Page 55 of Icing on Top

“I have a surprise for the both of you. Come with me.” Carter waved for us to follow her back in the direction she’d come from.

I noted that the employee she’d been talking to was still where she’d left him. He smiled politely as we approached and then handed a large merch bag to Carter before dismissing himself. Carter set the bag on the ground to remove its contents.

“We got these specially made just for the two of you. If you’re going to be on the bench, then you have to be properly repping the Vortex.”

She held up a child-sized jersey with LANGFIELD stitched across the shoulders. Charlie’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She eagerly took the jersey and held it close to her chest.

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. I have a feeling that won’t be your last PWHL jersey.” Carter winked at her.

Then it was my turn. She held out the adult jersey to me, and I stared at the bundle of fabric in her hand for an extra beat. I never did end up getting a PWHL jersey with my name on it. This one felt like a pity prize. It wasn’t from the Rebels and I’d never wear it as an actual professional athlete. I’d never check a girl into the boards with it on or block a shot that had snuck past my goalie. It was just like any other custom fan jersey. And that hurt more than I expected.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, finally taking it from her. I didn’t even open it to look at the back.

If I came off as ungrateful, Carter didn’t let it show.

“I’ve got to finish getting ready. A couple staff members will meet you at the tunnel to walk you out to the bench.” She smiled down at Charlie. “And I’ll see you out on the ice.”

She returned to the locker room, and I just stood there in a stupor, the jersey hanging limply in my hand until a gentle tug on my sleeve drew me back.

“Zo, can you help me put it on?”

If anything could pull me out of the rabbit hole I was quickly spiraling down, it would be Charlie’s smile. How could I ever say no to her?

I tossed my own jersey over my shoulders so I could help her. Once we got it over her head, I carefully pulled her braids from the collar while she worked on getting her arms through the oversized sleeves.

“There.” I stepped back to look her over, removing my phone from my back pocket. “I’ll take a picture so you can see what you look like. Then we can send it to Daddy.”

“He’s going to be so jealous he didn’t get one.”

She didn’t seem sorry about that at all, and it made me laugh, something I needed desperately in that moment.

I took a couple of pictures of her smiling and then had her turn around to get her name on the back. She eagerly swiped through the photos before choosing one to send to Miah.

“Put yours on. You need a picture, too,” she insisted.

My mouth instinctively opened to protest, but I cut it off, instead forcing out an “Of course.”

I didn’t let the name on the back register as I unfolded the jersey and slipped it on. It settled heavily across my shoulders.

“Let’s take a selfie,” I blurted before Charlie could offer to take a picture of me.

“Okay!” she agreed easily.

I squatted down, allowing her to sit on my knee as I held my phone out with one hand, the other firmly wrapped around her waist to keep her steady. She beamed at the camera, and I knew my smile would be dim in comparison. So I focused on Charlie and her joy, trying to absorb as much of it as possible.

Photo evidence secured, we found our way to the tunnel where a few other fans had gathered. Staff members passed out helmets and then guided us to the benches. It was only a few minutes before the teams came out to warm up. Charlie didn’t sit the entire time, instead standing at the boards completely enraptured by the women. I focused on taking pictures of her. It was easier to distance myself from the situation if I looked at it through a phone screen. Carter popped by for a photo op with Charlie and even brought over the two goalies, who gave her fist bumps and affectionate taps on her helmet. She was living her best life, and here I was internally screaming and fighting the urge to bolt.

Once the teams left, we were guided back through the tunnel to the exit of the backstage area. Miah was waiting for us on the other side of the doors. Charlie let go of my hand and barreled toward him. Prepared as always, he scooped her up into his arms.

Without Charlie as an anchor, I had been left unmoored, the waves of emotions within threatening to capsize me at any moment.

“Look at you in your official Vortex jersey.”

“It’s got my name on it, too!”

“Well, isn’t that special? That was very kind of Zoe’s friend, wasn’t it?”