Page 116 of Coach's Temptation

"Yes, now. Because there might not be another time."

He shifts on the bench, shoulder clearly bothering him despite his tough act. He looks at Natalie before leaning in closer again.

"You're so wrapped up in planning ten moves ahead that you're missing what's right in front of you. Cut the shit and win her back, dumbass."

The words hit harder than any check I've taken on the ice. Blake Maddox, the guy who just pulled off a center-ice proposal, is lecturing me about relationships.

And fuck… he's right.

I've spent so much time weighing options, analyzing outcomes, trying to figure out how to have everything - the Cup, Team USA, Natalie - that I'm about to end up with nothing.

"Since when did you get so wise about relationships?" I mutter.

Blake grins through his grimace. "Since I stopped overthinking and just went for what I wanted. Now are you gonna sit here and sulk, or are you gonna fix this before it affects my team?"

I look at him. "Your team?"

He grins, knowing full well that he's stirred something deep and dangerous inside of me. "Yeah,myfucking team."

There's no doubt about it - Iron Ridge folk stick together. Natalie's love for this town is endless, and now Blake, the town's homegrown hero has ripped me up and put me right in my fucking place.

I smack Blake on the helmet and push him in the middle of his back, launching him over the boards and back on the ice.

"Get the fuck back out there, and win me that trophy!"

We pick up our game, but soon, all that's left is three minutes in the third and final period.

Tie game after a scorching shot from Ryder hit the net.

I scan the ice, watching Vegas's defense scramble to cover our power play unit.

"Run the split-diamond! Connor, doubleback from the point!"

The crowd is deafening - a wall of sound that vibrates through my bones. Every fan in Iron Ridge is on their feet, waving towels, screaming themselves hoarse. This is it. This is our moment.

Then everything shatters.

Vegas's enforcer lines up Connor from behind, launches forward like a freight train. The sound of the impact makes me sick. Connor's head snaps back, his body crumpling to the ice like a marionette with cut strings.

He doesn't move.

My eyes snap to Natalie before I can stop myself. For the first time since our fight, she meets my gaze. The fear in those green eyes mirrors my own and suddenly our worlds connect again.

I'm over the bench before I register moving, skidding to my knees beside Connor's still form. Natalie's already there, her hands steady as she checks his pulse, his pupils, speaking to him in that calm voice that doesn't match the tremor in her hands.

"How bad?" The words scrape out of my throat.

She looks up at me then, really looks at me, and Christ - the pain of the last twenty-four hours hits me. Fuck, I've missed her. Really fucking missed her.

But for a moment, there's something else there too.

Trust. Partnership. Everything that matters.

"We need to get him off the ice," she says.

I nod, no hesitation.

In this moment, nothing else matters - not the game, not Team USA, not our fight. Just Connor, and Natalie, and doing whatever she needs me to do to support her every decision.

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