Emma stood up as Tyler left the bench. She raised her hand and waved, flicking both her thumbs in the air. He smiled, then put on his helmet. Kelty looked over as she sat down, and Emma blushed.
“Sean didn’t see me, but at least Tyler did.” Kelty seemed convinced that her encouragement was for the team, not for one player individually.
That helped Emma believe it, too.
The crowd rose to their feet as the puck dropped. The Snowballs dug deep, fueled by the surging electric atmosphere around them.So much empty ice.
Sean, Tyler, and Country wove around each other in an orchestrated dance, attacking the net, then dropping back to defend and keep Boyd from facing number twenty-four solo. Brett subbed for Country, then Darcy for Sean.
Tyler never went off the ice and never slowed. "Come on, Tyler!" Emma couldn't help but scream.What were fake girlfriends for?
A puck bounced off the boards, and Darcy swooped in to seize control. He deftly maneuvered the puck, deking out a purple jersey, then passing to Brett stationed near the left boards.
Tape to tape. Brett pivoted to face the offensive zone. His eyes scanned the ice, weighing his options as Edmonton closed in. He made a quick pass back to Darcy, trying to open up some space. Darcy faked a pass to Tyler, sprinting toward the net, then dropped the pass to Brett, who had circled back to centre.
Emma squealed.The defence misread the play, distracted by Tyler.Brett capitalized, rushing forward and firing off a slapshot. The goaltender dropped to block, and Emma squeezed Kelty’s hand.
A metal clang pierced the air as the puck hit the post. The crowd groaned, then gasped as Tyler caught the ricochet. Without missing a beat, Tyler faked to his backhand, pulling the goaltender out of position, and then shifted to his forehand.
With a swift flick of his wrists, Tyler shot the puck into the top left corner. The arena erupted as the siren wailed.
Tyler was mobbed by Brett and Darcy, then the rest of the team, as time ran out on the OT clock.
“Well, I need a Xanax.” Her dad clutched at his heart and Emma and her mom sandwiched him in a hug. Emma turned to Kelty and threw her arms around her.
"You’re all coming to One Place, right?" Kelty begged, her voice hoarse from cheering.
“Oh, this is too much excitement for one night.” Sharla laughed, looping her scarf around her neck. “You girls have fun, and we’ll see you Sunday.”
Rob shot Emma a look dripping in expectation. While her parents waited to step into the aisle, she glanced toward the blue jerseys. She caught sight of Tyler's triumphant smile as he dropped his helmet and mitts. Warmth bubbled inside her.
“Ready?” Kelty grabbed her hand, and they flowed with the crowd toward the pub.
ChapterFifteen
One Place wasa hive of activity when they arrived. Jubilant fans packed every available inch and were raising their glasses in toast after toast to the Snowballs players filtering in. The laughter and energy were infectious, and Emma couldn't help but get swept up in it.
Jess waved Emma and Kelty over to join her. Emma checked her phone as they sat. Vaughn and Lindsey were supposed to meet them here after the game. While they weren’t excited for hockey games, they adored celebrating afterwards.
Vaughn had texted twenty minutes ago saying they were on their way. They should be walking in any minute. She was about to slip her phone back in her person when a message popped up from Tyler in response to her good luck wishes earlier.
Thanks, I needed that
She grinned.
No you didn’t
Why are you smiling?
Emma dropped her phone to her lap and looked up, her eyes wide as if she’d just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Tyler stood in the doorway next to Brett with a smug look on his face. It didn’t last long as fans bid for their attention. It would take them a while to make their way back here, which gave her time to calm her heart rate.
She jumped into conversation with Kelty and Jess, and by the time she looked up again, all the warmth she’d felt seeped out of her. Tyler was nearing their table with Ginger from the Dusty Rose draped possessively over his arm.Her crop top and leather pants seemed like a perfect choice for a hockey game in March.
"Hey, are you okay?" Kelty asked, noticing the sudden shift in Emma's demeanour.
“Um, yeah, fine,” Emma lied.She was an idiot.Smiling like a goon while Tyler was walking in to meet another woman? Ugh. What was wrong with her?
She glanced back to find Ginger flicking her hair over her shoulder. Hadn’t Tyler sat in his truck less than a week ago and told her how much he didn’t want to be his dad? How he wanted to be different? And yet here he was keeping the same company, probably ready to strip and let her lick shots off of his chest.
