Page 43 of On Thin Ice

Ally: You’re sure you’re okay?

Dom: I’ll be fine. Did my little girl enjoy my goal?

Ally: She was fluttering around a lot.

Dom: Of course she was. She knows it was me.

Ally: LOL

Ally: I think she just likes the loud music.

Dom: Don’t kill my dreams like that.

Dom: I can’t wait to see you later.

Ally: Um. Yeah, me too.

“Dom, get your ass in here,” Millsy called out.

Dom: Gotta go. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. See you after the game.

I shoved my phone back into my suit pocket and headed back to the locker room. I could get through the next two periods. Harty would eventually accept the fact that I was his niece’s dad, but ultimately, his opinion wasn’t my priority. And that was why I wasn’t going to lash out at him. Ally didn’t need that extra stress, and I got where he was coming from—even if I would rather not be on the other side of his ire.

***

Almost two hours later, the final buzzer blared, ending the game. The Strikers had the win at three to two, but we’d fought hard. They were one of the best teams in the league, and I wanted to beat them since they were my old team, but I’d scored a goal, stayed out of the penalty box, and was still breathing, so I was taking it as a personal win.

Harty had ended up in the box after tripping me at the start of the third. My elbow hurt like a bitch, but at least I hadn’t gone into the boards or anything. I’d gotten a smidge of satisfaction watching him skate to the sin bin after all the “legal” hits he’dtaken on me since the start of the game. I could only imagine how pissed Ally was going to be at him after the game. I’d known since the moment I met Ally that when Harty became the overbearing big brother, it rankled her. It was one of the reasons she’d started flirting with me back when I was a rookie. I’d been too scared to try anything with her because of Harty and because I’d always felt she was out of my league.

We’d come a long way in the last four years.

“You survived,” Flower said, lightly punching me in the arm as we headed down the tunnel.

“Barely,” Haldy said. “Man, I thought he was going to knock you out at some point.”

I scoffed. “He probably wanted to. But it’ll be okay.” I was determined to believe that. I needed it to be for Ally.

Millsy gave a speech after we all got into the locker room. Half pep talk, half do better. Typical for a loss.

“No media for you, Dom. I have no clue what’s out there right now, but I’m not putting you in front of a mic.”

“Thanks, Coach,” I said gratefully. The last thing I needed was for some reporter to have gotten wind of what was going on with me and Ally before we all had a chance to talk.

“Want me to come with you to talk with Harty?” Flower asked.

I appreciated the offer. We were all old teammates, and Flower was loved and respected by everyone.

“Thanks. But I got this.”

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

Chapter 9

ALLY

“Breathe. It’s going to be fine,” Penny said, linking her arm through mine.

“Easy for you to say. Ethan was unhinged out there,” I muttered.

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