Rush: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 1)(141)

Kingston: I love you, too. And I love you even more if you’re wearing nothing more than chocolate syrup tonight.

Ellie: I’m sure that can be arranged. Win or lose.





Kingston

Pacing the floor, I keep my attention riveted on the stick in my hand and nothing else.

“Good luck,” someone calls from behind me.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

I shift my feet, slap my stick against my leg pad.

The roar of the music fills the arena. The lights dim, then snap off with a dramatic shattering effect.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

A throbbing bass reverberates from the speakers overhead. Slow, steady. I take a deep breath and work on keeping my heart rate in time with the music.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

Suddenly, the lights flash off, then back on.

Off.

On.

Off.

On.

Faster. Brighter.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

Strobes kick in and the Jumbotron lights up with our logo, then the image shatters as music continues to pulse, slowly fading, then changing to a faster beat. The light show syncs to the music, immersing the ice and the fans in white and teal. Directly in front of us, a giant LED skull slowly descends from the ceiling. Three officials emerge onto the ice, skating back and forth.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

Energy. Excitement. It’s all buzzing around me now. The fans are ready, cheering for us. The Jumbotron flashes one face after another. I don’t watch. I don’t care. I’m in the zone.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

The music comes to a dramatic, screeching halt, the lights go off once more, and a deep, rumbling voice comes over the speakers: Okay, hockey fans. Let’s give it up for this year’s Western Conference Champions! Your Austin Arrows!

The line shifts forward and we fall in together as we head for the rink. One guy after the other emerges onto the ice, directly in the spotlight, while the crowd calls out names of their favorites. The second my blades hit the ice, I’m in the zone. The players scatter and I go right for the pipes. I block everything out.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

As is my normal routine, I rough the surface of the ice, moving left, then right, then forward. I shift, dropping to my knees, readjusting my gear. I’m ready for this.

I know everyone will be watching me. I’m the goaltender. It’s my job to stop the puck. If I don’t, a red light flashes and the whole arena knows I f*cked up. With any luck, that won’t happen tonight.

After all, I’m aiming for a shutout.

Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.

From this moment on, my only job is to keep the puck out of the net.

And that’s what I intend to do.

For a brief moment, I allow myself to think about Ellie. The woman I love. The woman I plan to spend the rest of my life with. And I am going to spend the rest of my life with her.

I know this because tonight when I asked her to marry me…

She said yes.