Page 33 of Married to Number 22
Just in time to watch Aiden jump over the boards and join in on a rush up the ice.
He skates rapidly into the offensive zone, trailing after his teammates as they cross the blue line, not immediately identifiable as a threat.
But he soon makes himself one—skating to the net, picking up a deflected shot, dancing around an opposing player.
I gasp when he’s slashed hard, the puck lurching away from him.
Only for a second, though.
Because, just as quickly, he’s regained control and is corralling the puck, moving to the goal. The defenseman doesn’t make it easy, stepping up, trying to block him, but Aiden doesn’t give up—just moves back to give himself some space.
Then he spots it.
Before I do, for sure.
And also before almost everyone on the ice—aside from his teammates.
Because one is streaking in, his stick down and ready…
For the puck that Aiden floats over to him.
The arena full of people all seem to freeze, every one of the twenty-thousand-plus people seeming to hold their breath for one prolonged heartbeat…
The puck flutters toward the tall, bearded player wearing a C on his chest.
He corrals it with a flick of his stick.
And the next flip has it sailing into the back of the net.
A beat of quiet.
Then the red light behind the goal begins to flash and the crowd explodes with cheers so loud my ears hurt. A moment later, the buzzer is joining in on the noise, the team’s celebratory song playing.
It’s complete and total chaos.
Cacophony.
But it’s beautiful.
Almost as beautiful as the looks on the faces of Kathy and Matt, Claire and Ralph and Dave’s faces.
The pride.
The joy.
Thelove.
Suddenly, I can’t keep up this façade, pretending that Aiden and I are together, not that I just showed up on his doorstep last night with a desperate plan and crazy intentions.
The guilt wells up, clamping onto my lungs, stealing my breath, crawling up my throat.
And then making my eyes burn.
Fuck.
I know I’m not going to be able to hold the tears back.
“Excuse me,” I say to Carrie, who looks over at me in shock.
