Page 53 of On Thin Ice

The LA forward with the puck tried to move around Micah, but Micah crowded him into the boards, Tally close behind. Tally got in close and managed to poke the puck away, passing it to Santa, and then we were moving up the ice toward LA’s goalie. Santa easily passed the puck to me before getting off the ice, with Haldy seamlessly sliding in his place. I cradled the puck on my stick, closing in on the net. The goalie shifted with me, and I passed the puck to Xan, who had just replaced Tally. LA’s defensemen crowded Xan, and he passed the puck back to me. I skated around the back of the net, narrowly avoiding getting knocked into the boards by one of LA’s top D.

I shifted to the left, and then, when the goalie moved, I saw my opening and sent the puck top shelf over his right shoulder. The goal buzzer blared, and my teammates rushed me, crushing me in a hug. I glanced up, spotted a camera on me, and tapped my helmet in a little salute, hoping Ally would see it and know I was saying hello.

“Nice fucking shot, man,” Micah said, slapping my back.

“Fucking sweet goal, Dom,” Haldy said. “He never saw it coming.”

“Fucking right, he didn’t,” Xan echoed as we skated back to the bench.

“Nice job, Dom,” Millsy said when I slid back onto the bench a short while later.

“Thanks,” I murmured, then turned my attention back to the ice.

With two minutes left in the third period, we were up four to two, thanks to my second goal of the night. We managed to hold them off for the rest of the game, and as the final buzzer sounded through the arena, I felt euphoric. I needed this game to go well, and talking to Ally beforehand was the push that made it happen. Maybe I should have told her that she had to move to Denver and watch all my games as my good luck charm. I bit back a laugh. She probably would have rolled her eyes and told me to knock it off.

I couldn’t wait to talk to her after the game.

Chapter 11

ALLY

“Sorry for being an ass the other night,” Ethan said, pulling me into a hug as soon as I walked into my parents’ house for family dinner a few nights later.

“Penny force you to say that so you could get off the couch?” I asked.

Penny snorted behind him.

He pulled back, looking me in the face with a glare. “Of course not. Besides, she likes to snuggle too much to banish me to the couch for more than a night.”

“Ew. TMI, Ethan. TMI,” I muttered with a laugh.

Penny shrugged. “I can’t help that he’s irresistible.”

“Stop hogging my baby and let her in, Ethan,” my mom called out.

I lifted up on my toes and glanced over Ethan’s shoulder to see my mom wiping her hands on a dish towel and walking toward us.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, honey. How are you feeling?” she asked as I moved out of Ethan’s arms and into hers.

I smiled. “Good. Tired. Hungry.”

“Sounds about right. How’s my little peanut?” She put her hand on my belly. “Grandma can’t wait to meet you, little one. I got you something today.”

“Mom, we talked about this. You can’t keep buying her things. Every time I see you, there are more gifts for the baby for me to bring home. My condo is getting crowded with presents.” My attempt to be stern was weak, even to my own ears, but I loved how supportive both of my parents had been since I told them I was pregnant. They had their concerns but trusted me to make the decisions that were right for me.

“Pretty sure I told you that as her grandmother, it’s my job to spoil her rotten,” Mom said with a smile. “Especially since she’s my only grandchild.” She gave my brother a pointed look.

“We’ve only been married a year, Mom. We’re still practicing,” Ethan said.

“Oh my god, seriously?” Penny groaned, swatting his shoulder.

Ethan attempted to look sheepish as he pulled his wife in for a kiss.

My mom gave a little laugh. “Come on. Let’s go eat. Dinner is on the table, and Darren and Julie are already here.”

I glanced back at Ethan, but his expression was normal as he kept Penny tucked into his side and we headed into the dining room. I was grateful that we could be a family like this again. We had some very rough years after Ethan’s girlfriend cheated on him with Darren, and then Darren married her. I’d only been sixteen at the time, and I’d always been closer to Ethan, so it hurt like hell to watch him distance himself from us. At least he visited me once I left for college, but it had been hard.

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