Page 32 of Playoff

“Like a bus accident where your boss simultaneously has a heart attack?” I ask pointedly.

“Yes. Just like that.” She nods. “You were amazing in a crisis, and you’re still firing on all cylinders. I don’t want you to burn out.”

“I don’t think I will,” I say. “But again, I don’t think there’s any way to know unless and until it happens. All I can do is keepmoving forward. This is the playoffs. This isn’t the time to slow down.”

“It’s not, but the guys also need you more than ever. So that’s what this is—me checking in to make sure you’re okay. That you’re not burned out. That you don’t go home and cry yourself to sleep every night. That’s not the atmosphere I want for the Phantoms organization. That includes the players, the back office, support staff, even the janitors. I want everyone who works for me towantto be here.”

“Believe me,” I say quietly, “I want to be here. And I can handle the job. I’m ready. The last thing I would ever do is put one of the guys at a disadvantage because I can’t handle whatever comes up. I’m fully confident in my ability to do the job.”

“Then let’s finish breakfast and get ready to kick Alaska’s ass tonight.”

“Sounds good to me.” I pop the last delicious, buttery bite of scone in my mouth.

Not only can I do the job, Iwilldo it.

I’m too close to achieving all my dreams to let anything stop me now.

This is my shot and I’m not going to let it slip by without giving it my all.

TEN

Blake

Game three.

I’m both excited and nervous.

Excited because I love hockey and everything about playing for the Phantoms.

Nervous because there’s so much on the line.

A little bit scared that I’m going to somehow fuck this up, because that’s what I do.

In a way, I’ve always taken hockey for granted.

It’s what I’m good at, what I’ve always excelled at.

Until college.

That’s when I started to party, started taking for granted that my natural athleticism would get me where I wanted to go.

Without putting in the work.

Without making sacrifices.

Without giving it my all.

Because I hadn’t.

And I’ve paid for it in more ways than just my career.

I’ll never be able to repay that loan my parents took out to send me to that fancy boarding school, so my relationship with my dad has suffered. Not that I asked them to, but I do feel bad about it.

I’m probably one of the best players on the Rebels, but it’s never been quite enough to get me to the NHL and a bit of a case of too little, too late.

Everything that’s fucked up in my life is entirely my own fault, which makes it that much more frustrating.

Tonight, I’m filled with anxious energy and butterflies in my stomach as we make our way down the tunnel to the bench. I’ve done this hundreds of times before, but never for a crowd like this. And this is the home crowd. Not my home, necessarily, but the Phantoms’ home. They’re on fire, too. These fans have been waiting a long time for the opportunity to see us in a playoff run, and I don’t want to be responsible for letting them down.

---