"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Yes." Maybe.

"What if it doesn't?"

"I don't know."

"We're fucked if it doesn't."

Everyone turned to look at Shannon but nobody said anything. There was nothing to say—she was right. If this didn't work, they were fucked.

Taylor curled her hands into tight fists and shoved them into the front pockets of her jeans. That might help stop them from trembling, but it did nothing to calm the nerves threatening to turn her stomach inside out. Would this work? There was so much at stake. It had to work.

She glanced around, studying the faces of her teammates surrounding her. Sammie. Shannon and Dani. Sydney and Maddison and Jordyn and Karly. Their coaches. Even Rachel, standing with them but just a little off the side.

These women weren't just her teammates—they had become her family. Dysfunctional, yes. Still getting to know one another, still working on their issues as they grew closer. But they were family nonetheless, held together with one common bond: their love of hockey.

And the desire to make something more of this tiny little chance they'd been given.

Willing to throw it all away if this desperate plan didn't work.

It had to work.

Jordyn nudged her then nodded toward the main doors of the small arena. "Here they come."

Stillness settled over the group as everyone turned toward the doors. Mr. Murphy walked out, looking every inch the shrewd businessman he had the reputation of being, with his tailored suit and neatly-trimmed white hair. What was going through his mind? She couldn't tell.

Chuckie walked out behind him, the total opposite in looks, wearing faded jeans and the old sweatshirt bearing the logo of his alma mater. His dark hair was mussed, his jaw covered with the shadow of day-old scruff.

And his face was as completely expressionless as Mr. Murphy's.

Taylor's stomach rolled, threatening to spill the light breakfast she'd forced down hours earlier. Sammie stepped closer, her trembling fingers gripping Taylor's arm with bruising strength.

"Oh, this doesn't look good. I think I'm going to be sick."

"At least you don't have to pee." Shannon muttered the words under her breath, causing a ripple of nervous laughter. Sammie loosened her grip on Taylor's arm and shifted, turning to look at Shannon.

"I always have to pee."

More nervous laughter, the sound quickly fading as the two men approached them. Taylor's eyes darted to Chuckie but he wasn't looking at her.

And oh shit, that couldn't be good. If it was good, he'd let her know. Wouldn't he?

Mr. Murphy came to a stop in front of them, his gray eyes scanning each face. He turned toward Chuckie, some silent message passing between them, then faced the team once more.

"I understand you ladies are ready to walk out. To give this all up."

There was a long minute of silence before Shannon stepped forward, her chin thrust forward in challenge. "Yeah, we are."

"I see." Mr. Murphy clasped his hands behind his back and scanned their faces again, his gaze stopping on Taylor's. She saw the faintest glimmer of humor flash in the gray depths then he blinked and it was gone.

Maybe she had just imagined it.

"That would put me in quite a bind if you did."

Shannon stepped closer, her voice clear and strong. "That's not our problem."

A bark of laughter escaped the older man, surprising them all. "No. No, I guess it isn't."

Sammie's grip tightened on her arm again but Taylor barely noticed, not when she was so focused on Mr. Murphy, not when she was trying to control the hope threatening to break free.

The older man looked at her again, admiration flaring in his eyes. Then he nodded, just once, before his lips twitched in a small smile.

"I admire anyone who's willing to stand up like you girls are doing. That takes guts." He glanced over at Chuckie, his lips twitching in that small smile again. "I've been told that I don't have a fucking clue about the bond that holds a team together. I trust that you girls are willing to teach me?"

Shannon moved one arm behind her back and shot everyone the thumbs-up sign. "Fuck yeah. If you're willing to learn."

Taylor choked back a groan. A few of the others gasped or muttered under their breath. Chuckie closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, his lips moving soundlessly.

Even Mr. Murphy seemed shocked into silence—but only for a few seconds. The smile that he'd been holding back broke free and he laughed then stepped toward Shannon. It looked like he was going to wrap his arm around her shoulder but he stopped at the last second, clapping her on the back instead. "I like you. You remind me of myself when I was younger."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." Mr. Murphy stepped back, sweeping them all with an amused glance. "Well, then. That's settled. Ms. Wiley and I will go discuss things that need to be changed and let the rest of you get back to work. I'll see everyone at tomorrow's game."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in. Then there was a collective sigh of relief, followed by loud cheers and applause. The tension suddenly left Taylor, leaving her limp and light-headed and dazed. Sammie grabbed her in a huge hug, jumping up and down.

"Holy crappola! It worked. It worked! I can't believe it!" Sammie kept jumping up and down, shaking Taylor with each excited bounce. She stopped just as quickly as she started, a look of panic suddenly crossing her face. "Oh crap. I need to pee."

Sammie took off at a run, nearly knocking over Mr. Murphy and Shannon as she raced past them to get inside the arena. Taylor laughed, the sound fading on a rush of breath when Chuckie pulled her into his arms.

She melted against him, her body trembling in relief as his arms tightened around her. "You did it."

"Not me—you. All of you."

"But it was your idea." She leaned up and pressed a quick kiss against his mouth, then playfully whacked him on the arm. "You could have given me a sign, though. You had me worried because I couldn't tell what was going to happen."

"That was because I didn't know. Not for certain."

Taylor's eyes widened, a gust of chilled air swirling through her. "You seriously didn't know?"

"No, not at first. I had an idea but I wasn't sure."

"Oh God. I think I'm going to throw up—"

"No, you're not." Chuckie's arms tightened around her, supporting her. "You're stronger than that. You always have been."

"But it—"

He silenced her with a kiss. Long and gentle, one filled with promise. She was clinging to him, her head swimming and her heart overflowing with emotion when he pulled away—the same emotion flooding the deep ocean blue of his eyes when he looked at her.

Love. Clear and endless. Still new, but filled with promise and potential.

Chuckie reached up and tucked the hair behind her ears, his mouth curling in that dangerously charming smile. "You did it, Taylor. It's a start. Baby steps, but I think this is the beginning of something that's going to be a lot bigger."

"You're right." She offered him her own smile and leaned against him. "It is."

They both knew she wasn't merely talking about the Blades.

 

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