Page 3 of Puck Block

“Sorry, Doctor. I’m not sure who that is.” I look behind me and catch a grin from the other paramedic. He stuffs a laugh deep in his throat, but we both pull it together when Dr. McCarthy sighs.

“What happened?”

“She fainted at practice but regained consciousness quickly when her friend checked her sugar. We took over once we got there and finally persuaded her to get on the stretcher.”

I cross my arms. “If threatening to call my brother is what you consider persuading, then sure.”

Dr. McCarthy clicks his tongue–his usual telltale sign that he’s thinking hard, which I picked up on within the first week of being under his care. He isn’t the warmest doctor I’ve met, but he’s the top endocrinologist in our area, and he actually takes my opinion into consideration despite my parents’ refusal to listen.

“Get her into a room. I want a reading on her levels and what was given by her friend, if anything.”

He pulls out his phone, and even though I’m being pushed down the long hallway, I crane my neck back.

“I hope you’re not calling who I think you’re calling. I’m fine, Dr. McCarthy.”

We briefly make eye contact, but he turns his back to me as soon as he puts the phone up to his ear.

I flop back onto the stretcher and cross my arms. It doesn’t take long for me to feel like a child again, and I know it’s only about to get worse.

[ 2 ]

FORD

I’m an observer.

A sly one at that.

I’ve been called many things throughout my hockey career, and though I sometimes clown around on the ice, what I do is a true art. In other words, I’m crafty. When slicing my skates against the ice, moving toward the puck with my witty remarks, my focus is on pinching off the forward, forcing them toward the boards and never even coming close to our goalie.

Coach wants to punch me ten times out of ten when I seem out of position, but he knows I have an unmatched ice awareness and always seem to be exactly where I’m needed when the puck spills out. Emory and I have grown up on the ice together, and at this point, we’re a package deal. I defend him, and he defends the net. It’s a flawless relationship.

He skates over to me in a rush after talking to Coach for a quick second. “We gotta go.” He pulls his mask off, and his sweaty hair flings off to the side.

“What? Why?” I pull my mask off and grin. “Don’t tell me. Coach told you that we’re both just so fuckin’ good that we don’tneed practice.” I throw my stick up in the air, and our team captain ducks.

“You need practice on how to shut up,” Theo snaps, jumping over my stick.

“Ford.” Emory is stoic. My smile falls, and I already know what he’s about to say. He has his serious face on–which isn’t that far off from his regular face, but I know the difference.

“Where is she?” I ask, swiping down to snag my stick. We skate off to the side, and thankfully, practice is coming to an end, so we don’t have to persuade Coach that, although I’m not blood-related to the Olson family, I’m still considered as much, which means when there’s a family emergency, it also applies to me.

“Hospital.”

My heart sinks. I follow after Emory while quickly pulling my hockey gear from my body on the way to the locker room. Emory is too slow for my liking, so after I throw all my shit in a pile, I rush over to him and help him with his pads, even though he tries to slap my hands away. We’re in his car seconds later, and he shows me his phone.

I read the text and sigh.

Taytum. Taytum. Taytum.

She has caused so much trouble in my life, and she doesn’t even mean to.

Well, most of the time, she doesn’t. Other times, yeah, okay…she’s well aware. Like the other day, when she tagged along to a party because she knew I’d keep my eye on her instead of following the blonde so I could have five minutes of peace with a mindless puck bunny.

Rude.

Emory is on the phone with his parents when we make it to the endocrinology floor, and I can’t pay attention to what he’s saying. The sterile scent of alcohol burns my nose and pulls on my usually calm strings, sending my heart flying.

My shoulders are tense, and my skin is itchy.

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