Page 63 of Ice Cold, Red Hot
“Is this how it’s gonna be all night?” Nat asked. “You, abandoning me?”
“I think Renshaw’s setting the bar too high,” Griff said. “Besides, we’re not dating. We’re just friends.” He turned toward the long dark car waiting at the curb as he dropped this line, so he didn’t see the way Nat’s expression faltered.
Again. Interesting…
“A limousine?” Celeste asked.
“Only the best for you,” I said, kissing her cheek. “And you too, Nat.”
“Thanks,” Nat said, sighing as she followed Griff into the back of the car.
The banquet was being held at a hotel in town, where the ballroom was set up with round tables covered in Coldwater’s colors — blue and silver. We took our seats and I let my gaze float around the room.
These guys were my friends and my brothers, but tonight they looked like strangers. Hair combed and dressed up, with family and significant others at their sides, everyone was on their best behavior. It was a far cry from the locker room.
We sat at a table with Stork and Hashimoto. Stork had brought his mom, who I’d met at previous team events. She lived in town and had raised him herself, and the pride in her eyes as she gazed at him caused a lump to form in my throat. I swallowed it down, thinking how lucky he was to have a parent so proud of him. Hashimoto sat with his boyfriend, Davis, and the smiles they wore told me things were going well there.
Everyone looked happy—despite a lost shot at the championships, we’d had a great season. These guys deserved praise and celebration. I was proud to be among them.
As we finished eating and our plates were cleared, Coach stepped up the low stage in front and took the microphone.
“Firehawks, families, friends,” he said, his voice ringing out deep and clear through the hushed ballroom. “Thanks for joining us here to night to celebrate the conclusion of a fantastic hockey season for Coldwater University!”
Cheers lifted into the air and Coach waited for the room to quiet again.
“This season had its challenges,” he said, his gaze finding me in the crowd and holding. “But we persevered. As a team, and as individuals, and I’m very proud of every single one of you.” His eyes moved away after he said this, but Celeste squeezed my hand. That was meant for me, and I felt the words settle in my heart. Praise from Coach was hard won, and I wouldn’t forget it.
He went on, noting the highs and lows of our season without specifically mentioning my own struggles. He captured the bittersweet nature of the evening, the wayevery season felt like the closing of a chapter, or even the end of a book. Some of these players wouldn’t come back. Some would quit, some would get injured in the off season, some would graduate and consider hockey as just that thing they did while they were in school. And there were a couple like me—guys who would go on to play pro.
“I’d like to acknowledge our seniors now,” Coach said as the speech wound down. “Let’s have a round of applause for Hacker and Spitalnik, who are both going to med school next year.”
When the hoots and hollers dissipated, Coach continued. “It’s no small feat to play at this level while focusing on pre-med and getting through the pre-reqs to even apply to med school, let alone get in. These guys are superstars, no question.”
“Wow,” Celeste, murmured at my side. I knew she didn’t know a lot of the guys on the team, and she was probably surprised to learn that some of them were as academically minded as they were athletic.
There were a few more guys going on to grad school, and a couple who had gotten job offers for the summer.
“We’ve also got a few players moving into the NHL,” Coach said proudly. “Keith Jones and Freddy Johnson, can you guys come up here?”
I watched my teammates rise and head for the stage, doubt suddenly swirling inside me. Coach knew my plans—had he forgotten about me? Or was this my punishment for all I’d put him through this season?
“What about you?” Celeste whispered.
Anger threatened to flood my veins, but I took a deep breath and held it in check. It didn’t matter. Soon, this placewould be my past. Whether Coach decided to acknowledge it or not, I had a future waiting for me.
“These guys have made Coldwater proud and will carry that legacy into their future careers in the NHL with San Diego and Portland. Let’s hear it for them.” Coach paused, and the room exploded. I joined everyone as they stood, clapping hard for the guys on the stage. They’d earned it.
Griff was shooting me questioning looks, and I was doing my best to avoid his gaze. So what if the coach decided I wasn’t worthy of a mention? It didn’t matter.
In the long run, it just didn’t matter.
But it did hurt.
We all sat down, Jones and Johnson back in their seats as the room quieted. A few people were whispering, glancing at me. No doubt they had the same questions those at my table had.
“Shepherd Renshaw, will you join me on the stage?” Coach asked, turning his attention to me.
Celeste gasped and squeezed my bicep as she smiled at me.
