never had a sibling, but I could feel her pain like it was my own.

"Hey! You made it back!" Theo looks thrilled, but he elbows me in the ribs. "I would totally understand if you didn't, though. The plan to ruin Ryan is more important than this contest."

“What plan?” I ask because that whole silly idea of seducing Catwoman to get under Ryan's skin and throw him off his game feels like a fever dream, not reality. "Turns out I know her. She and I went to camp together as kids."

“She can’t sew,” Tyson mutters. “You’re costume looks like shit.”

I smile. “I sewed it and trust me when I say, I’m fine with it.”

Theo narrows his eyes, and then his grin gets bigger. "You fucked her."

I frown, but before I can respond, the announcer calls out, "The Vegas Vipers as the Scooby Gang. Any hockey player willing to wear a skirt is a winner in our books!"

We make our way to the edge of the stage and climb the stairs.

I can feel my clumsy sewing job stretch as I move.

I'm certain a stitch, or twelve, will pop at any minute, but damned if I care.

Evan fist pumps the air, even grumpy Tyson smiles, and Theo howls like a dog at the moon, and the crowd laughs as he steps forward to accept the check for five grand.

“So,” the comedian says, “congrats. What are you going to do with the winnings? It’s pocket change to you guys, but maybe you can get gold mouth guards.”

A ripple of laughter floats through the crowd. “We aren’t in it for the money. I just wanted to get my teammates into skirts.”

More laughter. I step forward, and a stitch definitely pops. Delaney is toward the back of the room. Ryan is to her left, his hands moving like he’s saying something mean and horrible to her. But her eyes stay on the stage. On me .

I lean into the mic. Two more stitches go. “Actually, we’d like to donate the money to the Hadley Moore Foundation.”

Polite claps. Confused looks from my teammates—and Ryan, who has finally stopped yelling at Delaney. But fuck them all. The only thing that matters is Delaney. And she’s smiling at me with hearts in her eyes like she did at camp. And I’m not missing my shot this time.

As we get off the stage and the DJ starts pumping music through the speakers again, I toss a goodbye to the guys.

Theo, holding the check, yells, “We are so wiping the ice with the Saints on Monday!”

Delaney is in the same spot I saw her in from the stage. Ryan is nowhere to be found. I take her hand in one of mine and move the other one to cup the side of her face and tilt it up to me. “You didn’t have to do that,” she whispers, her eyes glassy.

“I wanted to.”

“Thank you.”

“Can we get out of here?” I ask, pausing to brush a kiss against her full mouth. “I don’t care where. I honestly want to talk. Catch up. We can go for a walk. For coffee. Even if it means sitting and ripping this thing to pieces again.”

She places both hands on the polyester costume on the front of my shoulders and smiles up at me. "I think we fast-forwarded right past the coffee thing. How about we go back to my room, order some room service, and talk there? That way, if you end up accidentally naked, no one sees but me."

"I like that plan." She turns, and I wrap an arm around her waist as we walk to the doors. "But that may lead to intentional nudity."

"I sure hope so." She grins at me, and damn, I am falling fast.