Page 41 of Playing to Win

I stilled, looking at her. “Shit. Really?”

She nodded, hiding a smile before dropping down, back arching over her calves like a bridge.

“I hope I don’t look like an idiot.”

Faith didn’t respond, and I switched to back slides, starting big then moving smaller. I focused on my body, making sure I was loose, since cold, tight muscles led to injury.

Faith broke the silence. “Were you really that pissed about Jayna skipping out on you that you had to go off like that?”

I sat up. Faith was bent over in a wishbone, torso almost touching the ice surface. I didn’t want to lie to my sister, but I couldn’t tell her the truth. “I’m not proud of what I said and did that night, but I’d have been pissed even if I’d played the whole game. That was connected to my own personal shit, not you. I didn’t understand how big that night was for women’s hockey, but I’m trying now.”

Faith sat up. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But Mitchell—you hurt Jayna and I’ll use all the benefits I’ve had in my upbringing to hurt you. Personally and professionally. She’s had too much shit in her life already, and we”—she circled her arm around the ice—“stick up for our own.”

I met her gaze, the blue eyes so like mine. “I’d expect no less.”

* * *

The women’spractice didn’t differ significantly from what I was used to. The “fun” part, where Jayna showed up with the cameras, was when the skaters practiced shooting at the net, with the goalies working to stop the shots.

Faith’s backup—called Snickers, I think?—was relegated to the sidelines while Faith and I settled in front of our nets and got ready.

Once in front of my goal, for maybe thirty seconds I considered not doing the thing with the net. I got enough chirping from teammates, and I didn’t want to be any more vulnerable in front of these women and my sister. I scuffed the ice in the crease, moved side to side, and told myself I could just get in position. It was a practice; it wasn’t my team… But I couldn’t do it. I turned and smoothed my blocker around the metal bars of the net. Left side, top crossbar, and down the right. Scraped my stick over the goal line, forming a barrier.Don’t ask, don’t judge.

When I turned forward again, none of the skaters seemed to have noticed, gathered around their coach for instructions on their shooting drills. Faith was busy at the other end, but I noticed a smirk on Jayna’s face. I’d missed the cameras the other night, but Jayna caught me this time. Her cameras probably did too. It was going to happen if I kept playing for the Blaze, so I might as well get used to it.

I took practice seriously. After seeing the women play, I had plenty of respect for them. I’d watched their moves during the game, and I’d done some research. At first, since they didn’t know how I played and I’d watched tape of them, I stopped most of the shots. But as they learned me, and tried some new maneuvers, the shots were more challenging and my save percentage went down.

I had to be a goldfish though. Forget what had happened and prepare for the next shot. I focused, concentrating only on the puck in front of me, and was a little shocked when the whistle blew to end our time on the ice. I checked the clock. It hadn’t been a long practice. But these women had to get to their regular jobs so they couldn’t stay longer.

I straightened up, stretching out my back and leg muscles. Jayna beckoned me to come over to the camera. Her coach came as well.

Jayna adjusted where I stood and made me take off my helmet, so my face and hair were sweaty and visible. Coach stood beside me, and Jayna signaled that we were being recorded.

“So, Coach, how was your visiting goalie?”

Coach nodded. “He did well.” She turned to me. “You researched ahead of time.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I was at the last Bonfire game, and I watched some video. Number 18 and 27—they’re your best scorers, and I knew they’d be difficult to stop.”

Another brusque nod from the woman. “I could tell. Had the players try some different plays and moves, and we had more success then.”

“How would you evaluate Mitch?”

“He’s got good instincts. Doesn’t dwell on his mistakes, which is good. Was a bit out of position a few times, wants to drop early. But if he’s coachable, he’ll have a good career.”

“How would you compare him to your starting goalie, Faith Devereaux?”

I jerked and glared at Jayna, but she and the camera were focused on Coach.

“They play very much alike. Faith has more experience, while Mitchell covers more of the net since his body is larger.” She paused and a glimmer of a smile crossed her face. “Dev used to drop early too, but she worked on it.”

At least my half-sister wasn’t standing here beside me as Coach pointed out all the ways we were similar. I’d never hidden that Dad adopted me but it had never come up either. What would I do if someone asked me about my biological father? I couldn’t say I didn’t know, not now.

Jayna and the camera turned toward me. “Braydon Mitchell, what did you think of your practice here today?”

She’d refused to prep me. I shoved my hair off my face to give me time to choose my words. “It’s been a lot like the two Blaze practices I’ve been at so far.” Jayna cocked her head and circled her hand, so I continued. “They’ve been something new, so I’ve had to keep my attention on what was going on more than the Inferno practices, which I know pretty well. The actual routines of all three are a lot alike. We’re learning the same game, so the drills are similar.”

She didn’t want details on goalie exercises, did she?

---