Get Pucked

36. anger

PARKER

Rushing back from warmups, I break Coach Cooper's big rule and sneak my phone out of my duffle bag. My stomach drops when I read the three texts waiting for me from my girlfriend.

Knowing I only have about thirty seconds before I'm caught, I make the decision to bypass responding to her and text Austin instead.

Me: Hey man, you busy?

Austin: Nah, the guys and I were just thinking about going out but haven't decided.

Me: would it be too much of me to ask if you can go to Ships? Kota and Ellie are headed there and I just have a weird feeling about it

Austin: Leaving now. I've got this handled, you just focus on the game.

I hear Coach's heavy feet pound the floor outside of the locker room, making me shove my phone back into my bag mere moments before he steps inside. My skate bounces against the floor as he gives his usual pre-game speech, unable to keep my body still while I wait to talk to the guys.

Fuck.

I've learned the hard way that it's not my place to tell her what she can and can not do. I also don't want her to think that my goal is to control her. But my god, I would do anything to lock her back in that house until I get home.

Connor and Brooks flank me while we stand in the back of the group, always the last ones to come out of the tunnel for games.

Brooks nudges me, "why do you look constipated?"

"The girls are going out tonight," I grit my teeth and crack my neck.

"Did you text Austin?" Connor whispers.

Nodding, I keep my eyes ahead, trying to keep my composure. "Yeah, he and a few friends are going there now."

They both rest a gloved hand on my shoulder, "then there's nothing to worry about." Brooks shrugs, "let's go kick some Seattle ass."

True to my rule, the second my feet hit that ice, everything swirling around in my head is pushed away and I'm only focused on the puck in front of me.

~

"You're the fucking man," I jump on top of Brooks, fired up after our shootout win.

While the guys shower him with water bottles, he bows to everyone, humble as ever. The game went for over three hours, not only were there a lot of whistles, but it was a nine-round shootout.

After Coach does his usual post-game speech, I'm first in and out of the showers and rush out to the bus with the boys to turn my phone back on. Enjoying the win seems regretful when I have a missed call from Austin and a text simply saying, call me as soon as you're back at the hotel.

I also have two missed calls from Ellie, four texts asking me to call her or Austin as soon as possible, and my nerves increase when Brooks and Connor flash me their screens, only they have double the number of calls and texts from her.

Because we're all idiots, we try to call Dakota's phone, only to get her voicemail. Our knees bounce over the entire twenty-minute drive back to the hotel, and we waste no time pushing our way off of the bus first and opting for the stairs to run up to our room.