Page 219 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“How do you do it? Sit on the bench, while Dean and Grif are in, without you out there to protect them?” I wanted to climb over the boards and stand in front of her, rules be damned. Also, Dean and Grif were bothomegas.
“Time, patience, and trusting in them. I’ve also played with them since we were together at BosTec. Gwen knows what she’s doing, knows the risk. It’s part of supporting them. But yeah, it is hard, especially when they get hurt,” he admitted. “You threehad a fight? I’ve been curious. It’s clear she and Clark are a couple, but you all seemed on well enough terms.”
“I don’t know. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I don’t want her to hurt.” The fact that she thought this was her fault, that I didn’t want to be with her because of what she endured, broke my heart.
This was on me. I thought I was communicating, that everything was fine.
It wasn’t.
Yes, I’d fix it before it was too late. Before it ended like everything with me and Morgan. I’d thought I’d been doing fine there, too.
The ice crew came back out. The coaches went over a couple things and we went back out.
“Is Dean okay?” Gwen asked as Jonas and I took the ice.
“He’ll be okay. How many tacos are you up to?” Jonas asked.
“Nine.” She grinned. Then she frowned. “Ty gets tacos too, right? It’s only fair.”
Jonas nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll make sure.”
Tacos? Didn’t goalies who didn’t let in any goals not pay for drinks after the game?
“Dean’s buying her a taco for every puck she stops,” Jonas explained.
Ah, it was a Double D thing. He had a soft spot for the EBUGs. Bribing the university students with food to play well made absolute sense. My collegiate coach had bought us noodles after winning many times.
The ice crew left and the game resumed. Number 16 came back with a vengeance, determined to score on her. He stopped fast, spraying her with snow.
She caught the puck and snarled, “mine.” Gwen poked him with her stick again. Not enough to be a penalty, but she was definitely issuing a warning. “That wasn’t nice, Deloitte.”
“Hockey’s not nice,Di Rossi,” he sneered. “What little girl did you steal your gear from?”
“Leave her alone,” I growled, shoving him as he got closer to her than I’d like.
“It’s a game, you giant moron.” He shoved me back. “My literal job is to score. It’s not personal. We don’t go easy on the EBUGs. You’re not going easy on ours.”
I wanted to punch him, but her being in the net changed things. If I was sitting out a penalty, I couldn’t protect her.
“It’s okay, Big Guy,” she whispered as he skated off, Jonas going after him. “That’s how he is on the ice, a massive trash-talking, alphahole who likes to fight. I’m not afraid of him. But I’m glad you’re here with me.”
“Me, too,” I told her, going back into the fray.
Jonas and I were called back in. It was clear the Gears weredesperateto score and that the forwards were unhappy that an EBUG in pink gear was keeping all the goals out.
It was also clear that someone told them her weaknesses, as they kept going glove-side and shootinghard.Good thing we’d worked together over the off-season.
Finally, Coach had Jonas and I rejoin the game. Gwen took a puck to the chest and went down, but not before keeping the puck out.
“What’s up your gooch, Deloitte?” Gwen swore at number 16 as she got up, the ref blowing his whistle.
“Not you,” Austin laughed.
How dare he? I shoved him. “Stay away from her.”
“You want a piece of me, Yeti? You fucking her, too? If anything, it makes me feel good that she needstwoalphas to replace me.” He took off his gloves and helmet.
My gloves and helmet hit the ice. He had a skull gaiter covering his face, but it didn’t stop my fist from making contact with his nose.
