Falling Fast (Loving the Sound Book 1)

by Kat Obie

  As warm ups were winding down, he lost sight of Alice and her niece. But as he walked towards the tunnel, he realized that Alice must have taken her to be one of the kids that were hopeful for high fives from the players. He made sure that he didn’t miss giving Noelle a high-five as he walked by.

  The change between the warmups and the pregame speech seemed to drag on forever. He wanted to get onto the ice and play. He started to get antsy and wanted revenge for last night’s loss.

  He went out and won the ceremonial drop puck. Then it was the national anthem. He moved his skates a lot.

  Scotty, Lager, and Dysktman were out for the first shift. Scotty got the puck to Lager, who pushed it up the side boards with Columbus trying to initiate the forecheck, and the puck squirted out. Petey got to the puck in the neutral zone. Petey yelled “stretch” as he pushed the puck up before passing it to Dysktman. The Wasps were trying to get through the defense to stop the Sound. Scotty shouted, “One T, One T”. Finally, Dykstman took the shot but the puck bounced off of Bob’s pad. Scotty was able to get the rebound and went glove high into the net. Scotty just let out a “Fuck yeah” as it went in. Scotty skated back towards the bench and gave everyone a fist bump. He tossed a smile at Alice as well.

  Alice

  Alice enjoyed the game despite the slow pace after the initial goal. There was good checking on both sides, with a bit of the chase and dump element. Neither team let up one inch.

  It was a forced rivalry, both teams having bought in on making sure that they were the best team in Ohio.

  Alice loved the seats for the view. But she regretted that Noelle was exposed to the player’s swearing. There was a glass that helped to dampen some of it, but you could still hear it. She didn’t think about the profanity when Scott said he could get first row seats.

  Midway through the third period, Columbus hooked Scotty on a breakaway opportunity. It was the first power play for the Sound.

  When they were in the faceoff circle, Alice went “Holy—” and never completed the thought since she knew there was an adorable four-year-old next to her.

  Alice’s dad asked, “What’s going on, kid?”

  “It’s the freak line. Wait, it’s not just the freak line. Wow. That’s super aggressive.” It was a five-forward power play. It was something it seemed the teams were trying out lately.

  “I’m missing something,” responded her dad.

  “Remember how I told you that Scotty had me join for an OTA when he came back from the All-Star break? That front line was my idea. I swapped Lager over to the opposite side and used Corey instead of Dykstman. Then on the 4-on-4, I had Dykstman and PK together playing against Scotty’s line which is on the outside. Dykst must be quarterbacking.”

  “Still missing the aggressive part, kid. I’m not seeing any punches or anything.”

  “Five forwards, no defense. Which means they will be going hard to the net. It could be risky if the puck leaves the zone. Although Dykst and Scotty have the speed to go back and defend.”

  The puck dropped. As expected, Scotty won the puck. The line arrangement gave the Wasps fits since they were playing man coverage almost all night.

  They couldn’t figure out how to handle Lager flipped to the other side, especially as he wasn’t playing the usual point. The puck needed to settle down, and it didn’t want to.

  It wasn’t until the puck battle at the backboards that Scotty was able to get the puck free. He sent it over to Lager. Lager passed it off to Dykstman, and Dykstman sent the puck to PK. It then went back to Scotty, who finally took a wrister towards the net. It bounced off the goalie’s pads and it was loose in front. Both Corey and Lager crashed the net along with two Wasps whacked away. Corey’s whacking allowed for a tip-in until it passed the goal line, sending the Sound up to 2-0.

  Everyone celebrated the goal. Alice’s dad hugged her. She was just surprised they’d used a combo she created. She should have known when Scotty said they were working on the power play in practice. She was elated.

  Noelle tugged at Alice’s sleeve to get her attention. Lager wanted to fist bump her through the glass.

  Noelle asked, “Who was that?”

  “Lager. He’s Scotty’s best friend.”

  “Oh, cool.” Noelle was so nonchalant about Lager wanting to get Alice’s attention. She didn’t care beyond wanting to know who it was.

  It was cool that he wanted to include her in the celebration. She still couldn’t believe that the Sound used lines she’d dreamt up. The power play had been on the anemic side since mid-December, and Alice was curious if this was a one-time look for the power play or if the freak line would be more of a new normal.

  The game continued on but seemed to lack urgency and became dull. The only sustained pressure from the Wasps didn’t happen until the very end of the game when they pulled the goalie. The Sound’s defense remained strong.

  Allison and her mom wanted to head back to Erie after the game. It was a long drive with a little one, and they wanted to keep Noelle on a regular schedule. Alice would have loved to spend more time with her family, but she understood why they were leaving.

  Her dad was going to remain in town for the weekend. As Alice gave the three women hugs, she said, “Thanks for coming today. It was lots of fun. I’m glad you could finally meet Scotty. Drive Safely. Love you guys.” Her dad did his own goodbyes as well.

  Alice and her dad had planned to hang out after the game but didn’t have firm plans, so he asked, “So, kid, where do you want to go get dinner?”

  “Why not Market Garden?”

  “Okay. Sounds good.”

  Alice texted Scott to say: Dad and I are going to Market Garden post game. Feel free to join.

  Alice: Also, you have no idea how much I love that you guys used the freak line. That was amazing.

  Alice and her dad passed some TVs and she noticed that Corey was doing the post-game interview. She was glad for two reasons: Scott might make it to dinner earlier than usual and it was also Corey’s first goal in months, so he deserved a little extra time with the press.

  “So, what were you and Scotty talking about when you guys were alone?” she asked.

  “Which time?”

  Alice looked at her dad in confusion. She wasn’t sure what he was alluding to at first, and then she realized he meant after lunch as well. She hadn’t thought of that occasion. “I guess both. I forgot that I left you guys alone together after the end of the lunch. But I was thinking about before you guys came inside.”

  “Mostly about you. I wanted to know how you were dealing with everything. He gets to see you a lot more. You’ve had questionable coping skills in the past, and I was making sure you were staying healthy.” Alice made a face, but she could understand why her dad would ask Scott. She wasn’t the most forthcoming about her feelings a lot of the time and even less so when she was stressed.

  Her dad made a vague reference to how, in the past, she wouldn’t eat. “He missed seeing your eyes smiling on a regular basis. He loved seeing it when you did hockey-related stuff. I think he likes that you guys can share hockey, but the fact that it makes you so happy is even better.”

  Alice nodded. “I’m trying.”

  “We know, and no one is saying you aren’t. The fact he picked up on how your eyes really shine when you are happy told me how much he cares. He’s looking for other ways to make you happy.”

  Alice nodded. “So, what about the second time?”

  “Saying how you always do that. How it can be nice that you help to babysit Noelle or other kids at family events. You let the adults talk it out, but you can be an enigma to most of the family.”

  “I guess that's true. I just know that I sometimes feel ill at ease with small talk, and I never see Noelle. So it’s fun to be with her. I wasn’t thinking about it.”

  “He didn’t realize it was normal for you. He didn’t mind. In many ways, he liked it. He was just surprised since he’s never really seen that side of you.”
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  “I guess there is still a lot to learn about each other yet. You probably think it’s a bad idea for us to move in.”

  “Honestly, yes and no.”

  Alice tilted her head in curiosity.

  “It’s too soon if you look at how long you have known each other. He’s the first guy you have dated in a long time. Let alone dated seriously. But with the break-in . . . It’s good that you are out of your apartment and in a much safer area. You are being smart about things, like keeping the lease. So I see no harm in seeing how things develop. The fact that you both care about each other a lot was completely evident. But what’s it like when he’s on the road?”

  “Admittedly, it wasn’t a big deal before. I would watch his games. We would chat after the games. Now, it’s the same but I will have the two dogs with me when I watch the games. I barely sleep when he’s not around, but I know I am safe. I’ve noticed that Chloe gets super protective when I get jumpy.”

  Alice and her dad got their dinner. They were both drinking and chatting about the game and then the upcoming prospects for the Indians. All of a sudden, in the middle of the conversation about the depth of the Tribe’s pitching core, Alice heard the all too familiar joking voice of Scott as he sat beside her. “Wait, I thought you were a Phillies fan hoping that they sign what’s-his-name?”

  She looked towards him. “I am but wrong position babe. We are talking pitchers not outfielders like Tarp. I got raised on the Indians. Since I keep living in their territory, dad always wants me to give him the inside local scoop. Although I bet you will never guess my all-time favorite baseball team.”

  Scott looked towards Alice’s dad for some help but he kept a poker face. Scott said, “It should be the Blue Jays.”

  Alice laughed, knowing that had to be his team. “No way. Do you want to try again, or should I tell you?”

  “I have a feeling you should just say it.”

  “The Colorado Rockies.”

  Scott literally sputtered at that response. “Wait. What? You never lived there or were even close by. How the hell did you start liking them?”

  “They expanded out when I got into baseball statistics and I was looking to claim a team for my own. We’d already moved to Cali, and I wasn’t sure about the Phillies even though they had the best mascot in the world until Gritty. The Indians were my dad’s team. I wanted to do something my dad couldn’t do: follow a team from their inception. And I liked their team colors.”

  Everyone laughed, especially when Scott said, “That’s the most girly reason ever.”

  “I was like 10, and it was never just the team colors.”

  “I will say, she always followed the stats and understood the game first. The fact they wore purple was what made them stand out from Seattle and Tampa. So, you like the Blue Jays.”

  “Now, but I grew up on the Expos. When they left, I started to root for the Blue Jays. But I will always support the other local teams anywhere I play.”

  “Good man,” replied Alice’s dad.

  Alice couldn’t help but smile when Scott drank from her beer. She teased Scott, “Hey, get your own beer.”

  “I will. But what is that? It seems familiar.”

  “Bourbon barrel-aged feats of strength. My favorite from here.”

  “Oh right. You had that at your place. No wonder it seemed familiar.”

  “I should get another growler of it to enjoy later.”

  After a while, it was time to get going. Alice’s dad headed to his hotel downtown.

  While Scott and Alice headed back to his place, he said, “Your family weren’t that bad. Everyone seemed nice.”

  Alice took a deep breath. “Yeah, it was good.”

  “I like your dad. You are a bit of a daddy’s girl.”

  “Yeah. As long as there isn’t a tournament that requires pairing up with a parent. Then it’s always Ally and dad. Sorry, I’m sorry for abandoning you at the lunch table. I wasn’t thinking. I hope it wasn’t terrible.”

  “It was fine. I noticed you were teaching Noelle hockey throughout the game.”

  “Well, someone needs to teach her. I’m just making sure she knows who the good teams are and doesn’t end up as a Pittsburgh fan like her mom and dad.”

  Scotty chuckled. “Can’t have that. But remind me, who are the good teams?”

  “The Sound and the Flyers. And she’s all about Her Scotty. He’s one of the best out there, don’t you know?”

  He couldn’t help but laugh as he cupped her face and teased, “Her Scotty? I thought I was your Scotty.”

  “Yeah, she’s enamored with you, but you are definitely mine. Although sometimes I wonder if I just dreamt you up.”

  “Everything seems pretty real to me. Do I need to spend the night proving that I’m no dream?”

  Alice said rather hopefully, “Maybe . . .”

  “Oh, you and your maybes. Maybe I won’t make love to you when we get home.”

  Alice rolled her eyes slightly, knowing that he was teasing. If they weren’t in the car, he would be trying to tickle her something fierce. “Okay, fine. I want to make love all night long. Especially knowing that I won’t get to see you for like two weeks.”

  “About that . . . I think that is too long for us to be apart. And a little birdy told me that Philly is always good for you and we are playing the Flyers. So why not fly out for the game?”

  “I can’t afford that.”

  “Who said you were paying for it? What if it was something that I wanted to do?”

  “I can’t just let you pay for everything all the time.”

  “Sure you can.” He then turned and gave her the most mock serious face possible as he said, “Now, do you want to join me for a Sound vs. Flyers game next week?”

  “Of course I do,” she said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

  “Good. I know you have work, so it will just be a flyby visit. Basically come in for the game and leave in the morning. But I have a request. Scratch that, it’s a demand,” he said with a coy smile.

  Alice knew he was up to something but wouldn’t just reveal it without asking, “Oh?”

  “That you wear my sweater. It’s good luck thus far.”

  “Wait, what? Do you want me to get harassed by the natives? This is Philly. Remember?” Alice knew that it was a reasonable thing for him to ask.

  She didn’t actually care about the request in some ways. Sure, she would end up with some beer spilled on her if she acted like an asshole. Given her love of the Flyers, she would be fine. But she didn’t like being told what to wear.

  “Oh you will be fine.” Scotty said, not believing for one second that she would have any issues. With a coy smile, he said, “Now you have to ask yourself, would a trip to Philly and two tickets for the game be worth wearing your boyfriend’s sweater at a game?”

  “You know I can’t say no to something like that. Besides, I love wearing your name and number. It will be weird to wear it to a Flyers game. If it were my call, I would prefer not to show any favoritism towards either team. I would end up in something like an oversized grey sweater and leggings.”

  “Nope, my sweater or nothing,” he said teasingly.

  “Ugh. You won’t let me be impartial. Wait, you said two tickets—does that mean I can invite Jenna to the game too? But I know there is no way in hell she would be in Sound stuff.”

  “I don’t care what they wear. But I want to know you will be representing me.”

  “Deal.”

  “Awesome, I’ll email you the details for the trip and all the tickets.”

  “Wait, what?” Alice was completely taken off guard. When or how could he have gotten tickets already when he was driving? Then she realized he’d had it all planned.

  “I might have made all the arrangements for the trip when you told me about the kid getting charged,” said Scott nonchalantly. Alice remembered he’d asked about keeping a day open—she hadn’t realized it was the day of the hockey game.
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br />   “Scott . . .” Alice paused as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. She was so elated but also in utter disbelief. “You are amazing. Truly. But how did you know I would say yes?”

  Scott lowered a brow at her as if she was talking crazy. “Flyers vs. Sound. Then add in not seeing each other for like two weeks if you didn’t come. It was the safest bet I’ve made all week.”

  When he put it that way, she was being dumb. “True. Seriously, thank you. I think you are a bit insane. Although, this time it’s insanely sweet.”

  Scott leaned over and kissed her. “You’re welcome. Bringing you out to the game is as much for me as it is for you,” he said with a lustful look in his eyes.

  Alice still couldn’t quite get her head wrapped around the idea that Scott had planned the trip for her and kept it a complete surprise for a week. It was amazing. She knew if she planned something like that, she wouldn’t be able to keep it in for two days. She would want to get his reaction as soon as possible. She marveled at his control.

  As they got out of the car, Alice rushed over to his side. “You are fucking amazing, you know that, right?” She kissed him passionately for a second. “I don’t know how I could have handled everything without you. I love you so much.”

  14

  Scott

  Practice was brutal. He hated skating without enough sleep, but that was the price to pay for late flights and maintaining a strict training schedule. At least he could relax the rest of the day after doing one last errand.

  He picked up the dogs. Chloe chilled in the front seat, and Backup ran around like a madman in the back.

  “Settle down, Backup. You are going to make yourself sick.” At that exact moment, the puppy made a high-pitched hacking noise—a telltale sign that the puppy threw up. “I guess it’s too late for that advice. At least, we are almost to Alice’s. Just try to be calm, and don’t lick your throw-up.”