Page 51 of Eternally Yours
It’s pretty dark in the arena with flashing lights going all over the place. A video montage plays on the screen, as well as projects over the ice. An announcer begins to speak, but I’m not paying attention, I’m too captivated with everything happeningaround us. Soon he’s announcing all the players, one after the other, as they arrive on the ice.
Everyone is cheering, clapping, and yelling. Excitement buzzes through everyone’s veins, and it’s mesmerizing to watch. Suddenly, the cheers get louder, like whatever is about to happen is important.
I turn back to the ice, then to the big screen just as Morgan grips my thigh and gives it a little shake. “Here they come!” She’s radiating with pride, and it makes my grin widen.
“Alternate captain, number twenty-five. CLAY BURKLEY!”the announcer shouts. Morgan jumps up, clapping her hands and hollering, supporting her husband to the fullest.I want that.
“And finally, captain of the New York GRIFFINS, number nineteen. SILAS HAYES!!!”
The crowd goes wild as he skates out to join his team on the ice. Em and Morg are both screaming, forming a circle with their hands over their mouths for the sound to travel further. All I can do is stand there, a goofy smile on my face, my heart racing inside my chest as I watch him.
That’s my man. My man.
The other team, the Florida Black Bears, steps onto the ice just as the Griffins begin to do warmup drills, going in two opposite circles and shooting pucks into the net. My eyes stay solely focused on Silas as he stops skating beside Clay and another player that I can’t see very well at this angle, only the number on his sleeve. Thirteen.
They’re chatting away when Silas’s gaze bores straight into mine as if he could sense me. A dazzling smile overtakes his features as he bumps his elbow into Clay and nods our way.
Clay and number thirteen face us as Clay lifts his gloved hand up in a wave, then winks at his wife, who basically melts into a puddle beside me.
Number thirteen stares at me in a strange way, I can feel his eyes as they assess me. He feels familiar, but I can’t get a good look at him no matter how much I narrow my eyes. He turns quickly and skates off to do warmups on his own.Weird.
Silas and Clay make their way to the glass partition in front of us, and Clay begins talking with Morgan about I don’t know what, I’m not really listening. My focus is still only on Silas.
He looks to my side first to greet my friend. “Hey, Emma,” he says loudly so we can hear him over all the noise, then his gaze falls on me. “Hey, Minnie.” He gives me a boyish grin that makes my heart flutter.Ugh, the things this man does to me.
“Hey, Big Guy,” I say back, my cheeks going rosy, and not from the cold.
Silas hits Clay once more as they exchange a look I can’t decipher, then they give us one last wink before turning around and skating a few feet away. They drop simultaneously to the ice and lay their gloved hands to the ground, ending on all fours.What the hell?They then start flexing their hips, and it all becomes clear.I know what they’re doing, it’s some type of groin stretch. But holy shit, why is it so... hot.
I sit on the edge of my seat, completely enthralled by what is taking place before me. Morgan giggles, probably used to this performance, while Emma fans herself, looking like her greatest fantasy has come to life.
“I love hockey,” she sighs, causing Morgan and me to crack up.
A little over two hours later, we’re in the third period with two minutes left on the clock. I’m still completely lost at how the game works. Morgan has been trying to teach me as it plays out, naming everyone, their position, and what they do, as well as explaining the rules.
I try to listen as best as I can, but when I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of it, they start skating down the ice at lightning speed and I end up losing the puck, and I once again can’t tell what’s happening anymore.
I’m going to have to ask Silas to explain it to me again. Maybe they have some hockey 101 classes I could take that could help.
The game is currently tied at 3-3, but with the clock running out, they seem to get more intense, more violent. Hits are being made left and right, bodies being slammed against the board, making me jump out of my seat every time.
With forty-five seconds left, the crowd is really getting riled up now. Silas has the puck as he comes closer to the visiting team’s net. But their opponents are everywhere, there’s no way he can get a clean shot.
He passes the puck to number thirteen, who grabs it quickly and approaches the net. But there’s still no good opening. He flings it to number twenty-five, Clay, who quickly passes it back to Silas.
The whole thing happens so quickly that most of the opponents are still focused on Clay. Only five seconds are left, and when the puck gets to Silas, he doesn’t keep it. No, he sees his opening and takes it. The instant the puck is within reach of his stick, he hits it, sailing it through the air.
It feels like the whole arena holds their breath as these last seconds tick down. But then the horns blare, indicating a new goal, and the crowd roars. They won, 4 -3 for the Griffins.
I jump to my feet at the same time as everyone else around me does. We’re screaming, clapping, and jumping on the spot, it’s phenomenal. Silas practicallygets tackled to the ground by his teammates for scoring the winning goal.He looks so happy. I love all of Silas’s moments. But this one, this one is my favorite.
Silas texts me not long after they get off the ice, telling me to follow Morgan and that he’ll give Emma and I a lift home once the team is done with the press and team meeting. Good thing, because Em and I took a cab here. We get up from our seats and follow Morgan out of the arena.
Once we get to the meet-up spot, Emma begins asking thousands of questions about décor while waiting, and Morgan invites us to the team’s Halloween party she’s hosting at her place. We even make plans for a girls’ night this Saturday since the boys will be away until Sunday.
It’s been a little over an hour when we finally catch sight of a few players, Silas, and Clay not far behind them. It doesn’t take long for Silas to spot us, and when he does, he practically sprints our way. Dropping his duffle bag on the ground, he scoops me up in his arms and spins us around.
My legs wrap around his waist, and I laugh gleefully at his enthusiasm while I try desperately to hold on. Once he stops spinning us, my fingers come up to run through his still damp hair.
