We chat for , very long time. We chat the subsequent day, too, as I stroll with Donut to our stretching class on the assisted residing dwelling. We chat as I head over to Peak Efficiency. We chat as I work on my new Sea Canine courses. We chat as I stroll into my constructing within the afternoon and the doorman calls me over.

I put down the cellphone.

“Supply for you,” he says, then fingers me an envelope.

I rip it open. Inside are tickets to the Golden State Foxes subsequent dwelling recreation.

61

LAST MAN STANDING

Gavin

The plan is easy—win.

However the execution would require just a little finesse. As a result of my associates are knuckleheads.

Figures it’s come right down to me, however life is humorous that manner. Typically if you wait the longest for one thing, you’re the primary to know you need it.

However wanting one thing doesn’t assure you’ll get it.

I already acquired my recreation day nap in, so after I end a light-weight exercise, I discover the idiots I’m greatest associates with within the athletic coach’s room. Kelsey’s working Hollis’s shoulder, and Diego is stretching Rhys’s quads.

“Didn’t get sufficient circulate and flex this week?” I drawl.

Rhys flips me the chicken however he doesn’t chew again. As soon as they’re achieved, I movement for them to observe me down a quieter hallway.

“What’s up?” Hollis asks.

All of us acquired her the tickets collectively. We despatched them to her collectively. We invited her collectively. However that’s so far as we’ve gotten. And it’s not far sufficient. “Pay attention, we have to win tonight, guys.”

“Information flash: we have to win each evening,” Hollis retorts with a smirk.

I clap his shoulder. “However tonight we have to play like a crew.” We’ve been enjoying higher the previous few away video games, however we’ve solely gained one out of three on the street, and by a hair at that. “We have to work collectively. I do know it’s not simply the three of us on the market, however in the case of the three of us, we have to preserve our heads within the recreation and our deal with.”

Rhys provides me a doubtful look. “Are you saying?—?”

“That the girl we’re obsessive about is distracting?” I end for him since I do know, I fucking know, that’s the place he was going.

“Yeah.” He squares his shoulders, holding his floor.

I smother a smile as I shake my head. “No. I’m saying we’re distracting. We distracted one another. We’re up in our heads as a result of we left Fortunate Falls for this street journey appearing like…nicely, like we’re not completely into her.”

There. Somebody needed to say it.

A smile suggestions Hollis’s lips. “Have a look at you—final to fall, first to challenge a name to arms.”

I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t the final—” I wave a hand by the air, nixing that denial. “No matter. It’s not vital. She knocked some sense into us during the last week in our chats, however we have to knock some sense into ourselves too. It wasn’t Briar that distracted us from hockey. It was us not…”

Feelings lodge in my throat, shutting me up for a number of seconds. Appears like I’m reaching my fist into my chest, squeezing my coronary heart. However I’ve gotten higher at letting myself really feel, because of her. And at letting myself say what my coronary heart needs. Earlier than I can inform her although, I want to inform my associates. “It was us not having one another’s backs on the ice. Earlier than that week, we appeared out for one another after we weren’t enjoying. We did that whereas we have been along with her, however then after we left her, we stopped. It was like all of us shut down as associates to recover from her. To persuade ourselves we may very well be simply associates along with her. However shutting one another out gained’t work both. Consuming tacos or not consuming tacos gained’t do the trick. It’s as much as us to play arduous.” I take a deep, fueling breath, then shrug in admission of this new reality. “And that’s all we are able to do on the market on the ice.”

Denying my emotions gained’t make me play higher.

Ignoring the ache in my coronary heart gained’t make me a greater teammate.

Consuming the identical meal each evening gained’t make us win.

Placing my coronary heart and soul into the sport—that’s what is going to make the distinction. The one distinction.

Supply: www.seynovel.com