28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

W ith our first game down, and a win nonetheless, we are working hard to prepare for our next game. My phone rings, and I look down to see my mother's smiling face on the screen.

I smirk as I accept the video call. "Hey Mom."

She turns the screen a bit so that my dad is in the video as well. I chuckle as I wave to him. "Hey Dad."

They exchange a look before grinning wide. "Happy Birthday!" they shout together.

I can't help but laugh as I realize I forgot my own birthday. I've been so focused on getting the team ready for the game tomorrow that I didn't think much about what day it is. I look at the calendar on the fridge that has everyone's schedule scribbled on it. Yep. It is October nineteenth.

I look back to my parents with a smile. "Thanks."

My mom arches a brow. "You forgot about your birthday, didn't you?"

With a shrug, I continue to get everything ready for tonight. They guys decided to do a movie night and chill before the game tomorrow. "I've been busy getting everything ready for the season. I forgot what the date was."

She huffs a sigh. "At least do something other than your job on your birthday."

I laugh and give her another nod. "I promise, Ma. Love you both."

"Love you too," they say in unison before ending the call.

I shake my head and laugh. I suppose I have been focused more on work than anything else. How does someone forget their own birthday? I grab two bowls of popcorn for movie night. The others aren't due to arrive for another few minutes.

As I make my way out of the kitchen, I'm greeted with a loud, "Surprise!" I let out a loud squeal, the bowls of popcorn in my hands go flying, and it rains down all around me, some of it landing on my head.

I grab my chest as I look around and find the guys with wide smiles and hundreds of boxes of beads. What the hell are they planning now? "What the hell?" I shout because, damn, they almost gave me a heart attack.

Vicy and Taz give me sheepish smiles, and I should have known they would plan something like this. "We wanted to do something for your birthday, but we weren't sure what to do," Taz says with a shrug.

Vicy holds up a box of beads. "We figured a movie night and friendship bracelet making was safe the night before a game."

"Friendship bracelet making?" I ask with a snort.

Taz points a finger at me with mock anger. "Don't diss the power of a friendship bracelet."

I hold my hands up in surrender and laugh. "Not dissing the power of friendship, man. Just wondering why this was your first thought."

"We figured ten bracelets may be too many for you to wear all the time, so we agreed Lewi and Oli will each make you a bracelet. The rest of us will make one for you together," Vicy says with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Well damn. Who am I to say no to friendship bracelets. "Alright, fine. That means I can make each of you a bracelet then, right?"

Taz and Vicy both nod happily. "Yes."

With an eyeroll and a laugh, I make my way to the center of the living room. "Alright, let's get this party started then. But someone needs to make more popcorn."

Mac stands from the couch, heading toward the kitchen. "I got it."

Turning to look around at the boxes, I'm not sure where to start. I suppose I could start with Dean and Mac's, but I'm not sure what to do for them yet. I huff out a sigh and grab a box, deciding to work on the others' while I think of what to make.

I start with Perri. I'm going to pick his favorite colors and then spell out his name. It isn't very original, but it doesn't have to be. I grab several shades of red beads and pick out the letters for his name.

Moving onto Tuck, I decide to use Bobby instead. I grin as I pick out the letters and different shades of yellow. I even pick a sun to put in the spot of the ‘O' instead of the letter.

For Merc's bracelet, I decide to make it in tribute to his twins. I do blue on one side with ‘Seb' for Sebastian. Then separate it with a black heart with ‘Sav' for Savannah. I add a few pink beads to finish up the bracelet.

Vicy and Taz's bracelets are easy. Vicy's is orange with the letters spelling ‘Lil bro' and an orange heart separating the two words. Taz's is green with the same words but with a green heart.

Ozzy's bracelet is dark blue with the words ‘Oz Man'. And I grin when I find a little hockey puck bead to separate ‘Oz' and ‘Man'.

Gilly and Fenni did a gender reveal a few days ago, and their wives talked about the babies' names. Fenni and Sam are having a boy named Declan, so I make a purple bracelet with a purple heart on either side of the name ‘Declan'. Gilly and Dannielle are also having a boy, who they named Rook. I remember Gilly having mentioned her favorite color once and hunt for the sage-green colored beads. Using the green beads for most of the bracelet, I put silver hearts on either side of ‘Rook'.

Finished with the others, I move on to Dean and Mac's. I work on Dean's first, using black and blue beads. There's a little ghost bead, so I grab two and spell out his nickname, a little ghost on either side.

Switching to Mac's, I grab two little bear beads. I pull up the word I want on my phone to make sure I spell it right. I want to use a personal nickname for him like I did with Dean's. I'm not sure what to use for his bracelet until I find the French word for teddy bear. Mac always calls me Chérie, which makes me want to make his with a French name. I put together his bracelet with the word ‘nounours'.

Once done, I look up to find the guys watching me, and I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. "What?"

Vicy snorts as he stands and makes his way over to me. He hands me three bracelets as he holds out his other hand. "You want me to hand them out?"

I grab the bracelets from him before handing over the ten I made. Before I look at the ones they made me, I watch the others as they receive their's.

Perri grins down at his wrist, then looks up to me with a smirk and a wink. "Thanks."

Tuck laughs when he sees I choose to put Bobby instead of Tuck. He points to the sun as he looks up at me. "I've got a sunshine personality, right?"

I laugh and throw a loose bead at him. He dodges it with a smirk. Merc is smiling down at his bracelet. When he glances up at me, he has a wide grin. "Thanks, Liz."

Ozzy snorts out a laugh, and I turn to see him showing off his bracelet. "Oz Man?"

I shrug. "It's a great nickname." My eyes jerk to Taz and Vicy who are pumping their fists in the air, chanting, "Lil bros for life!"

Gilly and Fenni are both caressing their bracelets with their sons' names. They look up at me with appreciation and say in unison, "Thanks Lizzy."

I chance a look to Dean and Mac and find them grinning wide. They point to the bracelets in my lap, encouraging me to check out what they made. I look down to find a baby-blue one with the words ‘Ice Princess', a silver bracelet with ‘Chérie', and the last one a rainbow of colors with ‘Roe Roe'. I smile as I roll them onto my wrist.

"So, how's your birthday?" Perri asks with a hint of amusement.

"The best I've had in a while," I say with a smile.

Vicy claps his hands. "Movie night!"

Taz jumps up from the floor. "I'll get the cake and ice cream!"

I shake my head and lean against the couch. Dean and Mac come to sit beside me. They both bump into my shoulder before pressing a kiss to my cheeks at the same time. My face is squished, but I can't help but laugh.

"Happy Birthday!"

Our first away game of the season has me a bit rattled. I could have sworn I packed everything but, of course, I always forget something. Thankfully the home team's complex is accommodating, and they let me take what I need.

I clap my hands to get everyone's attention. This may not be our complex, but that doesn't stop us from our pre-game ritual. "Alright! It's our first away game of the season, but that doesn't mean there aren't people in those stands rooting for us. For you."

The guys howl in confirmation, getting hyped to hit the ice. I point to easch of them. "We have a plan, so let's stick to it." I point to Perri who will be playing tonight. "We've been working on that calf for the last few days, and you've looked great during practice. Don't—"

"—do anything stupid. I know, boss," Perri finishes for me.

I point to Dean next. "Let's not bloody the ice this time."

He gives me a cheeky grin, holding up his hands in surrender. "No promises, boss."

I roll my eyes but can't keep the smile off my face as I stare down at my boys from the bench. "Let's play our hearts out and take home another win. Now, get your asses into that locker room!"

Before they leave, Vicy holds up a carabiner with all the friendship bracelets I made for them attached. "We can't wear them out on the ice, so will you keep them safe?"

With a grin, I take it from him and clip it onto my belt loop. "I'll keep them safe. I promise."

He nods and turns to the others. "Alright boys, let's go!"

They all file out except for Mac and Dean. They look at each other, then take a step toward me. They reach down to take something off their wrists before holding them out to me. My eyes widen when I realize that they are the bracelets Mac's mom had given them.

"What—" Before I can finish the question, Mac interrupts me.

"We were wondering if you could wear these for safe keeping?"

I look between them before slowly reaching out a hand. "Why are you having me hold onto them? Where do you normally keep them?"

Dean shrugs as he backs away a bit. "We normally keep them in the locker room."

Mac backs away, following Dean with a shrug. "We figure they will be safer with you."

I slip them onto my left wrist—that is currently empty compared to my right, which has my watch along with the three bracelets I got for my birthday. I roll my thumb over the bracelets before looking back at them. "Are you sure?"

Dean grins as he takes another step toward the door. "No safer place than with you, Ice Princess."

"We trust you," Mac adds before he turns to walk out the door.

I watch as they leave unable to move from my spot. I'm left speechless; this isn't just a simple act of trust on their part. These bracelets are a part of their very heart and soul. And... they left them with me to guard and protect.

I run my thumb over the beads again. "I'll protect them. I promise."