Page 91 of Like A Daydream
He’s conscious of every slice of his skates into the ice as he flies into his position, marking a forward at the top of the attack zone. He’s conscious of the seconds ticking down on the clock, and how the fans are screaming at the top of their lungs.
Petrov clears the puck from their defending zone, just hitting it into open space, and Andrew is there, the puck hits the blade of his stick and he takes off down the ice.
It’s him and the goalie.
The score is tied.
He hears the crowd start to chant the final countdown, feels each number like the beat in his chest.
He shoots.
The puck goes under the goalie’s legs, and hits the back of the net.
The clock goes off and the stadium erupts.
They call PNC the Loud House but he’s never, in fifteen years, heard itthisloud before. He could go deaf from it, he thinks, and he wouldn’t even care.
He’s just done the one thing he’d dreamed of.
Before he can even process what’s happening, people are running to the front of the arena and slamming on the boards. The team jumps over the wall and crashes into him, hard enough for him to fall on the ice with a laugh as they pile on top of him.
“Holy SHIT bro!” Petrov yells into his ear as they stand. “We won the Stanley Cup!”
“Damn right we did!” Andrew yells, pulling the younger player into a hug.
Red and black floods his vision, but he’s only looking for one girl.
“Andy!” he hears from behind him. He turns and Jamie is there, running across the ice and grabbing his shoulder as he slides to a stop. “The hell, bro, you won! You just scored the game winning goal!”
“Hell yes, I did,” he says with a grin, “where’s Danielle?”
Jamie points to the team bench. “She’s there. She was going to come onto the ice but was worried about Harper falling if they did.”
Andrew leaves Jamie, skating over to the bench where his family is. Danielle’s eyes are shining with tears, and the smile that splits her face is one he hasn’t seen in months.
She turns around so he can see that she’s got his last name and number on her back, and so does Harper. Damn, if he isn’t sure he’s the luckiest man alive, seeing that up close certainly makes him think he is.
Danielle turns back to face him as he hits the boards, and Harper climbs up onto the ledge. Andrew starts to laugh, and holds his arms out for her.
“There’s my girls!” he reaches for Harper and she launches herself into his arms and wraps her arms around his neck as he catches her. He presses a kiss to her head and she hugs him as tight as she can.
“You did it, dad!” she says, unable to contain her six-year-old excitement. “You won! You scored a goal!”
“Only because you and momma were in the stands,” Andrew says, grinning. “I don’t know if I could have done it without you guys!”
Danielle climbs over the boards to get to him. Andrew hooks an arm around her waist and pulls her to him.
Her hands slide into his hair as he kisses her and the crowd erupts in cheers again.
“I love you,” he says, pulling back and pressing their foreheads together. “We should get married.”
“Okay,” she says with a grin, “but you owe me a ring and we have to wait untilafteryou get your victory lap.”
“Bold of you to assume there isn’t a ring in the center console of my truck for you,” he says, and he kisses her again. “I’m serious, Dani. Marry me.”
“I said I would two seconds ago,” she laughs, “did you think I would change my mind that quickly?”
“Just wanted to make sure,” he says, pulling away to press another kiss to Harper’s head.
