Page 159 of The Nanny Goal

Ani doesn’t go into labour.

When Alexei gets home that night, everyone else is tucked in, and I’m waiting for him on our bed, wearing nothing but the WAG jacket.

He does like it.

A lot.

* * *

Game four is another clutch Hamilton win. That night, I fly back to New York on the last flight out, and the next day, Alexei and the team return to Florida up three to one in the series. They are one win away from doing what they couldn’t do last year—clinch a playoff series.

That’s when the wheels come off.

In Miami, game five is a must-win elimination game for the home team, and they play like it. I watch the game in New Jersey, with Cecilia and her girlfriend. Alexei has a rough game, and by the top of the third, it’s three-nothing.

I can tell that the third goal is going to haunt him the most.

He gets a little horny on the poke check and goes down too low, leaving his shoulder wide open. It’s an easy chip-in up top, a rookie mistake that he hasn’t made all year. There’s no way around it, it’s a bad goal.

His teammates try to rally, and they score twice, bringing them within one, but it’s not enough.

He gets pulled with three minutes left and has to watch from the bench as Miami sends one more into the empty net.

And the series heads back to Hamilton for game six.

“Are you okay?” Cecilia asks, wrapping her arms around me.

I realize I’m crying.

I swipe my cheeks. “I’m fine.” I take a deep breath. “Just sad for my person tonight, you know?”

She pets my head and holds me while I compose myself.

Then I pull out my phone and buy a late afternoon ticket home in two days’ time.

CHAPTER51

ALEXEI

The buzz starts immediately. Is Makinen going to start game six? He’s healthy again. I just got lit up in a must-win game.

It’s only natural for people to ask if it’s time to switch goalies after that bad loss.

But our coaches don’t.

At practice the next day, I’m in the starter’s net. At morning skate on game day, I’m the first one called off the ice.

Hale follows me off the ice. “Let’s go, Arty. We’ve got a game tonight.”

* * *

Ty scores a minute and a half into the game, a beauty of a shot. The crowd explodes. But there’s barely any time to celebrate.

Miami comes right back down the ice and I do that same stupid save again. I know it’s a mistake as I’m going for the puck. I’m way too aggressive, and their video staff clearly did their job, identifying my weakness.

“Stupid fucking mistake,” I snarl at my goalposts as the forwards line up at centre ice again.

The posts are quiet, too quiet. As if they’re saying,this is on you to fix.

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