"I just want you to know this has nothing to do with my work for you. Whatever happens with Tanner and me, I will be completely professional."
"Of course you will."
"Thanks for being so understanding."
"I'm happy for you! Tanner's a bit of a player, but I've always thought that's only because he hasn't found the right woman. You can thank me at your wedding. Kidding. Just kidding." She held up her hands and Katelyn couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, I better go. Enjoy the rest of the game! Let's hope for some goals!"
-
Late in the second period, Tanner saw that Stars center Andreyev was late getting back to his defensive zone and joined the rush across the blue line. "Rupper!" he shouted to his teammate, who had the puck. Rupper passed it to him through traffic. Tanner snagged the puck with a Stars D-man bearing down on him, slipped it forward between his own legs to keep it away from him, and picked it up again, then went to the net and snapped it right through the Stars goalie's five hole.
"Yeah!" He had to do a little leap to avoid running into the goalie as he skated to the glass to slam against it in celebration. The crowd leaped to their feet, cheering, the horn blasted, and his teammates jumped him.
"Nice!" Rupper yelled at him. "Way to find open space, man."
"What the hell was that move?" Army demanded, slapping his back. "And then the snipe!"
The Aces' goal song "Master of Puppets" by Metallica blasted through the arena, the crowd still cheering. Wearing a huge grin, Tanner went to the bench.
He watched the next shift, yelling, "That's it, Hughie, drive him, kid!" when Hughie took another player into the boards hard; then "Nice block, Ronner!"
He was back on the ice, in the Stars' end, when Kirby took the puck behind the net. The big Stars player Landry skated in on him. Landry's skates left the ice as he drove Kirby into the boards hard, catching him on his blind side and hitting his head. The puck actually came to Tanner's stick, but he wasn't even focusing on that, his blood surging hot as he watched his teammate crumple to the ice, motionless. A sharp whistle blew. As if in slow motion, Tanner looked at Landry skating toward him, seeming oblivious to the carnage he'd left lying on the ice.
Tanner charged at him.
"You fucking asshole!" He grabbed Landry's jersey and started swinging.
He wasn't alone. Every player on the ice converged around them, pairing off, most of them just dancing, some fighting. "That was such a fucking dirty hit!" he shouted.
Gloves and helmets flew off. Tanner took a hard shot on the cheekbone, then delivered one right back, fury heating his veins. When he wrestled Landry to the ice, the linesmen stepped in and worked to separate them.
"Okay, okay, guys," one said. "You're done."
Tanner relented, panting, sweat stinging his eyes, his hand throbbing. Please, sweet Jesus, don't let it be broken again. He looked over to where the trainers were attending to Kirby. He despised the guy, but he was a teammate. Although if Tanner's hand was fucking broken again because of him, he was gonna be pissed.
Kirby was moving. He was conscious, but he'd been out. Which meant he was gone. Fuck.
Tanner glowered at Landry as he skated to the penalty box. He threw himself down onto the bench and flexed his hand. Just a stinger. He'd be okay.
It took a while for the officials to get all the penalties sorted, and Tanner relaxed only slightly when Landry was given a game misconduct. He nodded to his teammates, hoping Kirby was okay.
-
Katelyn watched in horror as the fight unfolded nearly right in front of them. When everyone jumped to their feet, she did too, so she could see what was happening. She had a clear view of Tanner right against the glass, punching the other guy, yanking at his shirt, swinging him around.
"Oh my God, that guy is huge!" she cried to Rachel. "He's crazy!"
She was shaking, fear clawing inside her as she watched Tanner fight, knowing he could be hurt. They watched with dismay and fascination as Tanner took the guy down, then the refs pulled them apart.
Still trembling, Katelyn turned her attention back to the player who'd been hit, lying on the ice. She covered her mouth with her hands. "I hate it when they get hurt. It's such an exciting game, but I always hated this part."
"He's okay," Rachel said. "He's moving."
It took a while but eventually the team staff got him up. He definitely looked dazed as they helped him skate off.
"That's not good."
"Do you know him?"