I Lost a Bet to My Hockey Rival, Now I Wear His Number novel · Chapter 10 of 24
Chapter 10: The Pond
The pond behind the cabin was a rink Gaspard had flooded by hand, twice a night for a week.
It had two nets made of firewood and a plank.
"First to five," he said, lacing his skates on the porch step. "Winner picks the night."
"The night?"
"Tonight. Whatever the winner wants."
"Whatever?"
"Within reason."
"I want zero reason."
"Then you must win."
It was ten degrees and bright, and the snow on the far shore looked like spun sugar.
Nash had borrowed a pair of old skates two sizes too big and a stick with a cracked blade.
He had never been so happy in his life.
They played in their sweaters, no pads, no helmets, two grown men sliding around a frozen pond with a tennis ball in their pockets for backup.
They played with an anger that surprised both of them.
The score went one to nothing, two to one, three to three.
Gaspard was faster in a straight line.
Nash was dirtier in the corners.
At four to four, with the sun low and gold and his lungs on fire, Nash stole the puck behind the plank net and cut across.
Gaspard came with him, shoulder to shoulder, close enough to feel the heat coming off him.
"You are leaning," Gaspard said.
"I'm a leaner."
"You are not even looking at the goal."
"I don't need to."
He snapped it one-handed, short and nasty, through the five-hole of a plank.
It hit the snowbank behind the net with a soft thump.
The pond went quiet.
"Five to four," Nash said, panting, lifting both arms. "Tell me what I want."
"I would rather not."
"Say it. I won."
"You won." Gaspard leaned on his stick, hair damp, mouth tight. "Name your night."
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–6 of I Lost a Bet to My Hockey Rival, Now I Wear His Number are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
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