Page 118 of Two Guys One Puck
“You got about twenty seconds.”
I nod, focusing on slow, deep breaths, squeezing my eyes shut and my hands into fists. When we are called back, I’m on my feet, ignoring my racing heart.
Hawke stops me before I step out onto the ice. “You sure you can handle this? If you can’t, I’d much rather have someone on him who’s got his head in the game, even if they aren’t as good as you.”
“He’ll score on anyone else.”
“He’ll score on you if you need a break,” Coach Hawke says in his soft voice. Which means he’s fucking pissed.
I finally look him in the eyes. “I can handle it.”
I have to.
“Fine.”
We lose.
I toss my stuff into my bag, not even wanting to shower. I just want to sleep this off and forget about tonight and focus on the game tomorrow.
I turn around and almost run into Archangel. “Fuck. Will you warn a guy?”
“What was that?” he demands.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “That’s not my fault.”
“I never said it was. We win and lose as a team, but that second goal he scored?”
“He got to me. I don’t know.” What can I even say?
He narrows his eyes. “Is this about you two hooking up?”
I growl, looking around before I meet his gaze. “I’d never let that affect my game.”
“Is this about you not wanting to hurt him or something?” He pushes back, not letting it go. “Because if that’s the case, you have to let me take him if we play them in the playoffs.”
“I’m fine. I handled it.”
“You weren’t handling it. You seemed like you were freaking out during the time out.”
“Maybe I was. It almost felt like when I found out my dad was dying.”
His entire demeanor changes. “Did you have a panic attack?”
I lift my shoulders, picking up my phone to check for alerts. Nothing. “I don’t know what the fuck I had.”
“Did something happen between you two?”
“Kind of.”
Archangel crosses his arms.
“Don’t do that.” I turn around to change. “I can’t. Not here.”
Archangel drags me into the empty equipment room. “Fucking spill.”
I sigh and fill him in on what happened the night before. “I just need to go home and fucking sleep.”
“Maybe you should try fucking someone else to get over him.”
