Now we need to seal the deal.

I was really hoping Anton would get his sixth hat trick for this season and put him on a very short list of guys who have done that, but at this rate, he’ll have to be happy with the amazing five he did get. There are still only thirty or so players on that list.

Time ticks down, and neither team manages to put one past the goalies. Both Tripp and Griffith are having a tight game.

I swear every time we’ve gotten remotely close, Tripp gets bigger and takes up the whole net.

In between plays, I skate past him. “Come on, man, you guys won three years ago. Give us something. Please.”

Tripp laughs. “You know I’m immune to your begging, dude. Try harder.”

And try harder, we do. We manage to spend a chunk of time in our zone, taking shots on goal and getting shut down every time.

I may love Tripp Mitchell to death off the ice, but holy shit, I want to break one of his legs. Or his arms. Either one. I want him to not be so damn good. Just long enough for one of the B’s guys to score.

Then, with only a couple of minutes left on the clock, Dex intercepts a pass between Diedrich and Larsen.

Dex comes flying at Kosik and me, but Kosik and I have played defense together for a long time now. We make sure to keep his path blocked while getting ready to break off if Dex passes to one of his wingers.

He doesn’t.

He tries to split us, but Kosik and I hold strong.

Dex gets so close, I can see his smirk, and that’s when I know things are about to go downhill.

He looks like he’s about to take his shot. Griffith throws himself on the ice, while Kosik and I create a wall the puck can’t get through. But instead of shooting, Dex passes to Walker.

There’s a practically empty net, and Walker is in prime position to score.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

This is it.

This is the end.

There’s no way Kosik can get in position to block the bullet Walker is about to unleash.

Then, as if in slow motion, Walker pulls back for a killer slapshot, but on the follow-through, Anton gets in the puck’s way. It bounces off his pads, and then it’s an all-out scramble to take possession.

Diedrich gets to it first but is shoved from behind. Then there’s a mess of bodies, and I lose sight of the puck, but as soon as it gets loose, I’m on top of it. So is Vegas though.

I crash into Selby but come out victorious when the puck hits my blade.

Anton has already detangled himself from the others, and I quickly pass to him.

And then he’s on the breakaway of his career. Anton shoots before the Vegas guys gain on him.

Tripp raises his glove as he does the splits, trying to protect as much of the net as he can, but it’s no match for Anton’s shot.

When the lamp lights up, I almost fucking cry. If I really wanted to make a scene, I’d kiss the hell out of my boyfriend right here on the ice.

But I won’t. Because Anton might be out now, but he’s still private. Instead, I practically crush him in a hug.

The team celebrates until Anton reminds us it’s not over yet.

“Don’t let these guys tie up the score again. I for one am sick of overtime.”

What’s even worse is Coach calls Kosik and me off, so all I can do is sit back and watch.

I swear the clock has never moved slower, and for the full one and a half minutes, I hold my breath.

Anton looks cool under pressure out there. He’s confident. But I can’t help that my superstitious side is in overdrive. I can’t celebrate yet.

We haven’t won yet.

Why the fuck is one second so slow let alone ninety of them.

When the final buzzer sounds, a weight lifts off my chest. While everyone else jumps over the railing to celebrate, I’m slow to respond.

I shake it off and storm the ice, looking for the one teammate I want most. And when our eyes lock, Anton flies toward me like a bull on skates. We almost topple over when we slam into each other, but somehow, we manage to stay upright. Then Anton does something he’s never done before.

He kisses me in front of twenty thousand people and a shit ton of cameras.

What do you do when your lifelong dream comes true?

You create new dreams.

Thirty-Four

ANTON

STANLEY CUP CELEBRATIONS

The night is a blur. The game, the crowd, winning. I still can’t believe it.

Seeing that Cup, being on the team presented with it, and watching Diedrich carry it into the locker room and lift it into the air …

The celebration with the team is over-the-top and manic. We all drink from the Cup before Diedrich puts his newborn baby in it. I would’ve spent all night drinking from it had that not happened. After that, all I could think about was how many babies had been placed in that thing and how many had pooped in it.

Tags: Eden Finley Puckboys Romance
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