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Haverhill catches it in his glove.
“Next,” Coach yells.
We move aside, but before long we’re up again. My legs have long since gone numb. I start our run, and Church shoots. It’s blocked.Again.
“Next.”
“Next.”
“Next.”
In the end, it’s Lawson who slips the puck past Haverhill.
And Coach stops. He opens the door to allow us off the ice, stepping away to let us pass.
Without a word, we go. Silence rules the locker room. We strip and shower and re-dress, then exit and head our separate ways.
Aurora waits for me outside, leaning on the hood of Jacob’s truck.
And suddenly, I’m not really tired anymore.
31
AURORA
“That was brutal,” I comment.
Dad never really bag skated us like that. I mean, he coaches kids, and his focus tends to be more positive. He’ll tell you when you don’t play your best—and byyouI meanme—and he put a big stress on fitness.
But that’s different.
Knox’s hair is wet when he finally emerges from the arena. Jacob is right behind him. Their bags are slung over their shoulders.
“How’d you know this was my truck?” Jacob questions.
“I guessed.” I didn’t guess, but saying that I’d seen him drive it would be a little weird. “So, who’s hungry?”
“Me.” Knox groans. “I need a full-body massage and a five-course meal.”
“Weird combo, but I can see it.”
“You volunteering to massage me?” He raises his eyebrows. “I wouldn’t turn that down.”
“I’m volunteering to be one of your five courses,” I counter.
Jacob snorts and unlocks the truck. We pile in, me in the backseat with the gear and them up front. It’s actually kind of reminiscent of driving home from practices with Knox and Milesafter school, me always in the back with the hockey bags. Knox drove. Miles liked to ride as a passenger princess with his hand out the window, even in the winter.
Watching them all skate for their lives was kind of satisfying. Their loss was abysmal. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Joel had a hole in his glove. Or maybe someone poisoned him, because his reaction time was not what it usually is.
Everyone has a bad day, but… yeah, the whole team was a mess. Vegas played good defense and even better offense, and it’s reflected in the score.
“What was Abernathy talking to you about?” Knox twists in his seat. “Why was he sitting next to you?”
My cheeks heat. “Clocked that, did you?”
“Always.”
I focus on the dark scenery rushing by. The traffic isn’t bad now, not like right after a game. They were on the ice for over an hour. I don’t really want to think about Luke’s threats. He sat with me, quizzing me about Knox’s knowledge. If I told him anything. If I gave anything away. If I was planning on looping him in.
