Page 80 of Blindsided By the Enforcer

“Tell me about it,” I reply.

When we head back into the arena, second period has started. Cade is on the bench and he looks back and nods to me. Macklin and Cade don’t play second period. Cade explained they are a pair and that defensemen usually go on the ice in pairs.

“Is Coach that mad at Cade that he won’t let him play?” I ask Charlie.

“I don’t know,” she answers.

A knot forms in my stomach because I don’t want Cade penalized because I encouraged him to find his own rhythm.

By third period Cade and Macklin are on the ice. When the guy from Michigan West pulls on Cade’s jersey, he fights him off and takes off with the puck. He shoots it to Aaron who, if I remember correctly, is a wingman. Aaron scores a goal. The crowd goes crazy since a lot of Riverside U students fill up the stadium.

Now I see what Cade meant by he was a rough player. At one point he ends up in the box. I think it’s called the penalty box orthe sin bin, I think I heard Ruby say. The guys win the game and the girls say they are going to meet them by the locker rooms, so I assume it’s something I should do as well. Briar takes off for the night and Charlie says one of the guys will give us a ride home since they probably want to go out for food after an intense game.

I’m pretty sure I understand what happened. Cade played the way he wanted to and the coaches penalized him by keeping him off the ice second period. That’s why he went back to his old ways.

Poor Cade.

Cade and Finn are taken aside for interviews. Then they head into the locker room to change while the other guys walk out in their suits.

When Cade leaves the locker room, he isn’t smiling like the other guys.

“Great game,” I say to him.

“Yeah,” he agrees.

The guys are talking about going to get some burgers from a place off campus.

“You want to come?” Cade asks.

“Sure, I can eat a burger,” I smile.

Finn and Charlie ride with us in Cade’s car, and Ruby and Macklin head out with the other guys.

Finn and Cade talk about some of the goals and some annoying things that some of the players on the other team did.

“How would you rate your first hockey game?” Cade asks.

“It was thrilling. I got into it. I was rooting for you guys. I was ultra-focused on the puck,” I tell him. “But I’m not sure I see myself watching games on television, although, I know better than to never say never.”

“At least she’s honest.” Finn laughs.

“That’s what I like most about Annie. She tells me like it is,” Cade says. He gives my hand a squeeze and I feel his nerves radiating off him. I see the disappointment seeping from his eyes.

We arrive to a bar and all of us sit at a long table together. Almost the whole team is here. Cade introduces me to a bunch of guys.

We laugh, eat, and hang out. At the end of the night, we drop Charlie and Finn back at the hockey house before Cade takes me home. He’s bothered by what happened tonight on the ice and he isn’t talking about it.

“Scarlett was there tonight,” I say. “She was wearing your jersey and holding up a sign that said Cade, we love you.”

“I saw her,” is all he says. “I told you I didn’t expect her to back away.”

“She told me the same thing.”

Cade’s brows furrow. “She spoke to you?”

I nod. “She told me we’re temporary. That you’ll always go back to her.”

He exhales and runs his fingers through his hair. “Not this time, Annie.”

---