While the guys were making small talk, Abel was bragging over Izzy sleeping through the night and Remi bragged that Honey hadn’t pissed in the apartment in a week, I put my hockey gear on and thought about Madison.
I was beginning to make some connections that weren’t mine to think about and assume. I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to ask questions.
Either Madison would cut ties with me or she’d open up even more and then we’d be in big trouble.
Quite honestly I was one kiss away from being completely in love and that just wasn’t supposed to happen for me.
I stood up and walked back to the ice.
Madison took our pictures again as we got back on the ice.
Then she told us how to line up.
“I need you on one knee,” she said to Lay.
“Oh, doll, careful with that,” Lay said. “Your father will kill me if he sees me on my knees in front of you.”
I jabbed Lay with my goalie stick.
“Hey!” Lay yelled at me. “It was a joke!”
“Just do what she says,” I growled.
I sat in a chair in front of everyone.
Lay to my left. Riff to my right.
Behind me everyone else was in order of height.
Before Madison could take the picture, there was a whistle from the tunnel.
We all looked to see Coach’s wife standing there.
“She’s too damn stubborn to rest,” Coach called out. “Got herself a ride here and everything.”
“This is remarkable,” Carrie said.
A tearful smile climbed across her face.
I was pretty sure all of us were blinking a few extra times too.
We then began to hit our sticks to the ice and chanted Carrie’s name.
From the corner of my eye I saw Madison taking pictures.
Then out of nowhere, she stopped and began to run toward the tunnel.
I thought I heard her make a noise but I wasn’t sure.
“Where’s she going now?” Reid asked.
“To get film?” Lay asked.
“It’s all digital, you idiot,” Remi growled.
“I don’t know then,” Lay said. “She’s a little bit crazy I think.”
Lay looked at me and I stood up.
I had my stick ready to go.
I would have knocked out half of Lay’s teeth if I swung it.
But I didn’t swing my stick.
I made a judgement call.
Fuck the risks.
I needed to make sure my Madison was okay.