Page 31 of Pucking the Team

“He’s okay,” Gina said.

“Yes,” Fiona said, “but I think he was out of it for a while, not good. Thank goodness they wear helmets.”

I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn’t come here to watch anyone get hurt.

Brick was helped to his feet by Ben and Dylan, and then he skated off. As he left the ice, he held up his hand and waved at the Viper fans.

A cheer went up, but he didn’t respond, just ducked out of view.

“They’ll want to check him out at the hospital,” Fiona said. “I’ll call a friend there and ask her to keep us updated on his arrival.”

“Good, yes, thank you.” Gina nodded and rubbed her brow. “Damn it, I’d better call Carly.”

“Want me to do that for you?” Fiona asked.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, course. I’ll go do that now and perhaps I’ll get to speak to Brick, too. I’ll report right back.” She rested her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s not always so bloodthirsty and violent.”

I smiled but I wasn’t sure I believed her.

Brick was quickly replaced with Logan Taylor, otherwise known by the nickname Phoenix. He was a speed demon and skilled with it. He seemed to make the opposition anxious whenever he was close. I guessed his reputation preceded him.

The game continued its frenetic pace with the puck flying near both goals. The crowd were giddy with the chase, and so was I, trying to keep up.

The final minutes approached in the final period, and the score was equal. Reed, the goal defender, had been replaced with Jackson, and he was earning his money; the Devils weren’t letting up their onslaught of goal attempts.

But then, just as the final whistle was about to go, Raven shot the puck to Wolf, and between one heart beat and the next, he’d done a catch and release and speed-slid it between the Devils’ goal defender’s skates.

Gina jumped to her feet.

So did I.

She grabbed me in a frantic, excited hug. “We’ve done it!”

The commentator was going wild, shouting and blabbering, recapping the goal and singing Wolf’s praises.

“You enjoy it?” Gina asked me.

I laughed. “It was wild.”

“Always is with these guys. Hopefully, you’ll be well and truly hooked now.”

Chapter Eight

Fiona and I caught a cab back to the hotel. Darkness had drawn in while the game had been playing, and the bay sparkled with the lights reflecting off the bustling waterside eateries and bars.

But the hotel was set aside from the hustle, and when we alighted my ears rang with the quiet after the loud stadium.

“This is such a nice hotel,” Fiona said after she’d paid the driver and got out. “I always wanted to stay here growing up, but there was never a need to as I lived not far away, but now…” She rubbed her hands together and looked up at the tall building. “I’m going to enjoy every moment.”

“It is very lovely.”

“Shall we get a glass of wine while we wait for the guys? They won’t be long.”

“Sure, sounds nice.” And I meant it. I liked Fiona, a lot. There was a kind genuineness to her that I didn’t see so much in my line of work.

“Where do you live?” she asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”