I fall even more for her.
I almost always get nervous before the first game. It’s just how I work. But for some reason tonight as I sway back and forth in the hall, I feel okay. I feel good about tonight. I’m ready. Baylor sways in front of me with Jace in front of her since we are to be announced by our numbers and positions. As I stare at the back of her helmet, her 50 staring back at me, a grin sits on my lips. She has her hair in a braid, down her back and tucked into her jersey, but when she looks back at me, her red lips are glossy and she is grinning.
“Excited?” I ask even though it’s very visible that she is.
She nods. “Ready to kick some ass.”
“Me too,” I say, tapping her ankle with my stick. “Let’s show them what they are missing.”
She gives me a cute little grin just as the announcer starts to call us onto the ice. When they call her name, she shoots out of the tunnel as the crowd cheers for her, and there is a certain kind of pride that burns in my chest. She’s well-loved around here. Yeah, some girls are jealous because she’s so close to all the guys, but people still respect her. She’s a force to be reckoned with. She makes this team a billion times better, and I couldn’t love her more.
But then it’s my turn.
“And your captain, number fifty-nine, Jayden Sinclair!”
The crowd erupts with cheers as I skate out onto the ice, holding my stick up as the dance girls wave their little pom-poms and my teammates tap their sticks to the ice. I’ve waited for this since I started playing hockey. My first goal was to be a college captain.
I’m here.
Next is the NHL, and then I want to be an NHL captain.
I’ll make it happen.
As I stand with Jace to my left and Markus to my right, the anthem is sung while I look around to find my mom and sister sitting with Angie between them. I was hoping that Jude would be able to make it, but when he got to St. Louis, he wanted to hit the hay, which I completely understand. He’s a busy guy, but at least my mom and sister are here. As I keep looking, I realize I’m looking for my dad. I’m surprised when I don’t see him, but then I’m happy.
I don’t want him here.
“He isn’t here,” Jace says then, and I look over at him. “I told him not to come.”
Thank God. I don’t think I could handle my dad today, especially if Baylor decides to meet my mom after this. Also, I had such a great morning with Baylor, and knowing we are going to win this game, I don’t need his negativity. It’s going to be a good day, just got to win this game. Baylor is shaking with excitement, I like that. She’s ready to kick some ass, and I’m gonna do everything to help her win.
I also want my first win as a captain.
Noddi
ng, I tap Jace’s shin as the whistle blows for us to line up and get this started. I love playing in our arena. This is my second home, and I’m ready to win. When we line up, though, Baylor drops her blade to the ice, waiting for the puck as the guy in front of her taunts her.
“Hey, Moore. Ready to lose?”
“I don’t lose, Rick. I win.”
“We will see about that,” he says, and then the puck drops. But instead of going for the puck like Baylor had, he goes straight through her, knocking her on her ass. I hear the air rush out of her, and then all I see is red. It takes everything inside me not to skate to her, to make sure she is all right. But thankfully, she pops back up as I skate back to keep the offense from rushing into our zone. Cutting left, I poke check the puck from the player who has it, but then another player comes and shoots it toward Shane. He bats it away, thankfully. As I rush to it, I scold myself for freaking out. This is the game. I’m here to do business. I gotta leave our relationship off the ice. As I get the puck under control, I see Jace slam the Rick guy into the boards.
“Touch her again, and I’ll fuck you up,” he promises as the guy comes off the boards, revenge in his eyes.
“Bring it, asshole,” he calls as Jace skates away, going to the bench for a change. Ignoring him since Jace took care of it, I bring the puck up, dumping it into the zone as I go off for a change. As I watch, I try to keep my eyes off Baylor. She’s sitting five guys down and she gasping for breath, but I worry she’s in pain. I mean, the dude went right through her. No stopping. Tearing my gaze from her, I look out on the ice and suck in a deep breath. This is hockey; she knew what she was signing up for. She’s a strong girl. She can handle her own. I know this. She knows this.
But every time I’m on the ice, my concern isn’t the puck, it’s Baylor.
I can’t help it though. Through two periods, these fuckers are making it their main focus to take her out. Tripping her, checking into her, and mowing right through her. And the mindfucking thing is they aren’t getting called for it! The refs are just standing there while she’s taking a fucking beating, but no one would even know. She takes each hit, sometimes without even reacting to it, but me, I’m reacting.
“Ref! What the hell? That’s cross checking,” I yell as I skate by one of them, but he just shrugs. “What, is Arkansas sucking your dick?”
The asshole then blows his whistle. “Fifty-nine, two minutes for unsportsmanlike contact!” he yells, pointing at me, and I’m flabbergasted.
“Are you kidding me?” I yell.
“Go!”