Page 49

Jake

T here’s nothing I hated more than leaving shit unresolved.

Did I have a hunch that Eliana would be annoyed with me once she found out I had given money to her mom?

Yes. She always had difficulty asking for help, and would rather run herself into the ground than admit she couldn’t handle something on her own.

But I never expected my helping her family to turn into this massive thing.

While money can be a sensitive topic for most people, evidently for Eliana the issue was nuclear.

Eliana’s hurt expression kept replaying in my head, and I know I would never forget it.

Never forget that I was the one who had caused it.

Fuck this sucked. I’m on edge not only from the fight with Eliana but also because I was about to enter one of the biggest games of my career, potentially my last game as a Westchester Wolf.

You’re okay, Jake. Hockey is the one place you’re in control. You got this.

“You alright man? You look like you’re about to be sick.” Ollie leans over and taps me on the knee. We’re back inside the locker room after our morning skate, where I missed a lot more shots and opportunities than I ever had.

Hopefully this wasn’t foreshadowing for the night because I couldn’t live with myself if I let my team down. “Ellie and I had a big fight. We weren’t able to figure it out before I had to leave to come here.”

“Shit man. I’m sorry to hear it. I know you’re going through it, but we need you to have it together tonight.”

“I know. I know. I’ll be fine once the game starts.”

Ollie shoots me a smile, my verbal reassurance being all he needs to restore his faith in me. My coach, however doesn’t seem as easily convinced.

“Keeley, let me talk to you for a second.” Mason nods his head to the secluded hallway entrance of the locker room. I fidget with my fingers, waiting for him to rail me for my piss-poor performance. He purses his lips. “You okay Jake?”

“Fine, fine.”

Mason crosses his arms over his chest, unconvinced. “You weren’t playing like yourself earlier.”

“I just had a rough morning. Once the game starts, I’ll be fine. I promise. The game always helps clear my head.”

“What happened this morning?” He probes.

The last thing I wanted was to talk about my relationship problems with my coach. Sure he was only a few years older than me, but he was also someone I used to idolize. And hockey players weren’t exactly known for talking about their feelings with each other.

I stand there. Silent.

“I’m not letting you go until you tell me what’s up Keeley. I’m your coach, so I have to make sure you’re okay, both physically and mentally, before you step out on the ice.”

“Eliana and I had a big fight. I fucked up. I just wanted to help her because I love her, and I thought that’s what I was doing, but I think she took it as some kinda dig at her.

Now all I can think about is how I managed to break things even when all I wanted to do was fix them.

” I wince at the word vomit and look down at my skates.

“You wouldn’t be the first guy who thought he was doing the right thing to protect the woman that he loved, only to have it blow up in his face.” Mason’s voice is so sincere, matching the look on his face.

The tightness in my stomach loosens “I just hope I can get her to hear me out. Hope she won’t hate me for this.”

“Do you really love her?” I give him a nod. “And she really loves you?” Another nod. “Then it will work itself out. I promise it will. Love is one of the most impenetrable forces in this world. Even when it feels like the most fragile thing that exists.” Mason squeezes my shoulder.

“Damn when did you become such a poet?” I give him a small smile. Of all the conversations I thought I would have with Mason, I never guessed it would’ve been this.

He rolls his eyes. “When one of my players decided to mope about his love life. You good now?”

“All good coach. I’m glad you decided to stick around and help us. Glad you gave me a second chance.”

“So am I. I’m proud of you Jake. You’ve come a long way.”

“I’m not done yet. I won’t let you down tonight Coach. You have my word.”

The TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, is packed to the brim with Westchester and Bolton fans, including the front row seats I had reserved for Eliana and my family.

I give her a smile from the ice, one that she returns, along with a small wave.

The tension in my shoulders releases. We were okay. We got in a fight, but we were okay.

“Aye Keeley, looks like your family have the best seats in the house to watch me score.” I turn around and see Ryker, the Bolton freshman who seemed determined to make his name by mouthing off to me.

I don’t dignify him with a response, though my jaw does tighten as I hear him break out into a laugh. He’s not worth it, Keeley. Don’t let him get to you.

That was much easier said than done, once the game started. Bolton seemed hell-bent on bringing their absolute dirtiest tactics to this game, and I had already taken two “accidental” elbows to the ribs that knocked the breath out of me. My tolerance for bullshit was slowly fading.

I let out a loud curse as Ryker steals the puck from me and starts skating up the ice. Hustling up the ice at full speed still does nothing to stop Ryker as he lifts up his stick and shoots the puck right past Ollie. 0-1 Bolton. Fuck.

“A little too slow there, Keeley. Though I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.” Ryker’s smirk makes my blood boil.

Head back to the bench. Before I move I feel a sharp pain on the back side of my shin and drop to my knees. I look up and see Ryker holding his stick and looking incredibly smug.

“Ref c’mon open your eyes! He just slashed my alternate captain!” I hear Mason yell from the bench. The ref just looks between me and Ryker confused.

Oh come the fuck on. I inhale sharply and drop my stick. I skate up to Rkyer until I’m eye-to-eye with him. “If you wanna fucking go, you tell me. Don’t slash me behind the ref’s back.”

Ryker drops his gloves and lets his equipment fall to the ice. “Careful Keeley, your girl already saw me score on you. Do you really want her to see me beat your ass too?”

My head snaps to the seats by the Westchester bench at the mention of Eliana, whose wide eyes are filled with concern. The next thing I know, my head snaps back in pain. Motherfucker.

Ryker may have gotten the first punch, but it would cost him the rest of the season. Recovering from the hit, I see red and all I want to do is bash his head in. I can’t though. Just because his ass was about to get ejected doesn’t mean I would do the same to my teammates.

His face falls as he realizes I’m not taking his bait.

The on-ice official pulls him back to his bench, the Bolton coach yelling a stream of profanities in response.

The Westchester fans in the crowd go absolutely crazy as Ryker makes his way down the hall into the locker room, and I showboat my way towards my own bench.

My eyes search for Eliana’s and she gives me a look of pride, biting her bottom lip in a way that sends a jolt throughout my entire body.

Mason quickly yells out the next play to us.

Adam skates out first and locks eyes with me as he nods towards center ice.

I wait patiently for my opening to come, and charge onto the rink when I get it.

Adam launches the puck out of our zone and I’m ready to catch it, skating toward Bolton’s goal without anyone around to stop me.

Faking left, I sneak the puck in between their goalie’s legs and relish the way my bench goes absolutely crazy in response to my breakaway goal. Tie game.

My goal feels like a clean slate for the entire team, as every line starts showing up.

Our freshmen are on absolute fire managing to get us the lead in the game, and the vets like me and Adam are more than ready to support them.

Five minutes away from the end of the third period we’re up two goals, and the championship title is so close I can nearly taste it.

My linesmen are covered head to toe in sweat, and we give each other a look that screams this will be the most grueling five minutes of our lives.

Bolton’s coach pulls their goalie off the ice and adds another man.

A risky move that has helped many teams come back from the chopping block.

A move one only makes when they’re filled with desperation.

To Bolton’s credit, they’re giving these final fading minutes everything and then some.

I swear I see one of their shots slide past Ollie’s glove, but he manages to catch it.

I don’t miss his expression of utter surprise when he realizes he actually stopped the goal.

Try as they might, they can’t get past our defense.

Every single man on the ice has wanted this moment for years, if not their entire lives.

And we weren’t about to let this moment be taken from us.

The fans in the arena start counting down the remaining seconds…

10 … 9 … 8 …Time passes in slow motion, the crowd goes quiet in my head, and by the time the buzzer sounds, I see gloves flying in the sky and Ollie and Adam charging towards me throwing their arms around me.

“Holy shit, we did it! We fucking did it!”

The entire team empties from the bench to the ice, followed by our coaches, and the tournament staff brings the massive Hockey East Championship trophy onto the ice.

Adam is the first person that gets to hoist it up to the roaring crowd, handing it to me as I make my lap around the ice.

The rest of the team follows and eventually, all our friends and families join us in celebration.

My mom, sisters, and Eliana all tackle me at once, with my dad serving as the cameraman, snapping photos of the celebration.

Eventually, they let me have some time alone with Eliana, and though there’s still a lot left we need to discuss, we decide to let the moment be.

She jumps up into my arms, and I wrap my arms around her waist, crushing her to my chest. I lose track of how long we stay embraced in each other’s arms. When I eventually have to leave to get cleaned up, I set her down.

But I know one thing for certain: I would never let her go.