Chapter Thirty-One

The ice palace, which was designed for figure skating, didn’t have any hockey nets. But once she put her skates on, Natalie went in search of something they could use instead. She found a couple of cones and a bucket in the hallway by the dressing rooms. She looked around but there was no one there to stop her from borrowing them for a few minutes.

She walked back to the ice with her bounty and slid one of the cones to Darcy before stepping out onto the ice herself. She retrieved one of the sticks she’d brought from the side of the ice.

She sent a perfect saucer pass to Darcy across the ice. Darcy caught it, her hands still as silky as Natalie remembered.

“When was the last time you played?” Natalie asked.

Darcy shrugged. “We had a pickup game with my family last Christmas, but I don’t know if that counts. There’s not much in the way of hockey for a has-been in New York. It’s mostly dudes. And playing with a bunch of high school heroes isn’t that appealing.”

Natalie took a lap, enjoying the wind in her face. “I bet once they figured out you were an Olympian they all wanted to take a run at you.”

Darcy grimaced and sped up until she was alongside Natalie. “Yeah. What is it with dudes thinking they have to prove themselves?”

Natalie shook her head. “It’s only the ones who suck who feel like that. The guys who are actually good aren’t jerks about it.” She took the puck and fired a shot off the boards before sprinting to grab the ricochet.

Darcy slapped her stick against the ice, waiting for Nat to pass. “That’s true. The men’s team was always supportive of us.”

“Yeah, because they have nothing to prove by trying to make you look bad.”

Darcy took the puck and stickhandled, threading the puck between her feet and spinning with it before sending it back to Natalie. “Fuck, I missed this,” she said with a sigh. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t miss the beep test or lifting until my hamstrings feel like they’re going to snap, but I miss the ice, you know?”

Natalie gave her a brittle smile. It had been a month since she learned she wouldn’t be on the team for the Olympics. Less than five weeks since she went from national team member to TV host. It felt fine at first. The feeling of having something, anything to do after being told she wasn’t good enough anymore to do the one thing she’d been doing her whole life.

“Yeah.” She breathed the word more than spoke it. Skating was a part of her. The loss still ached. Being back on the ice reminded her of what she lost but maybe that was okay.

Darcy skated toward her, the puck seemingly glued to her stick. “You know, if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here.” She focused on the puck, not meeting Natalie’s eyes at first. “I know how hard it is to go from living hockey to not.” She looked up. “I know you hate me but I do know what it’s like.”

“I don’t hate you,” Natalie said without thinking.

Darcy made a face and bent at the waist to scoop the puck up with her stick. “Bullshit. You’ve hated me since... A long time.”

Natalie shook her head and stole the puck. She didn’t want to have this conversation. She wanted to skate until her legs and lungs screamed for mercy. That was easier than talking to Darcy about this, about anything real. The anger, the snarky banter, all of it was easier than talking about that night.

She took off with the puck, tossing a glance over her shoulder, daring Darcy to chase her. She heard the grinding of skates, the clop of steel against the ice as Darcy’s legs churned toward Natalie. Darcy used to be faster, not that Natalie would have admitted it to anyone, but not anymore. Natalie was in top shape, ready to play in these Olympics if not for the decision of her coaches. She would have been walking in the opening ceremonies, pulling on the USA sweater, and doing everything she could to demolish every other team that got in her way.

Darcy was years from having trained like a world-class athlete. She was strong and fit but it was nothing like she once was. And Natalie enjoyed the feeling of taking off down the ice and leaving Darcy in the dust. At least she enjoyed it for a couple of minutes. Once it became obvious that Darcy wasn’t going to catch her, she eased up. It was no fun to simply run away if the race wasn’t going to be close. She stopped, cradling the puck with her stick, and sending a spray of ice flying before grinning at Darcy.

Darcy took the opportunity to poke the puck away from Natalie and sprinted toward the cone they set up in one end of the ice. She slid the puck across the smooth ice and yelled when the puck knocked the cone over.

“One, nothing, Canada.”

“Oh my god. You’re a child.” Natalie took three strides toward Darcy and then swooped in to steal the puck while Darcy was still crowing about her goal. She took the puck out toward center ice before turning back. She dangled the puck off to one side, daring Darcy to make a play for it. Darcy did and Natalie slid the puck through her feet and caught it on the other side in time to redirect it toward the cone.

“One, one. And a nutmeg.” Natalie said it with a laugh. “You better watch your five-hole otherwise this could get embarrassing for you.”

Neither player scored on their next two attempts with the puck. They heard the telltale sound of a Zamboni starting and looked toward the end of the ice.

“Shit. We can’t end in a tie.”

Darcy nodded gravely. “Sudden death, Carpenter. Loser buys lunch.”

“Lunch is free, dipshit,” Natalie chirped back. She grabbed the puck and drove for the cone. Darcy poked the puck away at the last minute and leaned her shoulder into Natalie as she skated as hard as she could for it.

Darcy beat her to the puck and circled back toward the cone. She tried for a quick shot between Natalie’s feet but Natalie was too fast. Natalie took the puck and raced for the cone.

The Zamboni honked at them. Darcy looked up. Natalie took her opportunity and slid the puck toward the cone. Darcy looked on in horror as the puck, seemingly in slow motion, hit the cone and knocked it over.

Natalie thrust her hands toward the sky. “Do you believe in miracles?” she shouted before picking up the puck and taking a victory lap. She waved to the nonexistent crowd. “Did you see that, folks? Carpenter took LaCroix on one-on-one and crushed her.”

Darcy’s laugh echoed through the building. “Come on, we have to get out of here,” she said, scooping up the cone and the bucket and one of the errant pucks.

They hopped off the ice and waved to the Zamboni driver, who looked grumpy and annoyed. Darcy fell onto the bench next to Natalie, a smile breaking across her face.

“I haven’t had that much fun in a long time,” she said, her words punctuated by heavy breaths.

Natalie bent over to untie her skates. “I’m not a total monster. If you aren’t looking for every reason you can to be pissed at me, we might have a little bit of fun while we’re here.” She cocked her head to the side so she could look up at Darcy.

Darcy’s face was partway in shadow, so Natalie couldn’t make out exactly what Darcy was thinking. “I don’t think you’re a monster. A gigantic pain in the ass, but not a monster. You’re still the same cocky freshman who showed up on my team like she owned the place.”

Natalie laughed, her fingers pulling at her laces. “It seems like I keep showing up places you’ve staked out as your own, eh?”

Darcy shrugged. “I’m glad you do.” They looked at each other for a moment, their eyes softening.

“Hey! Are you two ready to go?”

Natalie and Darcy sat up, startled by the camera operator who popped his head around the corner to find them.

“Truck’s loaded and we’re starving. Do you want to ride with us or do you want to figure out your own way back?”

Darcy shook her head. “Two minutes and we’ll be there. Thanks for waiting.”

Natalie kicked her skates off, wondering if the moment between them had been real or imagined. With Darcy hunched over untying her skates, there was no way to tell if what floated between them was something or a mirage.

Natalie sighed and placed her skates in the bag. “Hand me those?” she said, pointing to Darcy’s skates.

Darcy handed them over. “Thanks for thinking of this. I had a really good time,” she said, a touch of pink creeping up her cheeks.

Whether it was from the cold or something else, Natalie couldn’t be sure. Either way, it was nice to have some time with the Darcy she remembered from before everything went wrong. She’d like to think they could go back to how they were, even if they couldn’t go back to who they were.

That Natalie who fell for her captain and was destroyed by a few awful words was gone. But maybe this Natalie could be friends with this version of Darcy. Friends would be all right. Friends don’t destroy each other, not like that anyway.