Face-Off at the Altar

by Toni Aleo

  “Good, let’s do this.”

  He held his fist out, and Markus bumped his glove to it before he skated back into his spot. As the ref signaled the puck drop, Markus’s heart was pounding in his chest, rattling his ears as he waited. Keeping his feet moving, he watched as they lined up, and when the puck was won back to him, he passed it off to Jayden with ease. Jayden carried it before passing it hard up the side to where Vaughn was waiting, passing it to Titov, who was by the net. He shot, and the Devils’ goalie batted it away with ease. One of the defensemen stole it from Vaughn before sending it up to his forward, who was right beside Markus.

  Lifting his stick, Markus stole it, sending it against the board behind the net to Jayden. He, in turn, passed it up to Anderson as Markus rushed off the ice, going into the door of the bench as the next defensemen team, Jordie and Karson, went over the boards. Sucking in breaths, he reached for a Gatorade bottle, squirting some into his mouth before being smacked on the shoulder.

  “Great shift, Reeves,” Coach Baxter said into his ear. “Keep that shit up.”

  When a grin spread over his lips, he looked over at Jayden, who nodded his head, a smug look on his face. “Hey, I didn’t suck.”

  “You didn’t,” he laughed. “Told ya you’d do great.”

  “I’m pretty sure you said ‘Don’t fuck up.’”

  “I did. Same thing.”

  Not sure what to say to that, Markus sucked down some more Gatorade as he watched his team on the ice. The Devils had come to play, wanting to win their first game back too, but the Assassins were relentless on the goalie, firing shots left and right. When Patrick Franklin sent it back to Jordie, he shot hard, going right through the five-hole of the goalie.

  The place lost it.

  Markus stood up with his team, and they all cheered loudly as the arena sang the fight song. The boys came toward them, smacking their hands in congratulations of a good shift. The scorer, Jordie, skated by, a big grin on his face while he pumped his fist in the air, smacking everyone’s hands as he yelled out, “Let’s do it again!”

  Markus liked Jordie. He was a cool dude and he had the cutest little girl, but his wife, Kacey, was scary and hurt Markus. A lot. She was the best trainer he had ever had in his life, but he was pretty sure he could never do another burpee and live life happily.

  Tapping his hand, Jordie shot him a grin before pointing to him. “You’re next, buddy.”

  Markus laughed, but man, wouldn’t that be great. Hell, it didn’t even need to be today, it could be in a month and would still be the most amazing thing ever.

  “Reeves, Sinclair, go,” Coach called. Pulling his head out of the scoring cloud, Markus hustled over the boards and jumped back, skating backward as he watched the play happening before him. Everyone was trickling shots at the goalie, hoping for another goal. Skating to the point, he waited. His adrenaline was running on high, his heart was basically coming out of his chest, and all he could think about was the possibility of scoring.

  Damn Jordie.

  Stupid, wanting to impress Mekena.

  When the puck came toward him, he rushed to it, ready to pass it, but the same fucker he had lifted the stick on before lifted his stick and took off on a breakaway.

  “Fuck!” he yelled, and then he dug in, digging deep to catch him. Boy, was he fast. When he went to shoot, Markus laid out, swinging his stick, praying he only got the puck and didn’t trip the guy. Thankfully, he did, and the crowd lost it as Jayden got the puck and sent it up to Anderson, who carried it in as Markus got back to his feet before he rushed back up the ice, getting the puck as it was passed back to him. He passed it to Jayden, who passed it back, and then he faked a shot, pulling the goalie to the left before passing it right onto the stick of Vaughn, who shot top shelf right over the goalie and into the back of the net.

  Boom!

  “Attaboy, Reeves!” Vaughn called back to him as they wrapped up in a hug.

  “Great play, Reeves,” Anderson yelled, the volume of the crowd deafening.

  “Way to go!”

  Skating toward the bench after Vaughn, Markus tapped the gloves of his friends. As he rounded around, getting ready for the next puck drop, he looked to Mekena, but she wasn’t taking pictures. She was screaming her ass off.

  For him.

  And he decided this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

  The Assassins won.

  Four to zero.

  It was a great game, and Markus was on the high of his life. The locker room was full of happy chatter as they all sat in their own spots, rehydrating and wiping off the sweat from the game. The sounds of the people cheering were still loud, and Markus was pretty sure he’d never come down from this high. He felt good. He felt at home.

  This was his home.

  When Coach came in, everyone clapped as he went to the middle of the room, though not on the Assassins’ mascot since, apparently, there was some rule about not stepping on it. It was bad luck. So of course, when they told him that, Markus avoided it like the plague. Even when Jayden thought it would be funny to push him onto it.

  He looked like Mr. Right trying to escape water.

  “Great game, boys. We have some things to work on, more shots on goal, for one, but let’s give a round of applause to Reeves for some great playing tonight,” Baxter said, and soon the room was filled with applause and cheers as Markus swore he turned every shade of red. Which was probably funny-looking on his dark skin, but he wouldn’t know because he was beaming like a fool. This was everything he wanted, and to get the recognition was really great.

  He couldn’t wait to tell Mekena.

  “Great game, Odder. And Jayden, great leadership. I’m happy. Really happy,” Baxter finished with a nod. “Now for the fun stuff,” he said, and everyone groaned. Markus had no clue what was going on. “Reeves, because it’s your first game, and, Johansson, ’cause you scored two goals and it’s your turn.”

  Markus looked to Jayden, who smiled. “What?”

  “Media.”

  “Oh, cool,” Markus said, but apparently, Vaughn did not think it was cool.

  “Didn’t I just do it?”

  “No, that was last season.”

  Vaughn made a face and then shook his head. “Fucking hell,” he muttered before getting up and heading to the door.

  In his underwear.

  “You don’t want to put on pants?” Markus asked as he hurried to catch up with him.

  “Nope,” he said simply as he walked down the hall with Markus on his heels. As much as he wanted to give the guy shit for walking around in just tight white boxers and his cup, he soon couldn’t speak. The lights of the media area blinded him, and when he saw the camera crew, his stomach flipped. Where was his excitement? Because now he was just nervous. What if he fucked up?

  When he heard the intake of a female breath, he glanced past Vaughn, who looked more and more like he wanted to off himself, to a very hot chick who was maybe five foot. She was itty bitty with big blue eyes and short blond hair. She wore a dress like Mekena would wear, long-sleeved and to her knees, with high heels. She was the size Mekena used to be too, thick, almost like Elli. And boy, was she pretty. Strong jawline and long, lush eyelashes.

  But she looked like she had been punched in the gut and wanted to be anywhere but there when her eyes settled on Vaughn. Markus swore he heard her mumble, “Fuck.”

  “Let’s get this shit over with,” Vaughn muttered, crossing his arms as he towered over who Markus assumed was the broadcaster. He hadn’t met her yet, but she was holding a mic, and when she held it to her mouth, he figured he was right.

  “Where are your pants? He has no pants on.”

  “What, sweetheart? My cock distracting?”

  She glared as some of the guys sputtered with laughter. “Considering half of that is the cup, I’m not the least bit distracted.”

  Vaughn’s eyes narrowed, but Markus’s eyes were as big as saucers as they glared at each other. />
  Looking to the camera, the reporter grinned widely and said, “I’m Brie Soledad, here with Vaughn Johansson, who scored two goals tonight in the four to zero win over the Devils.” She spoke brightly and happily, unlike a few seconds before when she looked as if she wanted to gouge her eyeballs out. “Vaughn, great game. Sick shot over the goalie’s shoulder in the first. Can you walk us through the play?”

  With a dry look, he bent down even more to make sure she didn’t have to reach and said, “I was in the right place at the right time, Reeves passed one hell of a pass, and I shot it in. Like I’m paid to do. Because I’m a hockey player, and that’s what we do.”

  Markus pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. Brie, though, he could see that she wanted to smack Vaughn with the mic. “Yes, so, ugh…can you…walk us through the second goal?”

  “I shot it really hard. It went in.”

  Markus nearly snorted with laughter, but he held it in as he shook his head. Brie kept on trudging. “Yes, and what a great shot. You are really an asset to this team, and the crowd was rocking tonight.”

  “Because they’re the best fucking crowd in the NHL.”

  When Markus heard the gasp, not from Brie but the staff, Markus sputtered with laughter. Taking the mental note not to cuss, Markus watched as Brie glared and said, “Wow, thanks so much. That’s all I’ve got with Vaughn Johansson. Stay tuned for star rookie, Markus Reeves.”

  “We’re done? You don’t want to ask me anything else?”

  “No.”

  “Oh, darn, I enjoy this so much,” Vaughn said before walking away like he hadn’t just ruined that interview.

  Bursting at the seams, Brie whipped around to another person in a suit. “Doesn’t he know that was live? He can’t do that! He ruins it every single time. I refuse to interview him anymore. He wasn’t even wearing pants!”

  “You couldn’t see, it’s okay. We’ll talk to him. Get ready, we go back in two minutes.”

  “He sexually harassed me!”

  The guy gave her a level look. “And you sexually harassed him with the shot about his dick. Come on, Brie, just let it go. He’s the star of the team.”

  “He’s a monster douche,” she muttered, shaking her head. Letting out a long breath, Brie looked to Markus, and he smiled as he waved.

  “Hey! How’s it going?”

  “Hi, ugh, sorry,” she said, holding her hand out. “I’m Brie Soledad. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You too.”

  “So are you ready for this?”

  “Yes, and I promise I’ll do better than he did.”

  “Thank God,” she muttered before the guy with the camera started counting down. “Okay, this will be easy and painless.”

  “Bring it on.”

  Markus Reeves was ready for anything.

  Markus told Mekena to meet him in Baylor’s box that was up in the club suites on the second floor of the arena. After looking for it for almost thirty minutes, she finally found it, and by the time she got there, she was annoyed. But when she knocked on the door and Baylor answered, a grin on her face, Mekena’s annoyance evaporated, especially when Baylor said, “What a game, right? Markus did great!”

  That was her boyfriend Baylor was talking about, and the feeling of overwhelming pride was suffocating her.

  “He did,” she gushed with a huge grin as she entered, Baylor shutting the door behind her. “I’m superproud and got some great shots.”

  “Awesome. I can’t wait to see them. Did you get any of my man?”

  “I did. I got his goal,” she said proudly since it was an awesome shot. Jayden had swung back, hitting the puck so hard that he shattered the blade of his stick, yet it had deflected off a Devils player and went in. It was a shit goal, lucky as all get-out, but he scored nonetheless. She got him shooting, which was awesome since all the debris from his stick was around him. Holding up her camera, she turned it on and found the picture, showing it to Baylor.

  Baylor beamed. “Wow, that is awesome. Can you email me that? I want to frame it.”

  “Of course,” Mekena said, but then she paused. “I have to make sure that’s allowed.”

  Baylor laughed as she nodded. “Please do!”

  When a hand came onto her shoulder, she looked over to see Jayden’s mom grinning at her. “Hey, Mekena, how was your first night?”

  “It was great,” she gushed, smiling so hard her face hurt. “It was so awesome, except that little trolley thing they gave me to sit on. One wheel was busted, so when I tried to turn, it would go wonky, and I almost fell like three times.” She was answered with laughter as she rolled her eyes. “Finally, I kicked the thing to the side and went on my knees. They hurt,” she said, rubbing her knees in aggravation.

  Stupid trolley.

  Baylor waggled her eyebrows. “Wasn’t the first time, eh?”

  “Baylor Irene!” Autumn scolded, and Baylor snickered as Mekena’s face burned.

  “Sorry, Mom,” she said, but Mekena was pretty sure she wasn’t sorry.

  “Are you waiting for Markus?” Autumn asked, changing the subject.

  “Yes, ma’am. I think he said he had media.”

  “He did. He did awesome too.”

  “Crap, I missed it!” she said sadly, and Autumn waved her off. “I recorded it with my phone. I’ll send it to you.”

  “Thanks! Did he do well?”

  “He did wonderful.” Autumn beamed, like she was talking about her own boy. In a way, she was. Markus was hers, and she didn’t care who knew that.

  “Except that he looked like he was going to puke,” Baylor teased and Mekena grinned.

  “Did you see him before the game? He was green.”

  Baylor laughed from her gut. “I know, right? I was all the way up here, and I saw it!”

  Autumn rolled her eyes. “I think he did great, y’all leave him be. Hey, Yolanda, didn’t Markus do amazing tonight?”

  Mekena froze as she slowly turned to where Autumn was looking, to find River with Markus’s parents. Her stomach dropped, and her eyes widened as they took her in. As before, the judgmental look was in their eyes, and she almost could hear them calling her white trash all over again.

  She remembered being so excited to meet them. Her first real boyfriend’s parents, but that ended in a fiery crash when they decided she wasn’t good enough for Markus. She’d never forget the hate in their eyes or the words they spoke. Never in her life had she been so disrespected.

  “Oh, yes, my baby did amazing! Surely, he’ll sign with them. Don’t you think, Lamar?”

  “Of course, he will. He is awesome,” Markus’s father said as River nodded.

  “I would be very surprised if he didn’t,” River added, holding Dawson in his arms as he slept quietly. “He played hard tonight.”

  But no one could pay attention to the sweet baby, not when the tension in the air was as thick as a sheet of ice. Swallowing hard, Mekena looked from Yolanda to Lamar, who were both watching her. Almost challenging her. She hadn’t ever met two more frustrating people than Markus’s parents. They were so obsessed with each other and their restaurant that they didn’t even see the gem of a man they had as a son. From what Markus had told her, his grandfather was the one who raised him, and Mekena wished like hell he was there rather than these two.

  But above all that, Mekena knew better than to ignore them. Her mother had raised a sweet Southern girl.

  And a whore. But that was another matter Mekena really didn’t need to think about right now. Not when her stomach was in knots with the fear of being embarrassed in front of Baylor and her family. Clearing her throat, she said, “It’s good to see you both, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves.”

  Yolanda smiled pleasantly, which was really odd since Mekena hadn’t ever seen the woman smile. She was tall like Markus, thick in all the right spots, with beautiful long black hair and caramel eyes. She looked like a sweet woman, but she was the one who had called Mekena white trash first and suggested he date a char
ming black girl from their church. Lamar, on the other hand, looked grumpy and was taller than his wife and son. He had a darker complexion and dark brown eyes, but Markus looked a lot like him. Handsome.

  Mekena had liked Lamar when she first met him, but then he got behind Yolanda and it went to shit fast. But apparently, they had all forgotten about that. With a wide smile, Lamar said, “Great to see you, Mekena. Markus told us you’d be up here to meet us. We’re hoping you’re free for dinner?”

  Shit. Did Markus want to go to dinner? Stuttering, she said, “If Markus isn’t too tired, that would be nice.”

  “He said he wants to as long as you’re okay with it. We hope you are.”

  She was going to kill him! How was he going to put that on her? Before she could answer, though, Dawson let out one hell of a screech that almost caused River to drop him as he ran to Baylor for help. Autumn rushed to help too, and just like that, Mekena was alone with Yolanda and Lamar.

  Fucking fabulous.

  Looking back to Lamar, she didn’t know what to say, and she sure as hell didn’t want to be alone with them. “Um, yeah—”

  But before she could finish, Lamar moved closer, his eyes burning into hers. “Listen, we need to fix this, okay? I have gone over a year without hearing from my son, and when we wanted to visit him in Florida, he ignored us. That is not okay with us. I know we have made some mistakes, that maybe we haven’t been the best parents, but I refuse to allow some disagreement between us and you to keep us from our son.”

  Mekena blinked as Yolanda bit out, “We love our son. He means the world to us, and we are so proud of him. Yes, we may have said some things to you that were a little wrong, but we did it because we love him and he deserves the world. Not some girl we thought would hold him back from his dreams. We were obviously wrong.”

  “So before he comes up here, I want this fixed,” Lamar demanded, his eyes serious.

  Mekena stared at them, her eyes narrowing as she looked from one to the other. Before, she knew she would have walked away crying. She wouldn’t have said anything, just agreed. But that was before she too went all those months without Markus. While she understood their concerns and could even understand why they thought she wasn’t the one for Markus, especially with all the money-hungry people out there, they had no right to disrespect her. She was nice to them, and she never gave them any reason to assume she would ruin his dreams.