Power Plays & Straight A's (CU Hockey 1)

“If we lose? It’s really simple. We become the first team in the history of our school to beat the CU curse. It’s the Frozen Four or die this year, boys.”

Cheers and hollers erupt around the room as the guys finish stripping down and make their way to the showers.

Jacobs sidles up to me. “It’s a tall order, Captain.”

I smile. “Maybe to be safe, we’d better make sure we win tomorrow night.”

“Damn straight.” Jacobs opens his mouth but closes it again fast.

“We cool?” I ask.

He lets out a relieved breath. “I was going to ask you that.”

“Drop the Zach shit and we’re cool.”

He throws up his hands. “Consider it dropped.”

“Then consider us cool.”

He slaps my back as he walks away.

After I shower and get dressed in sweats and a tank top, I check my phone to find a message from my brother.

SETH: Are you kidding me? You’re making Zach go to your stupid game wearing your number?

FOSTER: He lost a bet.

My phone starts ringing.

Grabbing my gear bag, I make my way outside to answer it.

“What?” I love my brother. Really, I do.

“What? What? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I … made a bet with a friend, and he lost?”

“I tell you to look out for him, and you’re making him go to a hockey game. Hockey.”

“What’s wrong with hockey?”

“Nothing. Unless you’re Zach Sawyer.”

I huff. “What aren’t you two telling me? Does this have something to do with the reason you asked me to keep an eye on him to begin with?”

“You know Morris on the UVM team?”

“Asshole McDickface as we like to call him? Yes.”

Seth sighs long and hard. “For some reason, Zach was on his radar last year. It’s like he took pleasure in humiliating him in front of a bunch of people. Mostly juvenile things like tripping him or shoving him. Calling him derogatory stuff.”

“What the fuck?”

“I don’t even know why or how Zach became his target, just that he made Zach’s life a living hell for a while. He even changed dining halls and stayed away from anywhere Morris could be.”

My chest burns, and my anger spikes. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Whatever, macho man. The only way you can take care of this is by not making Zach go tomorrow night.”

“Did he say he doesn’t want to go, or are you saying it?”

“What?”

“How did you know he was planning to come?”

“He asked for my jersey.”

“Doesn’t that tell you he wants to be there?”

“Noooo.” He grunts, and I feel his frustration through the phone. “It tells me he’s doing it to prove some sort of point. Like he can handle it on his own or some shit.”

“Seth … you do know Zach isn’t a child, right? He can look after himself.”

“I don’t want to see him hurt.”

“That’s admirable, but I get the sense he hates how overprotective you are of him. And trust me, he’ll want to be there tomorrow night.”

“Why?”

“To see how awesome I am. Duh.”

And to see Morris get a little payback.

I send a silent apology to Coach for planning to break the promise I made him, but the thought of anyone going after Zach in any way has my protective instincts coming out. I guess my brother and I have that in common.

We both want to protect him.

12

Zach

I very nearly lose my nerve. A hockey game? What on earth has possessed me?

I’m almost shaking as I get dressed and try to fix my hair, but for once, this isn’t anxiety. I’m actually … looking forward to this. Maybe. Possibly. I huff out a breath as I turn from my reflection and gather my things.

In the week since our rooftop picnic, Foster’s schedule has been overrun with hockey, but he’s still made time to meet me for breakfast or to text me at night. I’m finding it hard to convince myself that he’s doing this for Seth whenever I hear his warm laugh or when he gives me a look that sets butterflies loose in my stomach.

He never asks if I’m okay or if I need anything. He’s just … there. Which is possibly the best thing he could do.

The game is being held at UVM. It will be the first time I’ve been back there since I graduated, so before I have second thoughts about my uncharacteristic excitement, I leave.

I’m meeting Seth at our usual coffeehouse before the game, and I convince myself that’s where the anticipation is coming from. After seeing Seth nearly every day for the past three years, to go weeks without him has been hard. I can acknowledge that I needed the independence, but he’s been my safe space for so long.

I remind myself sticking to what’s safe won’t help me in the long run, no matter how tempting it might be.

There are more people around campus than I’m used to, though that’s probably because I hid away in the library whenever there were largely anticipated sporting events going on. The games seem to be a confidence injector in athletes, and I’m a firm believer that men with muscles who believe they can do no wrong should be avoided at all costs.