Slap Shot (D.C. Stars, #3)

by Chelsea Curto

Maybe it’s because it’s her, and the more time I spend with Madeline, the

more I realize she might be the most incredible person I’ve ever met.

appreciate when he includes Lucy. I appreciate how she’s not overlooked,

“When I said green, I meant that exact shade. You in that outfit, really.” His cheeks are flushed, and his Adam’s

apple bobs. “No other variation is ever going to do.”

“Lucy wants you there.” Her eyes meet mine, and her smile is soft. “And so do I.” “Then that’s where I’ll be.”

“You’re both welcome here. If this is what Christmas looks like from now on, I can’t wait to have a whole condo covered in Lucy’s drawings next year.”

“Best Christmas ever,” Madeline whispers. “Nothing’s going to top this.” “Without a fucking doubt,” I agree.

“Yeah. But I also want to kiss you because I’ve been thinking about it for weeks.”

How her fingers fan out over my shirt and she twists the cotton, pulling me toward her. As if I wouldn’t go willingly. As if I wouldn’t fucking crawl or run or climb a mountain to get there.

“She’s… she’s become my favorite person in the world,

“Night, Huddy Boy. Don’t kiss anyone else.” I couldn’t even if I wanted to.

Hudson kissed me the other night, and it was the best kiss of my life.

“Friends,” I repeat, hating the damn word.

“I want to learn sign language so I can communicate with Lucy.

but more importantly, I want to include her in my conversations instead of talking around her.

When he pulls up next to Maverick, takes off his helmet and looks back at me, there are butterflies in my stomach.

“You’re different. I like y’all. You’re my favorite girls in the arena, no matter what anyone else’s shirt says.”

I don’t know what I want more: to wear his name across my back, or to learn how persuasive Hudson Hayes can be.

“She’s trying to get to you right now. It’s just taking her a little while. Traffic, you know?”

I remember the days when I couldn’t leave my bed. Maverick would come to my apartment, sit next to me on the comforter, and not say a word. He’d stay there for hours, only moving to bring me a bowl of soup that he hand-fed me so I could put something in my body.

“Future starting center at Michigan, even if we have a girl. Especially if we have a girl. We’re going to break all the fucking glass ceilings, just like her mom,”

Home.

“I want to.

“You’re the brightest thing in this room. The brightest thing in every room.”

“Maybe she has a garden now. A place up there where she can plant her own flowers and smile nonstop.”

I have a crush on Hudson Hayes.

Madeline is beautiful when she smiles.

If I’m going to give anyone a chance, there’s no one better out there than him.

“You’re going to be the death of me, Madeline. Please be gentle when you kill me.”

I might doodle his name in a journal and put ten hearts around it in the morning—how could I not?—but for now I need him. In a way I’ve never needed anyone else.

That might be a side effect from being around someone like Madeline; eternally optimistic, even when she doesn’t have to be. Bright and full of life in a way I feel like I haven’t been in years. Maybe she and Lucy have been the missing piece all along.

It’s natural, almost, like the universe has been waiting for us to find each other.

“My name looks good on you, Galloway.”

“Yeah. Better than any of the other women in the arena. You’re the only one I want wearing it.”

“I’ve got my girls in the crowd wearing my jersey, Galloway.”

“I could miss every

shot I take. We could lose by twenty, and it’d still be a damn good night.”

I never thought I’d be emotionally invested in a sports team, but here I am, biting my thumbnail then clasping my hands together.

I’m yours.

“It’s called a slap shot. It’s not really effective so close to the goal—I’ll save you from a statistics lesson—but it’s what my brain told me to do, so I did. It paid off.”

“We’ll be waiting for you. Me, Lucy. The dogs. Hurry home, okay?”

I nod and pull away. I watch him go, painfully aware of how empty I already feel without him by my side.

We miss you. Me Been missing you since the minute I left you, knife girl.

“Let’s get a move on. We have a busy day, and I refuse to lose tonight when Sarah is watching.”

Lucy is great, though. I like her a lot. You’d like her and Madeline a lot, too. Maddie reminds me of you. She loves people with her whole heart. She’s so kind, all the time, and such a good goddamn mom. Just like you were. Are.”

They can look at her all they want, but she’s coming home with me.

I don’t care that Emmy is filming us and no doubt going to upload the footage to social media and title it: Hockey player loses to hot mom, because this is fucking fun.

“I might be addicted to you.”

I can’t get you out of my head, Maddie. Haven’t been able to since I first met you.”