Back Check (Aces Hockey #4)(49)

 

Christ. She'd sacrificed her life for her father. She'd sacrificed them for her father. And she'd sacrificed them for him.

 

He squeezed his burning eyes shut, remembering.

 

He'd been such a dick-shouting, raging, Katelyn crying. He'd wanted her with him.

 

He'd been hurt. Because it had happened again. Someone he cared for was being taken away from him. He'd let himself care about her more than anyone, and holy fuck, it had hurt.

 

He rolled to his stomach and buried his face in the cool pillow.

 

He'd signed that contract, gone to training camp, worked his ass off. The first year had been back and forth between New York and Bridgeport, and all he'd focused on was playing hockey. When he'd finally made it to a steady place on the roster, his focus had expanded to women and partying. Living in the Big Apple made it easy to meet lots of beautiful women and he'd soon met Presley. Tall, blond, and gorgeous, she worked as a model for a top agency and had big ambitions. She liked fame and attention, and one of her ambitions was to marry a rich man and have a huge wedding. He wasn't even that rich then, compared to some of the guys. Whatever. She'd wanted him and he'd gone along for the expensive ride.

 

During those years, he'd thought of Katelyn sometimes but hardened his heart against those thoughts because they were done. She'd made her choice and he'd made his and they'd gone their separate ways.

 

Now she was back in his life.

 

She was coming to his game tonight.

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

He ached for all the wasted years they'd been apart. If only he'd known the truth. If only he'd never married Presley. If only Katelyn had known about his divorce.

 

But like Katelyn had said, there was no point going over and over all those if-onlys because you couldn't go back and change what was.

 

A few hours later, he stood in the tunnel holding his stick, shifting from one foot to the other, energy pulsing through his body despite the minimal sleep he'd had that afternoon. Duper was doing the complicated fist-bump/high-five combo he did with some of the guys, Ronner was smacking everyone on the ass with his stick. Lights flashed in the dark arena, music blasted, and then the announcer called, "And here they aaaaare … .yoooooour Chicago Aaaaaaaces!"

 

Duper was always the first one on the ice with a flying leap, followed closely by Army, Ronner, and Boosh. Tanner stepped onto the ice and took off at a run to do a few pre-game laps around their own end as the crowd cheered.

 

What a fucking rush.

 

Every time.

 

He loved it.

 

The Stars came onto the ice and circled the other end.

 

"Here's tonight's starting lineup for your Chicago Aaaaaaaces! Starting at center … number nineteen, your captain, Maaaaarc Dupuis!"

 

Stoykers was in the crease, scraping up the blue paint to his liking.

 

"On left wing … number eighteen, Julien Boooouuucheeeeer!"

 

The ice crew made adjustments to the carpet they'd rolled out for Amos Gallo, who almost always sang the national anthems at Aces games.

 

"Starting on right wing … number forty … Jaaaaared Ruuuuup!"

 

The three forwards lined up on the blue line.

 

"On defense … number two … Taaaaaanner Beeeenneeet! And number forty-four … An-drew Ross!"

 

The other guys were on the bench and the crowd was still cheering.

 

"And starting in goal tonight for your Chicago Aces … Brent Stoooooyko!"

 

The crowd starting chanting, "Stoy-kers! Stoy-kers!"

 

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing, remove your hats, and welcome your Chicago Aces' own Amos Gallo for the singing of tonight's national anthem."

 

Tanner took his helmet off. He kept his head up, feet moving, focusing on how he wanted to play tonight, what they had to do to beat the Stars. He ignored the guy skating by with the video camera. He also tried not to think about the fact that Katelyn was there watching tonight.

 

As the anthem ended, the crowd erupted again. The refs gathered at center ice and he skated in an easy circle, while Stoykers went through a series of fast moves in the crease, side to side, back and forth, tapping each goalpost with his stick.  

 

Duper skated to center ice, bent over and ready to take the face-off. Tanner put his stick on the ice near the blue line. The ref dropped the puck, Duper won the face-off, getting the puck to Rupper, skated at his center opponent and gave him a shove, and they were off.

 

The game was fast and physical. They were playing with a good sense of urgency after the win, but the Stars were a physical team. The Aces' style was to use their speed to create things off the rush, get the puck to the forwards and to the net, but they were getting frustrated by all the bumps and hits.