What Are The Odds?: A college hockey romance. (Phil-U Book 1)
What Are The Odds?: Chapter 19

Levi.

We were five minutes from the arena. Will was driving, with Tripp and Ryan in the back. I was never nervous before games. I’d been playing so long it was like autopilot for me. Even the big games, when everything was on the line, I’d lace up my skates calmly like I would before an everyday practice. Tripp groaned from the backseat before taking a big gulp from his sports drink. I should’ve passed on Grace’s hot tip. My hangover was non-existent. I needed to steal her pool access pass after every night out. Or better yet, maybe I’d just get her to take me. I unlocked my phone and pulled up her number.

Levi: Are you still coming tonight?

Grace: Totes.

Levi: Huh?

Grace: YES! Booking an Uber now.

Levi: Ryker not picking you up?

Smooth Holloway.

Grace: We’re meeting at dinner.

That sounded date-like. The fucker.

Me: Cool.

Even smoother. What was wrong with me?

Me: Wait for me after the game?

Grace: Of course 🙂

“What are you smiling at?” Will asked, pulling my attention.

“Ah, a meme.”

“Mmhm.”

He didn’t look convinced at all.

*

It was good to be playing at home. The rumble of the crowd was loud. The arena was full. Jersey State were a good side. This game wouldn’t come easy, but we were ready. I knew we could get this done. After smashing two Aspirin and another sports drink, Tripp was ready to go. The arena lights dimmed as the pregame music began. The announcer was speaking, hyping up the crowd. It was hyping me up too. I bounced from skate to skate, waiting in the tunnel. Tripp and Ryan were ahead of me. Will was behind me. Our goalie was at the front. We’d done this countless times before, but the novelty never wore off. When the time finally came, we ambled forward, getting closer to the ice. Tripp hit it. Then Ryan. Then it was my turn. My skates connected with the smooth surface and my legs pushed off as I skated towards our goal. The arena lights were flashing, the music was blaring, and the crowd was screaming. I slowed as Will skated up beside me, shaking his head in bewilderment.

“We better bring it tonight.”

“Always,” I returned.

Tripp skated past me, firing a puck at the goal. It hit the back of the net. I didn’t bother looking for Grace. There were way too many people here. Still, it was nice knowing there was someone out there watching me. When I thought about Ryker with her, it made my skin itch. I hated the bet. I hated that I’d agreed to it. And I hated not knowing how to back out. To win, I had to ruin what I had with Grace. To lose, I had to let the team down. There was a reason they’d voted me in. I always came through for them. I didn’t want to fail on this, but I also didn’t want to hurt Grace. She didn’t deserve to be the pawn in a stupid wager. God, if she ever found out . . . well, I don’t really know what. But I expect it would be the end of our friendship. And that thought was like a punch to the stomach. The pregame ritual was over quickly. After grabbing a quick drink from the bench, I skated into position. Will was on my left wing. Tripp was on my right. Ryan and Morrison were behind me, bringing up the defence. The best first line I’d ever played alongside. The opposition centre skated across from me, crouching down.

“Enjoy the crowd now, Holloway,” he sneered. “They won’t be cheering after we shut you out.”

His insult was so weak I didn’t waste my time with a response. Instead I smirked and adjusted my stick into position. The crowd went silent when the official skated over. I was so fucking pumped for this game. My skin was practically vibrating from excitement. When the official dropped the puck, I battled with the Jersey State centre. I managed to gain possession and pass it to Will. It hit his stick before he took off towards our attacking zone. I was right behind him.

Eight minutes into the first period, neither team had scored. We were dominating though. Our scoring shots were double that of Jersey State. I sat on the bench beside Will, elbows resting on my thighs as I watched the play.

“They’re keeping up,” he said.

“They are,” I agreed. “But they’re matching our pace. We’re tiring them out.’

On cue their best d-man, who also happened to be a giant d-bag, made a desperate play to stop our momentum and was called for slashing. Coach sent Will and me back on for the power play. This was our first opportunity. We set up, Will getting in place for the face off. Jersey State tried to clear the puck, but Ryan stopped it from leaving our offensive zone. I got position of the puck just in front of the blueline. I flicked it to Morrison who shuffled it back and forth before sending it back in my direction. He’d kept the puck long enough to draw their defence’s attention. I eyed a gap in front of the net. It was barely enough, but it was enough for me. I wound up, hitting a wrist shot to send the puck into the top shelf. Their goalie miscalculated and dropped instead. The buzzer went off and the crowd erupted. Fuck yeah. The on-ice team skated over, celebrating the point. There was a reason we held the best power play stats in the league. After skating past our bench to celebrate with the rest of the team, I skidded to a stop beside the Jersey State centre.

“Hear the crowd?” I checked, grinning like we were buddies.

“Fuck you, Holloway.”

“In your dreams fuck face.”

When we returned for the second period, we nailed an early shot. We picked off another one during the next power play, giving us a three-nil lead going into the third period. I would love nothing more than to shut them out. And it was looking more likely. We were on tonight. Things felt fucking good. As I was heading off the ice for the final break, the kiss cam started. My heart slowed when Ryker’s smug face appeared on the screen, and it literally stopped when it panned so Grace was included. The crowd went nuts. Ryker’s face was a popular one on and off campus. People pulled their phones from their pockets, angling them to record the jumbotron. This was guaranteed to go viral on the campus socials. Anything Ryker did generally did. I knew the deal, because it was the same for me too. A random video taken of me winking in class last year had been the punch line of memes and innuendos for weeks. If only they’d known I’d been winking at Will because he’d turned up to class with a coffee for me. Pretty fucking boring compared to the elaborate spins some memes had going.

“Anytime now, Cap,” came a voice from behind me.

I was blocking the tunnel, but I made no effort to move. Grace sunk in her seat, hiding behind her hands. Between the gaps in her fingers, I could see the blush climbing her neck and spreading across her cheeks. Smiling, Ryker pivoted so he was facing her. He moved her hands from her face before saying something close to her ear. Partly grimacing and partly laughing, Grace shrugged as if it to say why not. And then they kissed.