AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Coach Locke thanked the crowd and started up a slideshow about what the organization was all about. Unlike Vancouver, BC, our Vancouver had taken a while to warm up to hockey. How we had two teams was a mystery to me, but they were thriving. The organization, Ice Heroes Academy, would teach kids more than just hockey. They would learn teamwork, leadership, cooperation, and grit.
As Coach went through his slides, he won over the entire room, prompting a standing ovation when it was revealed the organization would be headquartered at the Evergreens' arena, but would be run equally by both teams.
After the clapping and cheering died down, a murmur grew around the room. People were pledging amounts and donating directly. It was also being broadcast online so donors from all over could send in money.
Julie checked her phone and squealed. “We’ve gone over our goal by twenty-thousand dollars, and it keeps going up.” She passed her phone around and we all marveled as the real-time number updated every second.
Any residual anger I had about them choosing this night evaporated. The event coordinators knew exactly what they were doing.
The charity was a success. Em’s birthday was two days away. All we had to do was make it through tomorrow and we had a week to ourselves. A week where we promised ourselves no wedding planning. No hockey talk. Nothing but each other and as minimal clothes as possible.
Chapter Twelve
Emily
I was a mess of nerves.
The energy of the arena hummed in my bones.
It was game day.
Every seat was filled with eager fans, all wearing the green and white of the Evergreens or the icy blue and white of the Frostburg Yetis.
I sat in the stands, my heart pounding as I watched Mac on the ice.
Beside me, Sebastian was equally focused, his hand tightly gripping mine. The night before had been exhausting. We stayed later at the charity event than we had planned, leaving us all a little worse for wear, but nothing was going to put a damper on us cheering for Mac.
We let him sleep in as late as his body would let him, and I hoped it had been enough.
“Come on, Mac,” I whispered under my breath, my eyes glued to the ice. I could see the fire in his eyes. He would give everything he had, and I willed him to push through any tiredness leftover from last night.
With only two minutes left in the final period, the scoreboard read 2-2. The tension was palpable. The game was as intense as it gets. I was hopeful. We had been in such a similar scenario at the last game and our guys had pulled through. They could do it again.
The Yetis had come back with a vengeance. Their defense was strong and their offense was relentless. Mac was in the thick of it all, battling for every inch of ice.
I posted a picture of Mac in action, capturing the intensity on his face. I also had a shot of Lightning making an incredible save and Strelow diving for the puck.
The puck dropped, and Mac won the faceoff, sending it back to Strelow. He quickly passed it to Roman, who carried it into the offensive zone. The Yetis’ defense closed in fast, but Roman managed to pass it to Sloan, who took a quick shot. The puck flew toward the goal, but the Yetis’ goalie made a spectacular save, deflecting it into the corner.
I clenched my fists, feeding off the tension in the air. Every play, every pass, every shot was crucial. I glanced at Sebastian, who gave me a reassuring squeeze.
“He’s got this,” he said, though his voice was choked with anxiety.
To give my nerves a break, I posted a clip of Mac’s faceoff win on the team’s social media account, adding a caption that read, “All or nothing! Go Evergreens!” The fans loved the high-stakes moments, and I was determined to give them the best content.
Mac chased the puck into the corner, fighting off a Yeti defenseman to gain control. He passed it back to Joe, who sent it around the boards to Sloan. Sloan tried to center it, but the Yetis intercepted, starting a fast break down the ice.
The Yetis’ center flew down the rink, passing to their right winger, who took a shot. Lightning made an incredible save, but the puck rebounded to a Yeti forward, who immediately shot again. Lightning dove, blocking it with his pad, sending the puck skidding away.
I held my breath as Mac skated hard, retrieving the puck. He passed to Joe, who darted up the left side, dodging defenders. Joe passed back to Mac, who had the smallest opening. He took the shot, but the Yetis’ goalie was ready.
The whistle blew, and the faceoff moved to the Yetis’ zone. I could see the frustration on Mac’s face, but he shook it off, refocusing. There was no time to fret.
One minute left on the clock.
I posted another video clip, this time of the Evergreens’ aggressive offense, hoping to rally the fans online. As it loaded, a notification popped up. A news article headline: Evergreens’ Star Caught in Polyamorous Scandal. My heart sank as I skimmed the piece, but I quietly closed out of it before Sebastian could see. This was neither the time nor the place for more stress.
The puck dropped, and the Yetis won the faceoff, dashing it out of their zone. The Evergreens scrambled to get back on defense. The Yetis’ right winger made a move, passing to their center, who took a quick shot. Lightning blocked it, but the puck rebounded again. This time, the Yetis’ left winger was in perfect position and fired the puck into the net.
