The Hockey Captain Wants the Size 20 Team Chef Every Night novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Locked Out

Doran skated the length of the ice with eighteen thousand people screaming and the Cup sitting alone on a red carpet behind him.

He came off the ice at the tunnel on his blades, and he stopped at the velvet rope.

The guard put a hand up.

"Captain, I've been instructed."

"By who?" Doran said.

The woman in the black blazer stepped out from beside the wall.

"Ms. Hartley's office, Captain. The credential list was finalized this morning. The commissioner is waiting for the team photograph."

"Whose name is missing?"

"Captain, it's a matter of ice capacity."

"Whose name is missing from the list?" he said again, very softly.

She didn't answer.

He looked down the line of the rope.

He saw me with my ladle and his mother on the step beside me, and I watched him understand every part of it.

Behind him, a clatter of pads came off the ice.

Pavel Ruzicka came across the concrete in full goalie gear, with his mask pushed up on his head and tears streaming down his face.

Hank Doyle was a step behind him with his whistle swinging.

"What is this?" said Hank. "Why is my chef behind a rope?"

"Coach, there's a protocol."

"Is there?"

Hank bent, undid the clip on the rope with one hand, and let it drop.

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