Page 68

Gwen

W e did it! We’d won the home opener against the Gears. The arena erupted with cheers as my teammates tapped my mask with their helmets, chests bumped me, and they hugged me and swung me around.

We’d gotten a shutout. I’d kept Austin from scoring. Also, I’d gotten sixteen tacos. That was a whole lot of stopped pucks for one period. They’d been vicious, coming at me with an intense ferocity I’d never experienced before.

I looked over at the Gears. They were hugging Ty and slapping him on the shoulder. Good. He’d played a great game and they should be nice to him.

Though I hoped their coach ripped them a new one in the locker room for not getting a single goal.

No goals for assholes. I’m sure they were having all the regret right now.

Yeah, that game would be thriving, right?

I went over to Castle, since this was her first official game with the Knights.

“We did it,” she squealed. “You did amazing out there.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” It would only be a matter of time before she became an integral part of the team. She hustled even more than I did.

“Since we have two EBUGs making their debut, we get a double stuffie smash. Don’t forget to stay for the shutout shootout,” the announcer said.

Excitement zinged through me. I got to do the stuffie smash and a shutout shootout? That really was better than a blowjob from a dinosaur.

“Will our EBUGs please come to the center for the ceremonial stuffie smash? Congrats on a great game and welcome to the PHL family,” the announcer said. “We can’t wait to see you again.”

After an EBUG played, they got to hit stuffies at the fans.

I came to the center as did Ty. “Ty, that was a great game.”

“Thanks, you were fucking insane,” he said. “Shutout. Fucking shit.”

Analise came over to us, carefully walking on the ice, camera operator in tow. She must have pulled some strings to be able to do that. I’d been fully prepared for her to be in the tunnel or locker room waiting for us.

“Here I am with our favorite Knights Goalies-in-Waiting who finally got to live out their hockey dreams and play in a history-making double-EBUG match that ended in a shutout. How do you feel?” Analise held out the microphone.

“I’m still amazed I got to play in a game,” Ty told her. “It was incredible to be out there and the Gears were great.”

I’m sure Austin had taken his gaiter off in the locker room and I was so curious about how that convo went. But I wasn’t about to ask.

“I’m glad Dean and JP are going to be okay,” I told her. “After all those games of almost getting to play, having the chance to get on the ice with the Knights was amazing. ”

“A shutout, Ladybug. Good for you. First EBUG shutout for the Knights since Maria Barilla herself. Who’s here,” Analise told me.

“I’m proud to be part of the Knights legacy of goalie and EBUG excellence.” I hoped she and Gio were proud of me–and I wished that Nonna and Mom were here. I sniffed a little.

Analise looked at the camera. “There you have it. Our Goalies-in-Waiting are waiting no more, as Knights EBUGs, Tyler Yamato and Gwen ‘Ladybug’ Di Rossi, played in this historic game.”

The camera went down.

“We’re going to get some shots of the smash and the shootout. Great job, you two. Gwen, I hope some of the teams watching you take note. Also, the pink looks fantastic on camera.” She waved, and they went over toward the plushies.

The crowd chanted stuffie smash, stuffie smash. I danced in excitement as the EBUG music played. We skated around the rink, hitting stuffies over the glass at the fans, laughing. Nat the Knight came out on the ice and helped us.

As Ty whacked the last stuffie into the stands, the ice crew was already leading tiny kids carefully onto the ice. I wasn’t sure where they got the kids for the shootout, but they were all wearing little skates and helmets, a few held up by parents or older siblings.

So stinking cute.

Another tradition for when the goalie got a shutout at a home game.

Dean joined me, grinning. The kids excitedly got in line and someone explained the rules. Basically, each kid got a turn in the net. Dean and I gently hit swag and stuffies at them. They got to keep whatever they caught.

Well, that and Nat kept sneaking them stuff, which was hilarious. Nat ‘stole’ my stick, and I chased him around the rink. I knew the mascot. He ran the Knights’ power skating practices. He was also the Maimers’ skating coach, who did all their choreography. It was good fun.

“Come on, Firecracker.” Tenzin held out a hand when I finished.

It had been so long since he’d shown me little courtesies like that, and I loved it. Clark took my other hand.

We posed for some pictures and then the three of us skated off the rink.

When I entered the locker room, it erupted in cheers. Red and black streamers were everywhere, along with silly signs like Maimers Rule. One had been scratched out and said Gwennifer is Amazeballs.

The Maimers had struck again. They’d defaced the locker room like this last year, too, when they’d done a promo before our game. Like last year, there was also a little cart with cake pops on it from Verity.

“Well done, Ladybug.” Coach Kirov patted me on the shoulder, beaming like a proud parent. “Especially under the circumstances.”

“Good game, Ladybug. The press is going to want to talk to you,” Coach Atkins added.

“Yes, Coach.” I laughed as I ate a cake pop shaped like a hockey puck. I’d just played in a PHL game. I couldn’t get over it.

The coaches went over a few things.

“That was a great game,” Dean told me when the coaches finished. “I’m so fucking proud.”

“You are? That means a lot. And I get tacos.” I did a dance. “Now I get to do a press conference in either my hoodie and PJ pants that I wore to the game, or the jeans and sweater I wore to class. Which one says I’m not a fashion disaster? ”

Though they were designer jeans and a cute sweater.

Dean held up a dry-cleaning bag. “I have you. Verity was going to ask you if you wanted it anyway, which was why it was in the back of our SUV.”

“Oh, that was nice.” I loved the stuff Mercy had given me. I chugged some water, hit the ice bath and showers, and changed into what was in the bag. Which turned out to be one of Mercy’s sparkly pantsuits she sometimes wore for Maimers games.

Dean and Carlos helped alter it, giving it a quick hem with sock tape and a few tucks with safety pins. Carlos knew how to do this from all his years of being on TV.

My hair was wild, so I squished some product in it, then swiped on lipstick and powder. That was as good as it was going to get.

Oooh, I looked good in this suit.

“Come on, they’re waiting.” Kylee, who was in charge of PR for the Knights, dragged me off, collecting Ty along the way. She was a no-nonsense beta, who in her heels was shorter than me, but had a presence that made her feel larger.

The Knights’ logo was in the background of the press area and there were lots of people and cameras.

“Gwen.” Ty hugged me, still hopped up on adrenaline. “We played a game.”

“We smashed it.” I grinned; well aware people were taking our pictures. Goalie hugs were the best.

“You certainly did,” one reporter said. “Tyler, you were on duty. Did you think you’d end up playing for the opposing team?”

“We always know it’s a possibility, but you never think this is going to be the day you play at all. Still, it’s a dream come true. It was amazing being out there,” he replied. “The Gears are great.”

“I’ve been practicing with the Knights for over two years. They’re my friends. I don’t like seeing them get hurt and I’m so glad everyone’s going to be okay. But yes, it’s a dream come true.” I grinned. “I’ve wanted to be goalie for the Knights for a long time.”

“Ty, do you think the Boaters were watching?” someone asked.

“If they were, I hope they remember I was up against Grif Graf,” he laughed.

“Can we talk about the pink gear, Gwen? It seems like an unusual choice,” a reporter asked curiously. “Honestly, if pink gear means shutouts, then maybe everyone should wear it.” He chuckled. “Does it have to do with them calling you, Ladybug? ”

“JP gave me the nickname when I first started. Because I’m a lady EBUG,” I snorted.

Everyone laughed. Yep, hockey players and their nicknames.

“As for the pink gear…” I had an answer. A partially true one. “My mom died of OOC when I was a teenager. She–and my Nonna–were my biggest fans and I miss both of them every day.” My eyes teared. “I wish both of them were here to see this. I wear pink for my mom, and all the other moms and dads out there with OOC, and for all the kids who will never get to see their parents in the crowd at another game.” I wiped my eyes with my hand.

Maybe I should start wearing pink again, at least sometimes.

“Shit, Gweny,” Ty whispered. “Um, hi moms and dads. See, it was absolutely worth years and years of being hockey parents.” He waved at the cameras.

“Were you two nervous? How do you combat nerves when you’re out there?” someone asked us.

“Keep calm and think of tacos,” I blurted.

“Tacos?” the reporter blinked.

I turned to Ty. “Double D says we get a taco for every puck we stopped.”

Ty lit up. “We do? I could use some tacos right now. I’m starving.”

“We’re students, bribe us with food,” I laughed as a few reporters nodded and muttered about recalling those days.

“Are you single, Ty?” someone asked.

“I’m very taken,” Ty laughed. “Hi, Damien, I love you.”

“Gwen, who are you wearing? It’s quite flashy for hockey. You look like you stole it from a skate smasher’s closet,” a fashionably dressed reporter smirked, probably from the style beat.

Well, that was spiteful. Also correct.

I looked down. “I did. Have No Mercy’s closet in fact. It was this or the hoodie I wore to the game, since I came straight from my university hockey practice. I never expected to play tonight, so I wasn’t fully prepared. I was just here to watch their home opener. So, who wears it better? Me or Mercy? Wait, I don’t want to know.” I laughed and did a little spin.

They asked Ty a bunch of questions, but then he was the alpha male who’d been drafted.

“I love the Knights, but I’m a Wolves fan, hometown pride and all,” he replied, “and the Boaters, of course. Gwen’s the hardcore Knights fan.”

“My nonna and her neighbors brought me to my first Knights’ game when I was three. I got to go down to the glass and see warm-ups and sit on my neighbor’s shoulders and Callahan gave me a puck. That was when I was told goalies were the best.” I grinned. “I might have a Maria Barilla card on my wall, too.”

The reporters got back on topic, talking about some of the plays.

“I think it’s time to let them go. After all, it’s a school night,” Kylee finally laughed, and escorted us away.

“You were two.” Maria stood there with Gio, pride on her face. “You were two when you sat on Gio’s shoulders and Callahan gave you a puck, then grabbed you and flew you around the ice like an airplane.”

I sucked in a breath. “I forgot that part. Wait, I did the shutout shootout once, didn’t I?”

She thought for a moment. “At least once. You caught a fuzzy blanket that lived in your treehouse for years.”

“I did, and the mascot gave me a toy.” What had happened to my treehouse and everything in it after Nonna died? Was it in the boxes with everything from my room there?

“Good job, Buttons. Someone brought the sauce tonight.” Gio pulled me in for a hug.

I looked at him and Mia. “I learned from the best.”

“They’d both be so proud of you.” Mia’s eyes were teary. She was such good friends with Nonna. “ I am proud of you.”

I hugged her tightly. “I needed to hear that.”

Reporters were taking pictures.

Mia let go of me and hugged Ty to her. “I’m so proud of you, too. It’s not easy going in there mid-game.”

“Thanks.” Ty’s eyes grew a little misty.

“Come to Tito’s, Mia?” I wanted to talk a little.

“I’ll see if anyone’s up for it. We miss you.” Mia gave me another hug and Kylee led us back toward the locker rooms.

“She brought you to hockey games?” Ty gave me a look.

“I spent a lot of time at my nonna’s as a kid.”

“Oh.” His look grew pensive. “Where did the pink gear come from? It looks brand new.”

“Birthday present from my dads.” I sighed.

He blinked. “I knew your family were assholes, but it takes a special kind of shitty to get birthdays wrong. At least it’s from Viper.”

“They’re all waiting for you two in the family room,” Kylee told us.

“Great.” Ty went off, but she held me back.

“Gwen, I want to circle back to the Bronson thing. Maybe tomorrow?” Her voice was soft. “The players were, um, talkative, during intermissions, and I have concerns. I made them shut up before Analise came in. Still, send me everything you might have, like police reports? Copy your agent.” She winced. “The Deloittes can get nasty with their exes. I want to be prepared.”

“Sure. I’ll do that and stop by tomorrow morning after work.” It made sense that she’d want to be ready if anything hit the press. Of course they were chatty; hockey players were fucking gossips.

I walked into the family room, and many of the players and some MASOs and family members were there. They all cheered for us.

“Gwenifer, you look amazing. I knew it would fit you. That sister who doesn’t like your outfits can suck it. We should send her a picture,” Mercy told me.

“We should.” I got my phone from Clark, which had a million messages. I took a picture of her, me, and Verity, and captioned it I’m not a fashion disaster and sent it to Isa.

Nia made a speech and gave us our jerseys back, now signed. Ty having a Gears’ jersey signed by the Knights was hysterical. Then again, the Gears had signed his Knights’ mask.

One of Atty’s twins was asleep, but I was hug-attacked by Jackson, the other twin, and Coach K’s kids. Their excitement in seeing me play was everything.

“Let’s go to Tito’s. Goalies who get shutouts drink for free, and since Doc says I can’t drink tonight, Gwen gets all the beer,” Dean laughed.

I’d take all the free beer. Tony would understand if I was a little hungover tomorrow. Whoops, I hadn’t let him know I was playing. I’d text him the picture Verity took of me in my gear later.

Clark handed me my motorcycle helmet. His glasses were back on, and they went well with that striped suit. “Ready to ride?”

“What do I do with my stuff?” I blinked. Perhaps I could ask Silas to put my gear with the team’s to be taken back to the training center and pick it up from here?

“You can put it in my truck. It’s not like I live far.” Tenzin gave me a fond look that reminded me of better times.

“Thank you. I’d like that.” I walked with the two of them down to the parking garage and put my stuff in Tenzin’s truck.

Tenzin gave me an enormous hug, and I relished in it. I’d missed his hugs.

“I’m proud of you, Firecracker. I’ll see you both at Tito’s. Drive safe,” he told us, smoothing my face with his hand.

“I will.” Clark squeezed me to him. “After all, I have someone important on board.”