Page 5 of Heart of a Defender

I haul my ass out of bed and get to the arena for practice. A team mirrors its leader. They don’t need me showing up to practice half-cocked and out of sorts.

Coach works us hard with more drills, pushing us to the limit as we practice power plays and penalty kills, simulating what we experience when we’re facing off against another team. There’s no room for second-guessing or letting our guard down, especially since we’re playing our biggest rivals on opening night. The Predators are a force to be reckoned with, chiefly due to Mark Anderson, their hot-head team captain.

Despite the rigorous practice, I can’t get Madison’s words and curvy figure out of my head. It doesn’t help that she’s in the stands watching every move I make on the ice. Even when my back is turned, I can feel the heat of her stare. She lights up my nervous system and threatens to send it into overload. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why she affects me the way she does.

Coach blows the final whistle, wrapping up practice for the day. I join my teammates for a few laps around the rink to cool down, waving to the fans who came out to watch us. Despite my efforts to avoid reporters' eyes, my attention continues to gravitate to the woman with inquisitive eyes.

When I pass the press box, Madison is the only journalist left in the stands. I expect her to throw out a question, but notice she’s without pen and paper for a change. We briefly make direct eye contact, and I swear the corners of her mouth twitch into a reluctant smile. I stare too long and trip over my feet, nearly bringing a teammate down.

“Whoa, Brooks.” Graves nudges me with his elbow. “Watch where you’re going.”

Madison’s cheeks stain a pale shade of pink. Her eyes light up with flickers of gold, green and chocolate, swirling like Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting. My heart ticks an irregular beat, knocking me for a loop.

I chance a grin her way as a young fan races down the steps to the rail. He stops and places his hand on the acrylic shield separating the rink from spectator seating. I pause and put my gloved hand against the glass, dwarfing his.

“Wow.” His eyes light up, making my day. “Dad, Dad. Did you see that?” The kid glances over his shoulder at a man looking on from the top of the stairs. “Zach Brooks gave me a high five.”

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love making a kid’s day. It’s pretty great being someone kids can look up to. I glance back at Madison, but she’s already grabbed her bag and quietly slipped up a separate set of steps.

After I hit the shower, Madison’s waiting near the exit in the same place she grilled me before. I consider avoiding her, but something pulls me to her like she’s magnetic and I’m steel. Or maybe she’s the steel, and I’m kinetic sand. She’s thrown my footing off, and I’m not sure how stable my resolve is anymore. My heart beats wildly against my chest, causing my throat to tighten. I slow my roll, unsure of what kind of spell she’s cast over me but liking it all the same.

Would it kill me to answer a few of her questions and give her a little piece of what she’s looking for?

“Got a minute?” She pushes off the wall and steps in time with my stride.

“Hungry?” I ask, shortening my gait so she can keep up without huffing it.

“Uh, sure.” She tilts her chin, eyeing me quizzically like I’m a one-eyed monster. “Something come over you, Brooks? You’re inviting me to lunch, and you’re not scowling.”

I like the way she says my last name, like we’re old friends with years of stories between us. Come to think of it, I’d kind of like it if we did. At least thinking about her nonstop would make sense if we had a history. Or maybe even the possibility of a future.

“It’s cafeteria food,” I chuckle, and my stomach rumbles on cue. “And I’m too hungry to scowl.”

We eat among the noisy din of hungry hockey players scarfing down protein and carbs. A few players are joined by their wives and girlfriends. There’s even a tot or two darting around the room, climbing into anyone’s lap who’s willing to scoop them up for a ride on their knee. The whole team’s a family, thick as thieves and ready to protect and defend our own.

Madison watches with a keen eye but doesn’t broach the subject of my personal life. Yet unspoken questions sit between us, heavy and strained. If I give a little, maybe she will, too. I take a deep breath, my heart already pounding at what I’m contemplating.

“You mentioned my family yesterday.” I lean forward in my chair and lower my voice. The team knows a lot about my family in recent years, but that doesn’t make me any less guarded about our privacy. I signed up for the spotlight, but Mom and Lauren didn’t. “I don’t like opening them up to the same scrutiny I’m subjected to.”

“Understandable.” Madison leans forward, criss-crossing her arms on the table. A deep green halo encircles her irises, framing the sparkling amber and golden flecks that dance under the harsh cafeteria lights. It’s as if her eyes magically change colors according to her mood. She’s bewitching and breathtakingly beautiful. “Is this off-the-record? I have a bear trap memory and am not easily convinced to forget things I’ve been told.”

Add brash, plucky, and candid to the growing list of qualities that describe Madison. I caution myself on how much to say, knowing whatever comes out of my mouth might show up in ink tomorrow.

“My mom’s a powerhouse. She raised my sister and me alone and worked her ass off to make sure we had what we needed.” My brow furrows, remembering how pale and weak she became after spending months in and out of the hospital. She was so frail, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to help her except hold her hand and make her proud. “She’s been through a lot, and I don’t want anything I do to add to her burden.”

Madison’s expression softens, and I swear the green in her eyes does, too. She reaches across the table and rests her hand on my arm. An electric current splinters through my body and shocks my heart, spurring it to beat faster.

“Sounds like she’s a strong lady.” She applies gentle pressure to my arm. It’s warm and assuring. “Tell me about your sister.”

“Lauren? She’s amazing.” I relax a little. Lauren’s younger and smaller than me, but she kicks my ass at trivia games every chance she gets. “Smart, funny, and kickass. She’s studying to be a nurse.”

“Sounds like you and your family are pretty tight.” Madison’s eyes flit to where her hand rests on my arm. She immediately withdraws it as if she’s been burned. She sits up and straightens her posture, back in reporter mode. “Thank you for sharing. It’s important for people to see the human side of you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t make me out to be a softie,” I chuckle and glance around the room. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” She laughs, a surprisingly comforting sound. She checks the time and scoots her chair away from the table. “I’ve gotta get back to work. Practice same time tomorrow?”

I nod as a strange mix of vulnerability and relief takes root in the pit of my stomach. We dump our trays and part ways at the exit. As I walk away, a weight lifts from my shoulders, and a little of the tension I’ve been holding between my shoulder blades eases.

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