Page 81 of One Shot

“Finish your article first,” I pick her up off my lap as I stand up.

“It hasn’t been five minutes yet!” She explains.

“Laur . . . you know a stopwatch wouldn’t work. When it comes to you, I won’t be able to stop. Honestly, I don’t know how I’ve had self-control this long with you,” I reply, walking back to the ice.

She lets out a very loud exaggerated sigh to make sure I can hear her as she mutters, “Fine, Lucas.”

I laugh at her sass. I guess I’m only Captain “something” when she is happy with me.

I’ll spend some time shooting drills until she finishes what she needs to. Setting up and re-setting up the targets will take time since I’m on my own, so that should give her plenty of time. At least Tyler won’t be benched for any games, he’s one of our best shooters. My attention is wholly on my drills because I don’t hear Laur tip-toe over to me on the ice. She’s holding a Diet Coke. I must have been focused since I didn’t hear her get up to go to the vending machines either.

“How's it going, Captain Focus?”

She jokes as she slides slowly across the ice in her tennis shoes. I finish shooting at the two targets I have left, and then skate over to her.

“Sorry, I needed to clear my mind,” I say, hooking my arms around her waist to help steady her on the ice but mostly because I just want to.

“Don’t apologize, I get it. I’ve been there,” she replies, leaning into my chest with a quiet sigh.

“Did you finish the article?”

Laur makes a frustrated groaning noise before saying, “No, my brain is broken for today. I’ll have to come back to it.”

We stand on the ice, holding each other for another minute before Laur mutters into my chest, “I don’t know if I can do it, Lucas.”

“The article on Nick? I can show you my speech for the jersey retirement if you really want me to. I’ve been trying to save it but . . .”

She interrupts me. “No, not the article. Yes, it’s difficult to think about Nick. I wish he was here, literally here, on the team every day. But I know I’ll do him justice in the article, and it gets a little easier every day.”

“Good, because I am not telling a soul what’s in my speech. I was just trying to be helpful. But what are you talking about then?”

She tries to bury her head further into my chest. She says something I can’t understand because her words are muffled against me.

“Laur, I can’t understand you when you talk into my chest, but we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

I want to keep my promise to her that I will continue to work on my communication with her and not make her feel forced to share anything.

“You are too nice to me,” she groans, pulling her head from my chest. I laugh at her dramatics and silliness.

She doesn’t meet my eyes but says quietly and clearly, “I want to go to the game versus East. But I’m too scared.”

My hand delicately lifts her chin, forcing her blue eyes to meet mine, hoping she sees the sincerity in them. “It’s okay Lauren. I don’t expect you to go at all.”

“But you need me there,” she begins.

“Lauren, I can’t imagine how you feel around him. I will do everything I can to never put you in a position where you feel threatened, in danger, or hurt. It’s okay, really,” I reply.

“You don’t want me there?” she questions, her voice raising in pitch.

Her hands flail in the air before folding her arms across her chest. She is starting to be a tad dramatic now. I know it’s probably out offear, so I am trying not to read much into it. Instead, a brilliant idea hits me. Snatching her up, I toss her over my shoulder. Her shrieks and giggles echo off the ice as I skate us both off the ice to the home bench.

“Sorry, I’m being ridiculous. I just—I want to be there for you, but I don’t know if I can be,” she sighs.

“I have two ideas. Do you trust me?”

She nods as I take off my skates.

“Ifyou decide to come, I’ll give you my jersey to wear. That’s only if you decide to come. You have no obligation. I promise you I will not be hurt or mad.”

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