Hockey Holidays

by Toni Aleo

  “I’m fine. The guy embellished,” Alex muttered, taking a seat in the sin bin, tapping his leg in frustration. Cheesy wasn’t wrong. Alex had been distracted all night. He refused to look up at his suite to see if she was watching, and then he felt like an asshole for not looking up to see the kids.

  He’d never lost his focus like this before, and he’d be damned if he was going to let Maggie get to him. He’d get his answers from her, but for now, he had a game to win. He concentrated on his teammates. Anaheim fired the puck on Gally, but the Strikers’ goalie dropped to his knees and covered it.

  Alex hated being the cause for his team to be a man down. He glanced at the clock. Thirty seconds left. He took a sip of water and stood up, his stick ready, and waited for Gally to hit his stick on the ice, signaling a few seconds left in the penalty before he could go back on the ice.

  The penalty box door opened, and Alex darted onto the ice, catching Sully’s slight head tilt right before he passed the puck. It hit the center of Alex’s stick and Alex was off. Within seconds, he sent the rubber disk flying over the blocker-side shoulder of Anaheim’s goalie.

  The goal buzzer blared through the arena and his teammates came crashing into him.

  He looked up at his box. The kids were cheering and jumping up and down. He gave them a salute, loving how excited they were to come to the games. That’s why he’d created the Warriors. Every kid in that suite had gone through more than he could imagine, and if he could give them a reason to smile or not think about what they were going through for one minute, he would do whatever he could.

  Before he turned back to his teammates, he spotted Maggie clapping in the corner. He hoped her smile was wide, like that smile she always used to give him when she watched him play.

  Yes, he definitely had questions for her and he wasn’t going to let her avoid him again.

  Maggie finished her first rotation Wednesday morning and stopped off at the nurses’ station.

  “Heard someone had a good time at the game last night,” Callie, one of the nurses and Maggie’s first friend in the city, called out.

  “What?” Maggie asked, setting down her tablet.

  “The game. Westie. Heard it was a good one. He’s so dreamy,” Callie said, smiling as a few of the other nurses extolled Alex’s better qualities.

  “Wait. What did you hear?” Maggie said, stopping next to Callie. No one knew about her and Alex. She’d kept their history under wraps, and until one of her colleagues had asked her to take his place at the game last night, she’d always found a way to get out of attending. To get out of seeing him.

  Because what would he say to her? It’d been years since she’d ended their relationship. She’d had her reasons, which had seemed hollower as the years had gone by. She’d believed ending things had been practical, but logic hadn’t made it hurt any less when he’d tried to reason with her. It’d been for the best. They’d been so young, and she was preparing for medical school and he’d just been traded. Their lives were just starting, and they weren’t going in the same direction. She’d repeated her reasons over and over, drilling them into her brain, but if she was completely honest with herself, her heart had never gotten the message.

  No man had ever measured up to her first—her only—love.

  “Maggie? I take it you fell under his spell. We all have,” Callie said, cutting through Maggie’s memories.

  “No, no. Of course not,” she said. “Aren’t you engaged?”

  Callie grinned. “Yes, but I’m not blind. So, what’s your deal with him? Come to think of it, you’re never around when he stops by. At least from what I remember.”

  “I should get back to my patients.”

  “I know for a fact that you just did your rounds and I’m due for a quick break. Want to grab coffee?” Callie asked.

  Maggie’s phone buzzed.

  Saved by a meeting.

  “Sorry, I can’t. Forgot I have a meeting with Sandra,” she said, backing away from her friend.

  “This isn’t over, Maggie,” Callie called out as Maggie headed to her boss’s office, hoping her meeting ran long and that Callie would forget about the game.

  Five hours later, Maggie couldn’t wait to crawl into her bed. The combination of a late night last night after the game went to overtime and checking in on Camilla, her ten-year-old patient who was back in the hospital after she’d gone through remission twice, had taken its toll. She both loved and hated her job, but seeing Camilla back in a hospital bed hit a little too close to home. Camilla reminded Maggie of her sister, Grace. Same bright smile through the pain, and a giggle that brought Maggie back to high school, when her eleven-year-old sister was battling the same aggressive cancer that plagued Camilla.

  Grace was why Maggie had pursued pediatric oncology. She hadn’t been able to save her sister, but she’d do everything she could to help other kids battling cancer.

  “Hey, you up for that coffee yet?” Callie said.

  “Crap, you startled me,” Maggie said, laughing and shoving aside thoughts of her sister.

  “I’m about to clock out and you look like you need a breather.”

  “That obvious, huh?”

  “I saw Camilla was back,” Callie said, shaking her head. “I’d really hoped…”

  “Me too. And yes, I could use a caffeine boost,” she said, locking up her tablet and following Callie to the elevator. She didn’t want to talk about Camilla.

  “Don’t think you’re getting out of telling me how you know Westie,” Callie said over her shoulder, her grin back in place.

  Maggie paused. Crap, she’d forgotten all about her upcoming inquisition. Maybe she didn’t need coffee after all.

  Callie linked her arm with Maggie’s. “Don’t even try to escape. You’re holding out on your best friend. It really hurts, Mags, like a lot.”

  Maggie couldn’t stop her smile. Maybe confiding in her new friend was a good thing.

  They found a table in the hospital café and tucked into the corner with their coffees and a cookie or two. Okay, she’d grabbed two. A balanced diet was a cookie in each hand, and she excelled at stress eating. Good thing she also enjoyed cardio, and working at the hospital kept her constantly moving.

  “Now spill.”

  “It was a great game. I’m glad they won. The kids had so much fun. I’d forgotten how loud kids can get when they’re excited.” And she had loved it, loved watching him play live again. It’d been way too long.

  The penalty had been bullshit, but they’d killed it and she was not ashamed to admit how loud she’d cheered when he’d sunk the puck into the back of the net twice. Nor could she forget the heat in her cheeks when he looked up at this suite and saluted the kids. She swore he’d spotted her in the corner, but that was ridiculous.

  “Yeah, yeah. It was a great game. They won. Now stop hedging. How do you know Westie? I’m honestly a crappy friend for not calling you out on your clear avoidance skills before,” Callie said over her coffee cup.

  “I’m not avoiding him. I’m just busy. Being a new resident isn’t easy,” she said.

  Callie waved her off. “Yeah, yeah. Spill, lady.”

  She took a deep breath. “I grew up with Westie—with Alex, in a suburb outside of Chicago. He lived on the street behind mine and sat behind me in school.”

  “And?”

  “We may have dated.”

  Callie’s grin widened. “I knew it. Why didn’t you say anything? Did he break your heart? How dare he.”

  Maggie laughed, and then ducked her head, focusing on the exceptionally delicious toffee cookie she was picking apart.

  “Not exactly. We dated in high school and for most of college. He got traded to the Strikers the semester before I graduated. He was coming here, and I was going to med school in Chicago. We were young, and long-distance relationships rarely work. It was easier to just end it.”

  “Oh, Maggie.”

  Maggie shrugged. “Yeah, he didn’t agree with my decision,
but it was the right one. His career was about to take off.”

  “You were clearly in love and could’ve gone to med school here.”

  “Young love rarely lasts. I saved us the heartache. My path was already set for school in Chicago. What if he was traded again? I had to put school first, and I don’t regret it. Well,” she paused. “Most of the time I don’t regret it.”

  “So, you haven’t seen him since?”

  “I mean, I’ve spotted him around our hometown a few times, but I rarely visited my parents while I was in med school. We somehow managed to avoid running into each other. Last night was the first time I’d talked to him in almost five years.”

  “Wow. How did that go?”

  Maggie huffed out a laugh. “It was awkward as hell.”

  “So, what happens now? You going to keep avoiding him?”

  “I don’t know. No. I shouldn’t avoid him. It’s childish. Honestly, I have no clue what to do. I miss him, our friendship. We went through a lot and that connection is probably what I miss the most.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure that’s the only thing you miss.”

  Heat flared in her cheeks as she picked at her second cookie.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I bet he’s dating someone now, and why would he want anything to do with the girl that broke up with him when we were kids?”

  “First of all, you never know how accurate those dating rumors are, and second, you weren’t kids and you had your reasons. But more importantly, there’s clearly still something there on your end and you can’t blame geography anymore.”

  “It’s still not a good idea. I have my residency to focus on. Even if for some crazy reason he wanted to, I don’t have time to date.” Yeah, that was a valid reason—excuse.

  “You know what, we’re going out. You have Saturday night off, right?”

  She eyed Callie. “Yes. But I planned to catch up on sleep.”

  “Lame. Max is watching Aiden Saturday night and we are going out,” Callie stated.

  Maggie hesitated.

  “Come on. You had a rough day and I know you have zero social life.”

  “Hey.”

  “Don’t argue. We are going out. I’ll bring a few friends and it’ll be a girls’ night. You need to meet more people anyway. You’re going to be with us for at least another two years.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “That means yes.”

  Maggie laughed but didn’t disagree. She could use a night out.

  Chapter Two

  “To Westie, and whatever lit a fire under your ass, it better keep on burning,” Sully called out Saturday night as a few of the guys gathered to celebrate their win that afternoon.

  Alex tipped his pint glass to Sully and laughed before taking a sip of his favorite IPA. Crash and Byrne was the unofficial Strikers hangout since Adam, the owner, who had played in the minors with a few of the guys had taken over his family’s bar when his father had passed. His chef, Sara, made the most amazing burgers and had finally given in and started dating Sully.

  Sully had become almost bearable since they’d stopped skirting around each other. For that alone, Alex would continue to support the bar.

  “So, what’s your secret?” Cheesy asked. “You doing something different with your game prep? Have to be careful changing that around. Not that it isn’t working.”

  Alex grinned at Cheesy, one of the most superstitious guys in the league.

  “Nah, just on a streak, I guess.” A streak that had resulted in a goal and two assists tonight, racking up his total to eight points in the last three games. Not that he’d played awful before her reappearance, but he was definitely on a hot streak since he’d seen Maggie in his suite.

  He still couldn’t believe she was living in his city, working in a hospital that he visited regularly.

  He planned to pay her a visit on Monday when he visited Children’s. Hopefully she was working. He’d texted her old number the other night, but someone else had responded. He shouldn’t have expected her to have the same number from five years ago, even if he kept his after he’d moved halfway across the country.

  Just in case.

  Dammit. He needed to figure out where his brain was with her.

  “Well, your points have helped us get a five-game winning streak, so keep it up,” Cheesy said, patting Alex on the back before he turned to answer a question one of the other guys called out to him.

  His teammates began talking about their upcoming game against Vancouver Tuesday night. Alex sipped his beer and replied when necessary, but his thoughts continued to go back to Maggie. It’d felt like both no time had passed and an eternity had passed since he’d last spoken to her.

  “Madison on her way?” Jake asked, popping up next to Alex.

  “What?”

  “Didn’t think you were that serious, but you have this look on your face. Similar to the one Harty’s always sporting when anyone brings up Penny.” Jake shook his head. “Man, I knew he was done when they met in Italy, but I didn’t think you were in that deep.”

  “Madison? No. We’re not,” Alex started, but anything else he’d planned to say died on his lips when she walked into the bar.

  Not Madison. Maggie. He swore a butterfly took flight in his chest. No, that was ridiculous. What were the damn odds that she’d show up at C&B tonight?

  She made her way to the bar, her friend calling out to Sara in greeting. Wait. That was Callie. It made sense since they both worked at the hospital.

  Maggie hadn’t spotted him yet. Her dark hair was pulled back, the ends brushing her neck. A neck that he’d worshipped for years, and his fingers currently itched to trace that perfect curve along her shoulder. His mouth actually watered. Shit. He was in trouble. He was lusting over her, standing in the corner of the bar, and she’d gone out of her way to avoid him. He was a masochist. She laughed softly as Adam said something after handing her a beer.

  “Who’s that?” Jake asked, pointing his beer toward Adam.

  “The blonde is Callie. Sara’s sister. Sara’s engaged sister.”

  “I know Callie. I’m referring to the brunette. She looks familiar.”

  “That’s Maggie. She’s a new resident at Children’s Hospital.”

  “Yeah. I think I’ve met her before when I went with a few of the guys at Halloween.” Jake shook his head, laughing. “Baz was Chewbacca. Barely needed a costume.”

  “Of course, he didn’t,” Alex said, before tipping back the rest of his beer.

  “Maggie is hot. Wonder if she’s single?” Jake continued, and Alex choked on his beer.

  “You all right, man?” Jake asked, slapping Alex on the back.

  “I’m fine,” he said, setting his empty bottle on the bar and not looking down the length of scarred wood to see if Maggie had witnessed his coughing fit.

  “You sure? There is a doctor in the house. One I need to reintroduce myself to.”

  “Stay away from her.” The words—and the growl—were out of his mouth before he realized, and Jake tilted his head in question.

  “Why? You interested? What about Madison?”

  “Maggie is an old friend,” Alex said. “And she’s off-limits.” He felt like an asshole, warning away his teammate, especially when Alex was dating someone, even if it was very casually. He’d known Madison for a few years and they’d been on a handful of dates in the last two months, but it wasn’t serious. She wasn’t Maggie. And now he felt like an even bigger asshole.

  “Old friend, huh? Just a friend?” Jake asked. “Yeah, let’s see how the good doctor is doing.”

  Jake turned and headed toward Maggie, chuckling when Alex muttered, “I’ll break your damn legs.”

  Shit. He wanted to see her again, but in the middle of the bar, surrounded by his teammates was not where he saw this reunion happening.

  “Maggie, right?” Jake said, sidling up next to Maggie.

  She looked over her shoulder.
“Umm, yes.” And then she spotted him. “Ahh, hi, Alex.”

  “Hey,” he said, trying to gauge her reaction to him.

  She offered him a small smile before she focused on Callie, whispering something that made Callie grin and take another sip of her wine.

  Jake held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Jake. We met at the hospital. At Halloween.”

  Dammit. He could’ve run into her over a month ago, but he’d skipped Halloween at the hospital because he’d been sick.

  “Nice to see you again,” Maggie said, but her eyes were focused on Alex.

  He sucked in a breath, getting trapped in her gaze. A gaze that held a mixture of question, nerves, and something else. Something he hadn’t seen in a long time. Her cheeks flushed under the low light of the bar before she turned her attention to Jake.

  “So, Westie said you two are old friends,” Jake said, grabbing a new beer that Adam had pushed in front of him.

  “Yeah. We grew up together,” she said, slowly.

  “He was awkward, right? Still has that going on for him,” Jake said, and Alex did not resist the urge to elbow his teammate in the ribs. Jake laughed and stepped closer to Maggie.

  Alex glared at his teammate. “I think Harty’s looking for you, Jake.”

  “Nah, he’s busy with Penny,” Jake said, brushing Alex off before he offered to grab Maggie’s next drink.

  “I’m good, thanks,” she said before she focused on Alex. “So, how are you? Great game tonight.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I know we didn’t get the chance to catch up the other night. I’ve been meaning to reach out—”

  “Really?” he asked, cutting her off. Now she wanted to reach out? “Is that why you showed up here tonight?”

  “What? No. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “You didn’t know this was the team’s unofficial bar?”

  Maggie’s cheeks pinked, and she turned to her friend. “Seriously, Callie? You couldn’t have warned me?” she muttered, but Alex hadn’t missed a word.

  Neither had Jake, if that grin was anything to go by.

  “Well, this is interesting,” Jake piped in.