Page 59 of The Chemistry Coach
“You really were,” Hazy said.
“I cheered for the Seattle goal too.”
Valentine said, “Too little, too late.It was a blowout.The damage was already done.”
“What are the chances you’ll lose the damn San Jose jersey for tomorrow’s game?”Hazy asked.
She smiled, prepared for him to give her a hard time.“Not a chance in hell.”
The hurt on Valentine’s face crushed her soul.Connor wouldn’t ask her to wear his jersey, but Valentine might.She held out her wrist for him to see.“You’ll be represented though.”
The light in his eyes returned.“I like this.You should do this for every game.”
“I don’t go to every game.”
“Well, when you do, you should.You’re coming tomorrow?To see Patrick?”
Connor grimaced, and Hazy rolled his eyes.“Yes.”
Valentine considered it, and when a lightbulb went off for him, Daisy’s hackles raised.“What if we bet on it?”he asked.
“Ha.You didn’t learn your lesson betting me the last time?I don’t make bets I won’t win.”
Hazy offered his two cents.“Then you have nothing to worry about.”
She couldn’t help herself; she loved a good bet.“And what are the terms of this proposed bet?”
Connor jumped at the opportunity, a surprise to Daisy, since he’d refused to bet last time they all played.“I want the San Jose jersey gone.You can keep it, but it should never grace another Freeze game.”
Daisy mulled the idea over.Patrick wouldn’t like it.“If the stakes are my quitting a decade-long tradition with my best friend, you’ll need to deliver.What are you offering?”
A cocky gleam filled Valentine’s eyes.“Beanie is going to get a hatty, and both me and Hazy will have assists.But Hazy and I get to pick a reward too.”
She contemplated the offer.Connor hadn’t had a goal in months.Let alone a multi-goal game.And a hat trick was a rare occurrence for any player.Getting three goals in a single game was improbable.The risk was pretty low.She never let herself do sports betting, so this could be fun.“What do I get if you don’t meet the terms?”
Connor answered, “We’ll never bring up the wagers again.You can wear your San Jose jersey to every game.”
Never having to argue about it again was a tempting offer.“Fine.I’ll agree to that one.What about you two?”She waved a finger between Valentine and Hazy.
Hazy pointed to her wrist.“You get that tattooed on.”
Daisy had gotten far dumber tattoos for less.“Done.”
All eyes fell to a maniacally grinning Valentine.“If we do this, you have to go on a date with Beanie.And me and Hazy get to plan it.”
The wager left Daisy speechless.She’d coveted a date with Connor for years, but it wasn’t something she could agree to alone.It took her a few seconds to process, and a few more to formulate a response.They were staring, but her attention stayed focused on Valentine.Her mouth opened a few times to answer before she blurted out, “Forcing Connor to go on a date with me doesn’t seem like a good reward for getting a hat trick.”
Connor cleared his throat, and attention shifted to him.“A date with you is the perfect reward for getting a hat trick.”
Her face got hot, but she stuck out her hand, shaking each man’s.“Deal.”
Daisy got dressed for the game the next day as usual, but she put a little more reverence into it.On the off chance it would be her last time wearing Patrick’s jersey to the arena, she savored the process.She wore a Seattle Freeze sweatshirt underneath.Put a little extra glitter on her cheeks.Refreshed the numbers on her wrist.
It wasn’t until she got to the arena that she realized she’d made a mistake.Sometimes when you go to a game, there’s a certain feeling in the building.It’s like electricity in the air, a tension you can feel with your entire being.It feels like the sheer force of will of the crowd will ensure a home team win.That night was one of those nights.
Daisy and Grayson took their spots on the glass a few minutes after warmups had already started.She scanned the ice, her anxiety spiking when she found Patrick at center ice talking with Valentine.At least their posture seemed relaxed.
She’d told Patrick the stakes, but he hadn’t been worried.
