Page 85 of Grasp The Moment

Blake is a beast on the ice; he’s like a bullet, moving faster than the speed of light as he dominates against Boston's defense. But the real star of the show is Derek. He’s like an assassin in the net, killing his opponent's chances of scoring as soon as the puck releases from their sticks.

I’ve never truly taken an interest in hockey, even though it was all that I grew up around, with Jace being a player, Cleo’s obsession with the sport, and her dad being one of the greatest players in the NHL. I just found it boring. But when Derek’s on the ice? My eyes are on him, always. It’s like a moth drawn to a flame, the way that he steals my focus and makes it his. When he’s on the ice, not only does he dominate, he executes. I have no idea how he moves so fast and nimbly, especially with all of his gear on.

As the game moves into the third period, there’s a minute left on the clock. Boston and SFU are tied two-two, and all of the boys on the ice are playing for blood. There are numerouspenalties on both sides, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game as intense as this one.

Our boys need this win.

It’s the last game of their season, and this game right here can determine whether or not they go to the playoffs—I believe. I overheard Derek and Cleo going back and forth over it a few days ago.

Boston’s winger has the puck, slicing through the ice with peak precision. I’d say that he could give Jace a run for his money, but that’d be a lie. Jace is a phenomenal athlete—never tell him that I said that. The winger for Boston is good. He may even be great, but he’s not Jace Heart. That statement is made painfully obvious when he goes to shoot the puck into Derek’s net. Derek is like a freaking warrior the way he blocks the puck and shoots it back out onto the ice, straight toward Blake. Blake is quick to gain control of it before shooting it to Alec. The boys work like a well-oiled machine, moving on the ice stealthily against Boston.

Boston’s winger tries to battle Alec for the puck when it’s shot to Blake. He’s too far. He’ll never be able to?—

Blake Wilder somehow gets a hold of the puck near center ice. There are four seconds left on the clock, and the arena goes deathly silent as Blake shoots. There’s a collective gasp from the crowd as the puck soars.

Boston’s goalie doesn’t stand a chance; they’re too far out of their box to stop the greatness of the shot.

The puck lands in the goal, and the crowd goes ballistic.

“You guys absolutely crushed them!” I exclaim through a mountain of foamy toothpaste as I walk into our bedroom.

Derek is already ready for bed, lying down shirtless with his glasses and frog-print pajama pants on. As soon as the game ended tonight, we all went out to eat to celebrate the boys’ official last game of the season and their win. After dinner, Derek and I went for a dessert run at The Sweet Tooth and went home. Deli’s staying with her abuela tonight, leaving us all alone.

“It feels bittersweet.” He sighs, turning in the bed to face me.

I continue brushing my teeth, weighing over my next words as I finish up. I don’t want to ruin his night, but I also know that he’d go absolutely insane if I hadn’t told him about what happened before the game started. He was an overprotective Mama Bear when he heard that Rosemary tried to spit on me, so I can only imagine how he’d be when he hears about her kidnapping plan and our fight.

The second my butt hits the sheets of our bed, my body is moved and cradled against his chest. He rests his arm around my back, placing it on the swell of my ass. We sit in silence. The only sound to be heard is our breathing before Derek breaks it.

“Tell me what happened,” he says, and though he doesn’t look at me, I know that his face is twisted up. “I know something had to have happened for you to not walk with me on the ice. You don’t have to hold it in, just tell me.”

And so, I do.

I tell him all about Rosemary: her trying to take Delilah from my arms, all the way down to the fight with her. Through it all, Derek remains silent, but the grip he’d had on my ass moves to my hip and tightens with each word.

“Your mom and I talked. She uh… I think the two of us are good now.”

Derek doesn’t say anything. Instead, he lets out a deep breath and pulls me closer to his chest, as if the closer I am tohim, the easier it would be for him to protect me. His heart is beating fast and furiously in his chest, and yet it soothes me.

“I’m sorry,” he says, and I stiffen.

“What are you sorry for?—”

“I should’ve been there to protect you—to protect the both of you. Delilah was probably so scared, and you had to handle that by yourself. You didn’t deserve that, Georgia. Tomorrow, we’re getting this shit handled,” he says, and that’s that.

There’s no more talking between us. Instead, we fall asleep, safely wrapped in one another.

32.Derek

“Sir,please keep in mind that this will be a court order. If Ms. Stone fails to uphold the terms listed in this order, make sure you call us because that will give us probable cause to arrest her. Clear?” Officer Thompson says, his eyes stone cold as he looks between Georgia and me.

I squeeze her knee and nod. “We understand.”

Officer Thompson gives the two of us a sturdy nod before shaking my hand and leaving us in the room alone with our thoughts.

Georgia blows out a puff of air, a strained smile on her face as she looks up at me, “Does this mean that we’ll be okay? No more crazy exes?”

Chuckling, I kiss her forehead as she stands. “Not unless she wants to be arrested.”