Page 68 of The Golden Goalie

Chapter 27

Rico

I make myself focus on the game; I can’t afford to derail like I did the last game. The crowd is depending on me to play my best, and so are my teammates. And I’m not going to let them down. Sebastian skates over to me and stops. “Did you see your girl?” he asks, smiling widely.

And just like that, the discipline I’d been using not to look for her dissipates. I turn my gaze to the stands and scan the spot where Bri and Stephanie sit, and there she is. “Okay. You saw her. Now focus on the game,” Gunner says, coming to a stop next to me.

“He’ll be fine,” Aiden says, joining us. “He’ll probably play the best game of his life.”

Sebastian grins. “Ask us; we would know.” He throws an arm around my shoulders, which is a feat with all the padding between us. “There’s nothing like having your woman in the stands, cheering for you.” He gazes up in the direction of where Stephanie sits before he lifts his hand in the air, pointing to his ring finger. He's done that ever since he started dating Stephanie. It’s his tribute to her.Every single game.Sebastian is all or nothing.

We get prepared to start, and I make my way to my net. I am locked in and ready for this game. Aiden skates to the center to face-off, and I hit the sides of the net with my stick before shoving my face mask against my face, my usual pre-game ritual. Then I eye the puck and give it my undivided attention. It’s not getting past me tonight.

Three periods later, we end the game five to one. It was almost a shut-out, but they managed to score during a powerplay when Aiden was in the penalty box. Still, it was a good game; it’s always good when we come out on top. And that’s what we did tonight. I follow the guys back to our locker room where we do our post-game celebration and talk. Usually, I'm in no rush to hurry, but tonight’s different. As soon as we’re given the clear, I head to the showers, anxious to see my girl. I strut back through the locker room, wearing only my boxers. “Somebody’s in a hurry tonight,” Zac, our team flirt, says.

“His girl’s waiting for him,” Sebastian says with a grin.

“You got a girl?” Zac asks in surprise. I don’t even bother answering.

“Didn’t you see the pics online?” Dylan asks. Dylan is in his second season with us, so he’s no longer a rookie. But sometimes, he still acts like one.

“No, what was it?” Zac asks, taking the bait.

“Nothing,” I say first.

“His girl is pregnant?” Dylan whispers loudly.

I pull my shirt over my head and slip my sweats on, hoping I don’t run into Chloe. She’ll give me grief over my casual clothes, but I don’t care. I just want to see Amber. I’m on my way out when I hear something that makes me stop. I turn back around, eyeing Dylan. “What did you say?” It gets quiet really fast.

Dylan’s grin drops, and Travis and Scott move away from him, obviously not wanting any part of my wrath. “Nothing, Man,” Dylan says, putting up a hand.

I stalk towards him. “Amber’s my girl, and her baby will be mine as well if she chooses that.”

Dylan nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said that.”

I eye him for a minute before finally nodding. I look around the room at my teammates, the guys who have become likefamily to me. “Amber’s baby isn’t mine. I’m sure you’re going to read all sorts of crazy things online. Here’s the truth. From me. The father of Amber’s baby wants nothing to do with her or the baby. That’s his loss and my gain because Amber will be mine and so will her little girl, if they’ll have me.”

“And they’ll be part of our family,” Gunner says. “And respected and protected as such.”

I nod. “What Cap said.”

“Got it,” Sebastian says, backing us up.

“And she’s my sister-in-law, so that goes double for me as well,” Aiden pipes up. I watch more than one set of eyebrows raise. It’s obvious that Amber and Brielle being related hasn’t made it into the news yet. It will; of that, I have no doubt.

The guys nod and call out agreements. “Thanks, Cap,” I say with a two-finger salute.

Gunner nods. “Now get out of here.”

I grin. “See you, Losers.” I’m out the door seconds later. I walk out into the friends and family lounge and see her almost immediately. She's standing against the back wall talking with Bri and Stephanie. Her back is to me, so she doesn’t see me coming towards her. Stephanie does, but she stays quiet, though a smile crosses her lips. “Nice jersey,” I say, right before I wrap my arms lightly around Amber. She jumps and turns in my arms.

“You scared me.” Then she wraps her arms around me. I breathe in the scent of her, and my heart settles. When I pull back, her eyes are dancing with delight.

“Awesome game there, Mr. Goalie.”

I can’t keep the grin off my face. Aiden joins us a minute later, pulling Bri into his arms and kissing her. He wraps an arm around her looking as content as can be. “Where’s Sebastian?” Amber asks Stephanie.

“Oh, he’s always like the last one out. He takes longer to get ready than I do.” She smiles with affection as she says the words, taking the bite out of them. Gunner comes out of the locker room and comes right towards our group. “We’re going out. Who's in?”

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