Page 17 of Cross-Check

“That’s amazing.” Kellan gets up. “Well shit, let me drive you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, but I want to. Come on, let me give you a ride,” he says as he picks up his bag.

“Are you sure you have time?” I ask as I fall into step with him.

Kellan looks down at me and smiles. “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t. Now tell me, what made you start working there?”

“I’m not sure, really. Something about it called to me. Then I started and fell in love. I like helping people and feeling like I’m doing something to make their lives just a little bit easier.” I shrug. “That probably sounds stupid.”

Kellan reaches down and grabs my hand. “That doesn’t sound stupid at all. It sounds like you’ve found your calling. It’s admirable work.”

When we get to his truck, he opens the door for me. “Let’s get you to those kids.”

With that, my heart skips another beat.

I’m worried if it keeps doing this, I might not live to tell the tale of Kellan and my heart.

* * *

I skate across the ice, catching the puck with my stick as Clay passes it to me. I pass the puck back to Clay as he comes up on my left side. I swerve right as Jacobs defends the puck from Clay.

We move down the ice until we are at the net. Clay looks like he is about to take a shot on Wyatt, but last minute, he sends the puck flying my way. I catch it, slapping it toward the net.

Wyatt barely catches it, giving me an impressed look.

Coach blows the whistle, signaling the end of practice.

Fuck, that felt good. It felt right. Today it was like the ice and I were on the same page. I could read the other guys’ moves before they made them.

“Looked good today, Cooper.”

I look over my shoulder and see Clay dip his chin toward me. “Thanks, Captain.”

We circle around Coach, who’s looking a little happier than he was the other day.

“That was better. Not great but better. Cooper, good job not tripping today. Scott, good job protecting the net. Hayes and James, that’s exactly how I want you to handle your sticks.” He calls out a few other players and gives them credit for playing well. “Who knows, we might start looking like a team before the end of the month,” Coach quips, making a few guys laugh.

“James, have you boys put together a team-building exercise like I told you to?”

Clay nods. “Yes sir, the guys and I have been working on it.”

Brett clears his throat, making the coach look his way. “I’m waiting to hear back from one more person before we announce what we’re going to do.”

Coach nods. “Good, and Woods, I’m glad you aren’t hiding away from the team and still doing what you can despite the injury.”

Brett’s jaw clenches. “Nowhere else I would rather be.”

Music starts blasting through the speakers, and we all look behind us. We watch as a female takes the ice and starts warming up.

“Goddamn figure skaters can’t wait until we’re done to start,” Coach mumbles under his breath. “Okay, get on out of here. If you haven’t hit the gym yet today, do that now. Oh, and fair warning, I’m checking grades in the morning. If any of you are behind in anything, I will find out about it and call you into my office, understood?”

“Yes, Coach,” we say in unison before leaving the ice.

“Do you think Emery interrupts practice to get Brett’s attention?” I hear Beckett ask someone behind me.

“Nah, the girl hates his guts. Trust me, she doesn’t want his attention,” Clay answers him.

---