Page 35 of Body Checked By the Defenseman

“Macklin, any special lady in your life?” Charlie asks.

What is it with everyone today? I must give her a funny look because she shuts off the camera.

“Macklin, I’m asking everyone on the team that question,” she clarifies. “You guys have a large female following.”

Don’t I know it.

“Are you ready now?” she asks.

I nod. The camera is rolling as I do some stretches.

“Macklin, do you have a special lady in your life?” Charlie asks.

“My abuela,” I answer.

“Aw,” Charlie swoons.

I figure that’s a good enough answer.

“The ladies are going to eat that up,” Charlie says before moving on.

I don’t know if people will notice that no part of me is Spanish with the last name Dombrovsky, but Abuela is my grandmother, even though we aren’t blood related.

Coach blows the whistle and calls us over to the bench because the game is going to start soon. We go through all the usual rituals of fist bumping each other. I also check my stick, which I always tape the same way, and then we are all standing for the anthem.

Finn is up at face-off against a big guy from the other team. Wisconsin is a strong team and we will have our work cut out for us. Finn shoots the puck across the ice and then everything is moving fast. I’m tailing a player in the offensive zone. Our team loses the puck, I block a shot, intercepting the puck. A forward from the other team sweeps in and tries to steal the puck, but I swivel back as Cade moves in and blocks another player, opening the way for Aaron to sweep in and take control of the puck. Aaron stickhandles his way across the ice and slides the puck to Hayden, who is close to the net. Two players from Wisconsin sweep in on Hayden but he takes the shot, hitting the right corner of the net. When the puck slides over the line, the horn sounds and our team cheers. It was a fast, clean play but theywere riding us hard. It’s always nice to get the first goal in the game but we can’t slack. One of the defensemen on this team is a rough guy who likes to play dirty.

By second period, I get a break with some time on the bench. A player on the other team trips Brody, one of our forwards. A fight breaks out close to the net and then the guy is pulling on Hutch’s jersey. He’s our goalie.

“What the fuck is this?” I mutter.

“Crazy-ass shit,” Cade answers beside me.

The ref blows the whistle and the guy who was causing the trouble ends up in the penalty box.

Brody is called off the ice and Coach switches Hayden on. By the time we are breaking for third period, the score is still one zero in our favor. We head back to the locker room where Coach gives us another of his mid-game pep talks.

“This game isn’t won, men. It could go sideways in the blink of an eye. I’m putting Cade and Macklin back on the ice. Stay close to that asshole and make sure none of the players get close to Finn, Hayden and Aaron. We are after a goal. Let’s go get it.”

The guys cheer. I put my helmet back on. We make our way back through the tunnel to the arena. Sometimes I wonder what I would be doing with my life if my parents hadn’t died. Dad was a dentist and mom was a nurse. When I was younger, I joked about being an astronaut or a fireman, but they weren’t serious goals. I never saw myself as a hockey player. Hayden’s dad was a hockey player in Sweden and started him young, before he cut out on them. The Foxx siblings didn’t mention him much. He was kind of an off-limits topic. Where Hayden started with hockey young, I was a late bloomer since my parents had me in soccer. Luckily, I knew how to skate and I was fast. When I went to live with Leila and had Hayden across the hall, he introduced me to hockey. It didn’t take long for Abuela to see I wasn’t being cared for properly. She swept in and paid for my lessons and allthe team dues that were required. With Thanksgiving coming up and Abuela not living in the apartment anymore, I guess I am thinking of the past. It feels like the end of an era.

By third period, Cade and I are back on the ice. I stay close to Hayden, and he stays close to Finn, ensuring they both have opportunities to get the puck to the net. Everything is moving fast when I forecheck the puck and pass it off to Hayden. He ends up scoring the goal. Hayden and I have played together for many years. We make a good team in the sense that I am a big guy, and I’ve always had his back, on and off the ice. Same for Hayden, which makes this whole situation with Ruby shitty. If things go south, I risk not only losing my family but screwing over my team. At the end, we win the game and secure our spot in the Frozen Four, but heading back home for Thanksgiving has me feeling too many things. My feelings for Ruby are growing by the day. I don’t know how I am supposed to act like she doesn’t matter to me because that is what I have been doing these last couple years. And if I do act differently and we act close again, then Abuela will ask what changed. I can’t give her the answers she’s looking for. I only hope going home doesn’t blow our secret to the family. If they find out I have been schooling Ruby in the bedroom with the intent of taking her virginity it would make me look like a real asshole. It’s the last thing I want my only family to be thinking of me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Thanksgiving

Ruby

We are on the bus heading home for Thanksgiving. We took the early bus out and all of us are exhausted. I’ve been training hard with the track team and keeping up with schoolwork. Hayden and Macklin were away over the weekend and came back to midterms. All of us need a break. It’s a relief when no one wants to talk. I sit beside my brother and Macklin is on the other side of the row. Each of us has earbuds in our ears. This whole situation feels awkward. I don’t look at Macklin the same way I used to. Now I remember how he looks when he comes. His face straining with ecstasy. We made it back to the third floor of the library three more times this week. We haven’t had sex, but I’ve become very comfortable with him. He says that is what he wanted because sex is about trust. I tried to convince him I trust him, but he insisted I needed to trust him in a sexual way too. After all the amazing orgasms he’s delivered, I’m beyond trust. I’m kind of addicted to him. Even though I am trying not to show it. Problem is, he’s doing sweet things like leaving me a flower on my pillow and dropping a box of chocolates in my school bagwith a small note that saidI love the way you taste. Meet me at the library at four.That day I could barely focus as I thought of all the amazing things we would do at the library, and Macklin doesn’t disappoint. He is sweet, handsome, kind, and attentive. How am I not supposed to fall for him?

When we arrive at the bus station in Lonsdale, Abuela is waiting for us on the platform. I get off the bus and walk straight into her arms.

“I missed you, mija,” she says, squeezing me tight. She smells like home, like my safe place.

“I missed you to,” I reply.

“Okay, give me a chance too,” Hayden says, cutting in.

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