Page 89 of Going All In

She returned her focus to the game. He looked really good as he skated behind Chicago’s net, the puck on his stick. Then the goal horn sounded. They focused in on Jake, his smile wide as he held his arms open, and Ethan crashed into him, knocking him into the boards. Cheesy, Baz, and Crow, Baz’s defense partner, joined the group hug.

Everyone in the bar yelled in excitement, and Darcy had to watch the replay to see what happened. It’d been so freaking fast. She focused on the TV and watched Jake knock the puck in at an angle she didn’t think was possible.

“That’s right. Now get another one and win this game,” Amanda shouted.

“I wonder what it’s like for him to play in Chicago, in front of hometown fans but on the opposing team,” Darcy said. They’d never talked about it, but it had to be a little weird. He’d probably been a Chicago fan when he was a kid, maybe he’d gone to the arena a bunch of times to root for the team.

“Very few players get to play for their hometowns. There’s a curse,” Amanda said.

“The curse. Ben’s been rubbing off on you,” Penny said.

Amanda did a little shimmy. “Why, yes. Yes, he has.”

Penny laughed. “Not what I meant, and you know it.”

“What’s the hometown curse?” Darcy asked. “Is Ethan afraid of it? This is his hometown.”

“Maybe in the beginning, right after he was traded, but not now,” Penny said.

“There’s added pressure when you play for the team you grew up supporting, and it’s pretty common that they don’t play as well in their hometowns. Sully was—and is—a much better player now that he’s out of Boston. Google it. I swear, it’s a thing,” Amanda said.

“I believe you. We just didn’t talk about what it was like going back home to play against his hometown team,” Darcy said.

“Too busy doing other things with your mouth?” Amanda asked.

“You are incorrigible.” Penny chastised her friend.

“Cheese says the same thing,” Amanda said, and grinned.

They laughed and went back to watching the game. Darcy swiped on her phone and pulled up her text chain with Jake.

Darcy:Awesome goal. You looked superhot and I wish I was in that hockey hug.

She put the phone face down on the table and turned her attention back to the game.

“Whatcha texting over there? Your cheeks are red,” Amanda teased.

“Just texting Jake congrats,” she replied casually. “These nachos really are amazing.”

“One day you’ll spill all your secrets,” Amanda said, an almost all-knowing tone in her voice.

“Amanda, leave her alone,” Penny warned.

“You’re a fun ruiner, you know that? I want dirt on her and Jake. We’re all like sisters now, and we should share stuff.”

Penny shook her head and gave Darcy an apologetic look. “She’s an only child.”

“I bet you’d get along great with my sister, Lydia. She made up a drinking game for all the random guys my mom tried to set me up with. I mean, until Jake…”

“Back up. Drinking game and mom setups. I’m going to need more info on this,” Amanda said.

Well, shit.

“Oh look, Ben has the puck,” Darcy said.

Amanda waved her off. “Yeah, he does that a lot. So back to this drinking game. What are the parameters?”

Darcy was saved by the bell—well, the goal horn.

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