Page 117 of Coach's Temptation

The second Natalie disappears into the tunnel with Connor, everything inside me screams to follow. But I can’t.Not yet.

Not with three minutes left. Not with my team waiting.

My fists clench.

What the fuck am I doing? What the fuck was I thinking?None of this matters—none of it—if I lose her.

The arena swirls in chaos around me, the fans roaring, the bench shifting uneasily, waiting.

Then a hand slaps my shoulder.

Blake.

His voice is low against the noise of the arena. "What now, Coach?"

I blink. The scoreboard glares down at me. Tie game. 3:12 on the clock. The weight of every decision I’ve ever made feels like it’s sitting on my chest.

Then as I stare across the ice at Wes Callahan as he rounds his troops, and delivers one last battle cry… clarity rises like a phoenix from the ashes.

It's twenty long fucking years since my knee shattered. I've beaten Vancouver. Crushed Boston. Now Vegas stands between us and the Cup. One win tonight sets the tone.

This is the moment. My moment. Our moment.

I exhale hard and call the play.

"Run the split-diamond! Connor’s out, but we can still break them down!" My voice is sharp, cutting through the storm. "Ryder, take the left wing. Blake, get to the fucking crease—now."

Blake gives me a sharp nod.

The puck drops.

And then?

Fucking magic.

Vegas collapses into the zone, scrambling to hold formation. Ryder slices through, dragging defenders wide. Logan fires a bullet pass straight to Blake, who’s exactly where Iknewhe’d be.

One second. Two.

Then the puck is in the back of the net.

Goal.

The arena explodes into chaos as Blake's shot hits the back of the net. Overtime winner. Stanley Cup Finals, Game One belongs to Iron Ridge.

I should be celebrating. Should be hugging my players, shaking hands with the assistant coaches and laughing all the way as I go to shake Wes's hand as I soak in this historic moment for Iron Ridge.

But I can't move.

My eyes stay fixed on that dark tunnel where Natalie disappeared with Connor.

The team mobs Blake against the boards. Ryder's helmet goes flying. Logan drops to his knees, arms raised to the ceiling. In the corporate box, Eli jumps up and down, screaming something I can't hear over the thundering crowd.

None of it matters.

That moment on the ice - seeing Natalie take control, watching her hands steady Connor's neck, hearing her clear, confident voice giving orders to the medical team - it crystallized everything.

All my bullshit about Team USA, about career advancement, about keeping my options open... what the fuck was I thinking?

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