Page 208 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
You think she’ll sit in the press box?
Me
If she does, text me.
I could use one of her hugs. There was also a text from Tenzin.
Tenzin
Hey Firecracker, I’m so happy you’re in the crowd tonight. I’ll look for you. I’ll get you a beer at Tito’s after the game?
Me
Yes, please. Good luck tonight.
Awww. That was a much more meaningful text than I’d gotten in weeks, and it warmed me that he took a moment before the game to text me.
Mia and Gio dropped the puck. JP, who looked a little unsteady, gave her the puck, which she got to keep. She and Gio left the ice and everyone was cheering.
The opening offensive line was Nia, Pauly, and Anders. That had made Anders a lot happier about staying with the Knights. Though Anders was also an excellent player.
Jonas and Tenzin were on defense. Tenzin looked for me as he skated out. I waved at him, and he waved back.
However, the Deloitte brothers were all in their opening line. Austin wore the skates I bought him.
“The balls on that knotwaffle,” I muttered as I rubbed my scar. No wonder Clark got into a fight with him during warmups.
It looked like choice words were said as the puck dropped and things immediately got rough with Anders slamming into 16, asNia stole the puck and went for the goal, being chased by 17, one of Austin’s brothers.
Nia faked a pass to Pauly and got it in the goal between the goalie’s legs. The crowd went wild. Anders tripped 16 as the line changed.
The Deloitte brothers weren’t called in. The Gears kept their players on the ice a little longer than the Knights. Clark, Grif, and Carlos came out. I braced for it.
3… 2… 1
Grif stole the puck and Clark slammed Austin into the boards, hard. A fight broke out, with players from both teams coming to fight.
The ref and linesman broke it up. Clark and Grif got sent to the penalty box, as did the Deloitte brothers and the Deloitte defenseman.
Clark tapped on the glass in front of the family section as he was escorted to the box and blew me a kiss. I blew one back.
“Aww, he beat him up for you. That’s so sweet.” AJ grinned at me.
“It really is,” I replied as Clark flashed me a heart from the box.
First period was an absolute bloodbath, the refs continually blowing their whistles. As soon as Austin returned to the ice, Tenzin slammed him into the boards. Austin fell to the ground. Nia tripped Austin as he got back up.
The thing was, it wasn’t only Clark going after Austin. Or even Tenzin, because I could see Clark telling him.
It waseveryone.
I sucked in a breath. “Theyallknow Austin is Bronson Deloitte.”
Not that I minded. If anything, the fact that the entire team was defending me like that was sweet.
AJ nodded. “I’m sure after the warmup fight, Coach asked Clark what he was thinking. Clark, being an honest guy, told them everything.”
My phone buzzed.
