I gave her, and all the ice girls listening in, every last detail of the drama. I finished by addressing the team. “And I know you girls probably hate me, because of what happened with me and Hunter … but it's not like Iwantedto like him. It just sort of happened. AndI certainly neverwantedMadison to get fired, either.”
“Damn. Crazy.” Cora shook her head. “Well … for myfirstact of captain? I'd like to invite you back. Wanna suit up and join us for the last period?”
“But what about the rules? I broke the 'no fraternization' policy.”
I figured the rest of the ice girls would nod with agreement—I thought they wanted me burned at the stake, after all. But, instead, they were suddenly trading guilty expressions.
Cora sighed and spoke up first. “I'll let you in on Madison's dirty little secret: that rule only applied to you.”
“Seriously? I mean that was pretty obvious from the beginning, butwhy?”
“The thing with Allison and Hunter really set her off. So she said anynewhires had to obey by that rule, but not anyone else.”
The other girls nodded in agreement.
Cora shrugged. “But, as the new captain, I can axe that rule and bring you right back. So?”
I frowned. “Well, that's sweet of you. I'm just not sure I should come back after everything that happened.”
Cora addressed the team. “Girls, all in favor of welcoming Honor back?”
One arm after another went into the air, until they were all raised. I couldn't believe it and wasn't sure if Iwantedto even come back … butCora put her arm around me and led me to our dressing room.
“C'mon, rookie, get dressed. I'm sure Hunter wants to see you out there, anyway.”
Chapter 26:
Comeback
Rockwell
We took to the ice for the start of the third period. Our hometown crowd was flat, lifeless—but who could blame them, down 4-0, with our season on the line?
I gathered the boys before the opening draw. “Just one goal, boys. It all starts with one.”
Cunningham took the draw opposite me. Before the ref dropped the puck, he was up to his usual antics, trying to throw me off.
“Hey Rocky. Nice of you to join us again!”
“Better watch yourself out here in the third,” I answered calmly.
“Oh yeah? Why's that? You gonna do something?”
“I finally told the boys why we had that fight way back when, actually. They weren't too happy.”
Cunningham shot me a worried look. “Y-you did?”
Funny. It never occurred to me until that moment that my secret wasn't just my burden, it was alsohis.Even though he tortured me with the fact he'd fucked my fiance, he never wanted his teammates to know what he'd done. Because word spreads in a locker room …
I winked at him. “Sure did.”
For once, Cunningham shut his mouth. His troubled gaze dropped to the ice instead. The ref dropped the puck, and Cunningham was too slow to react. I swiped at the puck and won it back.
On our very first shift, we pinned the Bears in their defensive zone. I grabbed the puck behind the net and skated in front, jamming the puck into the goalie's pads—and the puck squirted between his legs and trickled into the net.
We celebrated as our goal horn sounded. 4-1.
“Just one more goal, boys,” I told them.
