Page 66 of Ice Me Baby

He hums not moving as I continue to work on his nose. I look down once I’m done and give him a nod. “That should do for now.” I give him a wink before saying, “You better get that goal like you promised.”

He smirks as he jumps back on the ice. The game restarts, and even with our team with a man down, Lewi shows he has no doubt that we have the advantage. He sends a one timer from Taz right into the back of the net with only seconds left in the third. Burn it by The Fever 333 fills the rink as the fans go wild.

Dean will argue that the stick to the face is worth the winning goal. Though, I argued otherwise as I re-taped his nose after the game. The grin on my face most likely says otherwise.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

With our first game down, and a win nonetheless, we are working hard to prepare for our next game. My phone rings, and I look down to see my mother's smiling face on the screen.

I smirk as I accept the video call. “Hey Mom.”

She turns the screen a bit so that my dad is in the video as well. I chuckle as I wave to him. “Hey Dad.”

They exchange a look before grinning wide. “Happy Birthday!” they shout together.

I can’t help but laugh as I realize I forgot my own birthday. I’ve been so focused on getting the team ready for the game tomorrow that I didn’t think much about what day it is. I look at the calendar on the fridge that has everyone’s schedule scribbled on it. Yep. It is October nineteenth.

I look back to my parents with a smile. “Thanks.”

My mom arches a brow. “You forgot about your birthday, didn’t you?”

With a shrug, I continue to get everything ready for tonight. They guys decided to do a movie night and chill before thegame tomorrow. “I’ve been busy getting everything ready for the season. I forgot what the date was.”

She huffs a sigh. “At least do something other than your job on your birthday.”

I laugh and give her another nod. “I promise, Ma. Love you both.”

“Love you too,” they say in unison before ending the call.

I shake my head and laugh. I suppose I have been focused more on work than anything else. How does someone forget their own birthday? I grab two bowls of popcorn for movie night. The others aren’t due to arrive for another few minutes.

As I make my way out of the kitchen, I’m greeted with a loud, “Surprise!” I let out a loud squeal, the bowls of popcorn in my hands go flying, and it rains down all around me, some of it landing on my head.

I grab my chest as I look around and find the guys with wide smiles and hundreds of boxes of beads. What the hell are they planning now? “What the hell?” I shout because, damn, they almost gave me a heart attack.

Vicy and Taz give me sheepish smiles, and I should have known they would plan something like this. “We wanted to do something for your birthday, but we weren’t sure what to do,” Taz says with a shrug.

Vicy holds up a box of beads. “We figured a movie night and friendship bracelet making was safe the night before a game.”

“Friendship bracelet making?” I ask with a snort.

Taz points a finger at me with mock anger. “Don’t diss the power of a friendship bracelet.”

I hold my hands up in surrender and laugh. “Not dissing the power of friendship, man. Just wondering why this was your first thought.”

“We figured ten bracelets may be too many for you to wear all the time, so we agreed Lewi and Oli will each make you abracelet. The rest of us will make one for you together,” Vicy says with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Well damn. Who am I to say no to friendship bracelets. “Alright, fine. That means I can make each of you a bracelet then, right?”

Taz and Vicy both nod happily. “Yes.”

With an eyeroll and a laugh, I make my way to the center of the living room. “Alright, let’s get this party started then. But someone needs to make more popcorn.”

Mac stands from the couch, heading toward the kitchen. “I got it.”

Turning to look around at the boxes, I’m not sure where to start. I suppose I could start with Dean and Mac’s, but I’m not sure what to do for them yet. I huff out a sigh and grab a box, deciding to work on the others’ while I think of what to make.

I start with Perri. I’m going to pick his favorite colors and then spell out his name. It isn’t very original, but it doesn’t have to be. I grab several shades of red beads and pick out the letters for his name.

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