Page 110 of Center Ice
“She did. I wish I’d called her sooner.”
“Keep talking to her,” Zach encourages. “You’ll be amazed.”
I’m about to tell him I already am amazed, when a hand grips my shoulder from behind me, and I turn to find Jameson standing there. “I need you not to panic,” he says, and instantly my blood is like ice.
“What happened?”
“Audrey and Graham were in an accident on the way here?—”
Adrenaline floods my system, making me want to bolt out of here and go find them. “Are they okay?”
“They’re at the hospital. Audrey’s shaken up, but fine. Graham’s hurt, but I’m not sure how badly. I’m on my way there, and I’ll text you updates that you can check between periods.”
“I’m coming with you!”
My teammates are turning to stare at us, but I couldn’t care less.
“Youneedto play this game. I only told you because I didn’t want you to look into the stands and worry about why they aren’t here.”
“If you think there’s any way I could go out there and play right now, while Audrey and Graham are in the fucking hospital, you’re insane. Give me two minutes to get this gear off while you explain to Wilcott that I’m not playing tonight.”
Jameson grips my forearm as I turn toward the locker room, pulling me back toward him. He drops his voice low. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?”
“Without a doubt,” I tell him, my voice clipped. I need to get out of here. Now.
I head into the locker room and am getting undressed so quickly that gear is flying everywhere, and I don’t even care. Someone else is going to have to shove it all in my locker space because I don’t have time. I’ve just pulled my sweats over my compression shorts, when the door swings open and AJ walks in.
“Why the hell aren’t you on the ice, Jenkins?” Her voice has a hard, a demanding edge to it.
“My son was just in a car accident, and I need to get to the hospital to be with him and my wife.”
AJ’s eyebrows are practically touching her hairline. “Your…wife? And son?”
I sit to pull my sneakers on quickly and the words tumble out in a rush, “Well, future wife—I keep telling her I’m going to marry her, but I have to actually ask. And our son, who’s hurt.”
She presses her lips between her teeth and nods. “Okay. You should go.”
My head snaps up. “Really?”
“Yeah. You should be with your family.” She pauses as I stare back at her. “Why do you seem surprised?”
“Because I was treating tonight’s game as my last shot to prove to you that you should keep me on the team. And by not playing…” I shrug as I stand and pull my hoodie over my head.
When I look up, AJ has her arms crossed over her chest. “By not playing, you’re showing me that you’re exactly the type of trustworthy and dependable man I want on this team. I need another goalie”—she lifts one shoulder—“but Almatrov’s save percentage could be better. And he’s just come off the IR List, so who knows how well he’ll play. Plus, the guy is kind of a douche. Wasn’t sure I really wanted to add him to our team, and now I’m certain it wouldn’t be the right trade. So, go. Be with the people who need you most.”
My throat is tight as her words sink in. I’m staying. It’s such a relief it makes my eyes water, but I don’t really have time to process the emotions because I need to get to Audrey and Graham.
My GM turns and starts to walk out of the locker room.
“AJ,” I call out, and she turns to face me. “Thank you.”
“Go,” she says. “Go be with your family. We’re good.”
As she walks through the door, headed back to the game, I grab my phone, wallet, and keys and am right on her heels. “I’m parked in the player’s lot,” I tell Jameson, who’s waiting outside the locker room door. “I’ll drive.”
“Lauren’s already got my car and is waiting right outside. Let’s go.”
I’m almost out of breath from how I sprinted into the ER after Lauren and Jameson dropped me at the doors before going to park, then demanded the hospital staff tell me where my son was and sprinted to his room.
