The Goalie Bet novel · Chapter 25 of 32

Chapter 25: The Final

I worked the conference final from the training room.

That's what a student trainer gets on game night. The room, and the kit, and a TV on a rolling cart.

Cinderblock walls, a fridge that hummed too loud, a towel over my shoulder I didn't need yet.

Down the tunnel the building was roaring. Eleven thousand people and a berth on the line.

Logan was dressed.

Third from the left on the bench, in a jacket and pads, helmet in his lap.

He hadn't started. The starter had the net and the coach had made that clear all week.

I watched the anthem on the cart TV with my arms crossed.

The first period went by with no knock on the door.

The second period went by the same way.

I stood there doing nothing for forty minutes, which is the worst part of this job.

At the ten-minute mark of the third somebody knocked twice and opened the door without waiting.

Logan came in.

Pads on, helmet off, hair flat against his forehead.

"TV timeout," he said.

"You're supposed to be on the bench."

"I am on the bench. I walked twelve feet."

"You're not supposed to be walking twelve feet."

He shut the door behind him with his heel.

"Ninety seconds," he said.

"For what."

"Guess."

He crossed the room and got both hands on my face and kissed me.

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