Page 53 of Offside and Off-Limits
“I'll take the high slot if you draw Lowe wide,” he says.
Asher spins his stick. “And I’ll be waiting at the backdoor, like a thief in the night.”
“Just be ready for the pass,” Jamie says.
Coach blows the whistle, and I glide back to the blue line, ready to rush as I notice Lucian and Weston pulling apart from their defensive play discussion.
I was brought into this team for my solid offensive skills, and I need to keep proving that I’m worth every cent.
Lucian is watching me with the intensity of a leopard watching its prey, and Weston taps his stick on the ice.
It’son.
I burst into action, transitioning the puck from forehand to backhand as I build speed through the neutral zone. I'm flanked by Asher as Jamie creates some space on my other side as the defensive pair backs away, ready.
I pass to Asher who ploughs ahead toward the goal, receiving the puck cleanly before he returns it to me in the blink of an eye.
“Keep it tight!” Coach shouts.
Accelerating forward, I'm now in space with Lucian, with Asher positioned at the back, his stick ready if I can thread the needle. It's a classic textbook setup, the kind of offensive play that made me a star on the Blades.
Time seems to slow as I look for the perfect moment to shoot. I raise my stick just as the heavy doors to the players’ entrance swing open, and I spot a splash of red against the monotone of the arena.
It’s Clara, looking particularly hot in a red fitted blazer and skirt, her blonde hair in a bun catching the light.
And that's all it takes, one moment of distraction and the puck is stolen from me by Lucian with impeccable timing. He delivers a perfect hip check that catches me out and my body becomes momentarily airborne before I come crashing down to the ice, my stick sliding away from me.
Coach blows his whistle and yells, “Stop!”
“What the heck, Lennox?” Jamie says as he comes to a stop at my side, ice chips flying.
“You okay, man?” Asher asks, offering me his hand, pulling me back up to my feet.
“Yeah,” I reply, more humiliated that I allowed my concentration to slip than anything else.
From the boards, Clément calls out, “Oh la la! This man was annihilated!”
Helpful, Frenchie.
I push into a skate, trying to outrun my humiliation before the three of us huddle once more.
“What the heck happened?” Jamie asks.
“He decided to take a little nap mid-rush. Right, Lennox?” Asher says with a slap to my back.
“Something like that,” I mutter under my breath as I brush ice from my chest, sliding my eyes to Clara. She’s watching me with concern written across her face, and a fresh wave of humiliation rolls over me.
Jamie looks between Clara and me, his expression telling me he’s worked out this particular equation. “Save it for after practice, Romeo. ’Kay?”
“Got it, Captain,” I murmur.
Asher pats me on the butt as he skates back into position, and I throw him an embarrassed smile.
Clément skates past us, heading to the net. “Love makes fools of all of us,mon ami.”
Both Jamie and Asher bark out a laugh, Asher turning to smile at Clara.
Great. Now everyone on the team knows I’ve got a fat crush on the social media manager.
