Page 98 of Crossed Sticks

Nick Johnson took the first faceoff, sending the puck to Tyler Jensen, his right wing. As Jensen sped off toward the Warriors’ defensive zone, I settled in for a wild ride. The teams battled hard, and goals by Harp and Nick had the game tied 1–1 at the first intermission.

The Warriors’ captain, Jax Wyatt, scored a minute into the second period, putting them in the lead. The Barracudas had incredible power, and the finesse and skill their players brought to the game was impressive. While the Warriors may not have been as slick, they were hungrier, and they never gave the Cudas a minute of peace. When the Warriors flew around with the puck, the Cudas were hard-pressed to keep up, and when the Cudas were in possession, the Warriors were all over them like bees on honey. Bethesda may have had the machinery, but Buffalo had the momentum.

Harp made the most of his ice time, showing off his skills and making the other guys look good. A well-timed pass resulted in a Warriors’ defenseman scoring halfway through the period.Buffalo was ahead 3–1, but it wasn’t long until Harp’s friend Eckie, one of the Cudas’ centers, knocked one in through Gabe’s five-hole. The Warriors’ lead had been cut to 3–2.

The Cudas scored early in the third, tying the game. After that, the teams skated circles around each other, flying across the ice and firing off shots with no luck. Unsurprisingly, I studied the goalies. I already knew Gabe was a beast, but I’d never seen Hynek Dvorak, the Cudas’ netminder, in person before. My college goaltending coach used to call me an evil sorcerer, but Dvorak made me look like an amateur. With an uncanny ability to look completely detached—uninterested in the game and staring off into space—he lulled his opponents into a false sense of security. Of course, he saw everything, and his legendary ability wasn’t exaggerated.

I was fascinated by a technique he used when a shot came in to his left or right. He’d hold his ground until the last instant before shifting to that side so the puck could bounce off his pads. It was a slick maneuver, and the minimal movement saved energy. I wasn’t sure if it would work in lacrosse, but I made a mental note to try it when our training camp started in two days.

With about four minutes left in the period, the score was still 3–3. Both teams were flying around, but they weren’t shooting as much. The Cudas had the Warriors pinned in their defensive zone, and Johnson, Sakamoto, and Jensen were playing a game of pass, looking for an angle to score.

All at once, Harp intercepted the puck and streaked toward the Cudas’ zone. He’d crossed the blue line and was closing in on their goal when Kev Moore, one of the Cudas’ D-men, caught up and delivered a check so hard it knocked Harp off his feet. The crowd roared, and although Harp got up right away, the players were still yelling at each other on the ice. Jax and Moore got into a shoving match, but a ref stepped in before they started throwing punches.

Harp won the next faceoff, and the Warriors swiftly took the puck into the Barracudas’ zone. Unfortunately, before they could get off a shot, Cuda winger Mark Sakamoto forced a turnover. Sako, as Harp called him, sliced around Harp and Logan, and they took off after him. Riley and Jax, the Warriors’ unified D, blocked Sako’s path. Sako passed to his teammate Cleever, who sped off toward the Warriors’ goal. Jax and Riley broke formation, chasing Cleever. Sako never slowed down, and he and Cleever zigzagged passes back and forth until they neared the goal. Sako launched a shot, but Gabe deflected it with his blocker.

As the puck slid across the ice, Harp captured it. He soared toward the Cudas’ zone, and as he came up on the goal, Jensen barreled toward him. Harp swerved out of his way and launched a shot. Dvorak tried to catch it, but it sailed over his shoulder before he could raise his glove. The goal horn sounded, and the arena erupted as Harp’s teammates crashed into him for a celly. A moment later, he skated by the Warriors’ bench for the high-five parade, and I threw up my hand when he glanced in my direction. Maybe it was my imagination, but his grin widened, and I thought it was just for me.

The Warriors had a 4–3 lead, and although the Cudas never let up, they didn’t score again. It was a hard-earned victory for Buffalo, and my man had scored two of their four goals.

While the guys showered and dressed, I went to the Feisty Dog to get us a table. Harp and I had gone out with the Warriors after last week’s game, so tonight, it was just Harper, me, and the Cudas. I nursed a beer for about an hour before the guys arrived.

Harp hugged me and whispered, “Relax, sweetheart. They all want to meet you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I whispered back, making us both snicker.

Don’t let me say anything stupid. I don’t want to embarrass Harp.

The Cudas were all smiles as Harp made the introductions. Nick was as friendly as I’d always heard he was, and the rest of the guys—Tyler Jensen, Kev Moore, Blake Conti, Mark Sakamoto, and Todd Cleever—each took a minute to say something personal. Harp’s friend Eckie threw his arms around me for a hug. “I’m happy things are going better for you and Harpy. You be good to him, okay?”

We all sat down, and as soon as we’d ordered beer and wings, Nick gave Harp the stink-eye. “You bastard. The rule is, ‘Once a Cuda, always a Cuda.’ Why would you help the Warriors beat us?”

The rest of the guys murmured their agreement, looking as disgruntled as Nick. Harp was sitting next to me, and I instinctively put an arm around his shoulders.

He quirked his lips into a snide grin. “Once a Cuda, always a Cuda, but go Warriors, go!”

The guys guffawed, filling the air with raucous comments questioning everything from Harp’s play to his parentage. Nobody can give you shit like your friends. When the waitress delivered our beer, Nick held up his bottle and grinned. “To Harpy. You showed what an outstanding player you are tonight. We were working our asses off out there, but you were ahead of us every step of the way. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

Everyone cheered, and we all took our first sips. Harp looked at Nick, then around the table. “Thanks, guys. It was weird playing against you. Once, when I was leaving the ice, I almost skated to your bench.”

“No shit?” Tyler chuckled. “I actually did that in Cuda Arena. Not long after the Cohos traded me to Bethesda, they came to visit. I was on my way off the ice and skated right to their bench. Thank fuck I realized it before I hopped over the boards.”

“It’s all good,” Cleever said, “as long as you don’t score on your own goal.”

Everybody kept it light, chirping Harp for playing so well and telling lots of funny stories. The waitress returned with platters of Buffalo wings, and things got quiet while everyone dug in. Kev polished his off first, and after using a towelette to wipe his fingers, he looked at me. “You play for Buffalo’s lacrosse team, right?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Five years now.”

“That’s cool. Lax is a great game.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at me until I started sweating. “You know, Harpy may be a Warrior now, but he’ll always be our friend. I’ve heard some things, and I don’t believe in beating around the bush. Are you going to treat him right?”

“Kev!” Harp’s voice was sharp. “Come on, lighten up.”

All eyes were on me, making the skin on the back of my neck prickle. The heavy silence and interested gazes made it clear they’d all heard about what happened. I glanced at Harp, then scanned the table, meeting every eye until I landed on Kev’s. “You bet your fucking ass I’ll be good to him. Harp and I went through a hard time, but I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

“Ourmistakes,” Harper said. “We’velearned. Luca and I had growing pains, but we’re fine now.”

When no one spoke, I said, “I love Harper. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’d rather die than hurt him. I promise to take care of your friend, and if I fuck it up, I won’t even try to fight while you beat the shit out of me.”

“Just what I needed to hear,” Eckie said. “If you love Harper, you’re okay with me. Welcome to the family, Luca.”

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