Crashing Hard (Loving the Sound Book 2)

by Kat Obie

  He wrapped her into a strong hug. Despite his time away from the ice, he could still bench her, probably. He had some incredible strength and it wasn’t from the muscles. He then gave her a very unchaste kiss.

  Of course, there was a knock on the door. So they immediately separated from the kiss. The nurse asked, “How are you feeling, CC?”

  Jenna just closed her eyes with a smirk. She still couldn’t get over the fact that the entire city was calling him a name that she didn’t even know existed until he got his diagnosis. Thankfully all their friend group still called him Corey or Cor.

  He on the other hand was completely unfazed as he said, “I’m good. So when do I get to leave?”

  “Shouldn’t be too long but the doctor wants to speak with you first. Have you had a bowel movement yet today?”

  “Yup. It’s all good.”

  “Well, I don’t see why you can’t get dressed into something more to your liking. Do you need any help with getting changed?”

  Jenna wanted to laugh at the nurse. It was clear that she was a flirt. For as much as she wanted to be jealous, there was no reason to be. Instead she piped in and said, “I think I got him covered if he needs help and we know where the call button is.” The nurse left.

  Corey pulled her close for a kiss and said, “Don’t tell me you don’t like Colleen.”

  “I like her just fine. Just not when she clearly wants to see you naked. She needs her own guy.”

  “It’s adorable when you get all protective over me, beautiful. Although if anyone should be getting all protective of anyone, it’s me. I’m the big strong hockey player. Nothing can happen to you. I love you too much for anything to happen to you.”

  “I love you too, babe. I’m just glad you are okay. Is it just me or is your cough finally waning?”

  “It is. Come on, give me my clothes,” he said with a smile. She gave him the bag that she put the change of clothes in. He immediately started to dig through it.

  “Want me to untie your gown?”

  He nodded his head yes and she reached over to remove the ties. She ran a hand up his spine and held it at his shoulders. He kept her in place and gave kisses from her ear to her nose. He let go of her arms and then she pulled back from him. He quickly slipped his arms out of the gown. He put on the black T-shirt, switched his boxers before pushing the gown aside, and then then slid up the gray athletic pants. He put on his socks and shoes. The last thing was his Sound baseball hat. “What made you choose this one?”

  He had been favoring his beanies over the baseball hats since he shaved his head. Prior to him shaving off his hair, he loved his ball caps. It just seemed right to grab it. “I wanted to give you a piece of the old you. To remind you that we have a future together.”

  “You didn’t need to do that.” While he was keeping it in his pants, his look gave away every intention to pin her to a wall. Hell, she wanted to do it too, but they needed to get home first. Then there was the knock at the door and the doctor walked in.

  “So it looks like you are good to go, CC. Just remember no new medicines unless you talk to me or your oncologist. We don’t need a repeat because next time you might not be so lucky.”

  “I learned my lesson.”

  37

  Corey

  Corey thought he would have been apprehensive about getting an engagement ring but he knew he wanted to propose to Jenna and he even knew the type of ring she wanted. He didn’t want to purchase the ring solo, so he asked Scotty and Petey to join him. He would have invited Lager as well but he was busy. Plus it was for the best since Lager probably would have told everyone before he asked Jenna.

  As they walked into the Tiffany’s, Scotty asked, “Do you know what you’re looking for?”

  “Yeah,” Corey said. “Don’t worry. I won’t make you late. I just want to make sure I have everything planned correctly.”

  Petey chuckled. “So what is your plan?”

  “The classic nice dinner and ask her,” Corey said.

  “No way. That’s not going to work. You got to go all romantic,” said Petey. That came out of nowhere. Corey expected that mentality from Scotty but after the epic breakup with Aubrey and the blowup at Lager’s, Petey seemed to have soured on romance. Corey wasn’t even sure he would come with him.

  “Yeah, Cor, you know she wants something romantic. You saw how much Alice melted at her proposal. You want to do something like that,” piped in Scotty.

  Corey nodded while Petey started to laugh some. Petey said, “Just remember it’s a hard no on setting up your first meeting.”

  “No shit, Sherlock.” Corey laughed. “I think we all know why that’s not going to happen.”

  Scotty shook his head but didn’t say anything at first, but then he cracked a smile and turned to Petey as he said, “I should have known you knew about that too.”

  It felt like a lifetime ago that he hit Jenna on the streets of Philadelphia. So much had changed in the past two years and he wouldn’t have changed anything. Okay, he probably would have skipped the whole cancer thing but it did bring him and Jenna closer together.

  Petey said with all the pride of a proud papa, “Oh yeah, and look at our boy now. All grown up and ready to settle down.”

  “Oh, screw you.”

  “You know you love it,” said Petey. “Come on, let’s get your damn ring.”

  Finally, a pretty store clerk came up to them as they were standing over the rings. “So how can I help you today?” she asked as she started to unlock the case in front of her.

  Corey immediately pointed to the classic white diamond engagement rings. “I wanted to take a closer look at those rings there.”

  “Is there a particular size or cut you’re looking for?” She brought out the small tray of rings.

  He was already leaning toward three before she pulled out the tray. As soon as Corey got a closer look at the rings, he knew which one he wanted. It was the ring in the middle of the tray; he knew that was the right one. It was a princess cut with a sizable rock and clear but not too big with smaller diamonds wrapped around the base of the stone.

  He pointed toward the one that had his eye. “I want that one.”

  “That’s going to take you back a fair amount,” she said, almost second guessing if he could pay for the ring. Then again all three of them were in sweats. They didn’t really seem like they were flush with cash. If only she knew about both his and Scotty’s contracts. Petey wasn’t far behind them once he got off his entry contract.

  “That’s not a problem,” Corey said confidently.

  Turning toward Scotty, Corey was almost tempted to ask if the ring was big enough. Style wise, he knew it was good. Scotty said, “You know your girl better than me but looks good.”

  Corey nodded. “Yeah. That’s the one.”

  The sales clerk nodded and boxed up the ring. Corey pulled out his black American Express card and gave it to the clerk. The clerk kept the box close to her until everything was fully rung up. All he had to do was sign his name. He noticed that the clerk wasn’t kidding; it was expensive but Jenna was worth it. He signed and the ring was put into a bag.

  Petey then turned to Corey and put his hand on the shoulder. “Alright, man. Time for us to get back to our pregame stuff.”

  Corey nodded. Tonight was going to be fun. He actually had an idea and now he just needed the Sound to make it happen.

  Jenna

  It has seemed like a lifetime since she’s been at a Sound game. Since Corey’s illness, they really stayed home a lot. They had to be careful so he wouldn’t get sicker and end up in the hospital. He’d been doing pretty well lately, and he really wanted to go to the game and cheer the guys on since it was the last home game before they went to the playoffs. They had clinched a playoff spot.

  She saw him in his favorite suit. It was a maroon suit and tie and a white shirt although the jacket hung a little loose on him. She always liked it on him since it brought out the green in his eyes. Alth
ough seeing him wear a fedora was a new addition, but she knew he liked to cover up his bald head. She was feeling slightly underdressed wearing his jersey number tied to the side, jeggings and cute booties.

  “I love that suit on you. Are you sure that you want to go to tonight’s game?”

  She’s felt protective of him since his near death experience a couple weeks ago, but to see him bounce back was great. She didn’t want him to get sick like that a second time. He kissed her and stared up into her eyes with such intensity that there was no arguing. It was his game face. “I want to go. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

  “I won’t talk you out of it.”

  “I’m feeling great, beautiful. Also we get to watch together in the press box tonight.”

  “Wait, what?” asked Jenna. The WAGS were always separate from the injured players. She should have been in the family section with Alice. It would be a rare treat to be able to sit with Corey. “Crap, I should change then.”

  Corey grabbed her in a tight hug where she couldn’t move if she wanted to. “No, you look perfect. I don’t want you to change into anything else. Let’s go. I want to get to the rink early.”

  “Alright.”

  They headed over to the rink. It was pretty early. It gave Corey time in the locker room with the guys for the pregame speech. He hasn’t been to a game since his diagnosis so it was good for everyone.

  Since they had some time before the game, Jenna hung out in the one lounge for the families. Alice was there with Leah and a couple other girlfriends that Jenna recognized. There seemed to be a lot of people in the room. It had all the feeling of a big game but in many ways it wasn’t. The Sound had home ice advantage in the playoffs. Everyone seemed hopeful for a second Stanley Cup Championship.

  Just prior to the start of warmups, Corey came into the lounge. She smelt his cologne before she saw him. He snaked an arm around her waist and said, “Ready to go?”

  “Sure.”

  They went to the press box. It was weird being there. The owner, the general manager and a couple of Corey’s teammates were there. Both Hunter and some rookie were there. Being under the eye of the ownership, they had to be on the best behavior, so they were focused on the game. She noticed that there was a camera crew in the area.

  At the first TV timeout, there was an announcement in the stadium directing everyone’s attention to the jumbotron. It was a commentative video for Corey celebrating both highlights on the ice and his cancer battle. At the very end, they put the camera on him. He waved to the crowd. Everyone gave him a standing ovation and clapped loudly.

  That should have been the end of it. What surprised her was him was dropping on one knee. He was fighting to pull something from his suit pocket. He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, beautiful. I meant for this to be perfect and the box is stuck. There it is,” he said as he pulled out the box with a flourish. He opened the ring box and said, “I love how you have been there beside me for everything and I want you there always. Will you marry me?”

  Jenna just nodded and started to tear up. She didn’t trust her voice at this point. She never thought she would be okay with such a public proposal but it seemed to work since he wasn’t miked. That was private while at the same time the event itself was very, very public.

  The crowd roared a second time as Corey lifted her into a swinging hug and kiss. He whispered in her ear, “I love you, beautiful.”

  “I love you too.”

  Loving Baby

  Loving Baby is a holiday hockey story that has it all...family and friends, gifts and drama, love and surprises.

  * * *

  Sound captain Scotty Wheiland and his wife Alice are spending their first Christmas together, and excited to be expecting their first baby. Teammate Cory Corso and his fiancé Jenna are celebrating their first holiday together as an engaged couple. Only winger Lager is alone, trying to pick up the pieces after his marriage fell apart.

  * * *

  So it seemed like a great idea for Lager to host a holiday celebration, and include both couples, as well as teammates Petey and Klaus. There was good food, good friends and a great time to be had by all, until an unexpected surprise changes Christmas for everyone. This will be a party, and a holiday, no one will forget!

  * * *

  So put on your favorite jersey, get cozy, and settle in for what’s sure to be your new favorite hockey series--holiday style.

  Hockey Terms Explained

  2-way player: A player who is both offensively and defensively minded. They play both sides well.

  5 Hole: The space between the goalie’s legs.

  200 Foot Game: A nickname for hockey since the NHL rinks are 200 Ft Long.

  Apple: An Assist.

  Assist: A person who passed the puck to the person who shot the goal. There can be up two people credited for assist on a goal.

  Backhand: The backside of the stick. The curve is going away from the puck and the stick is across your body.

  Bag Skate: A practice with hard skating drills with no pucks. You are to skate until utterly exhausted. It is believed that it comes from the phrase, “skate your bags off”

  Barn: A nickname for a hockey rink/arena.

  Blue Line: The blue line painted about on either side of the red line. The blue line dictates the offensive zone for both teams.

  Boarding: A penalty assessed after you slam or trip a player dangerously into the boards usually from behind or head first.

  Center: The person who takes the puck at a faceoff. They are an offensive player that will similarly stay in the center of the ice. They are the fastest player on the offensive line. They will fall back to help the defense or push the puck forward on the offensive side.

  Crease: The blue paint in front of a goalie’s net. Players are not allowed to touch the goalie if the goalie is in the crease.

  Defensive Zone: The area between the end of the ice and the blue line that you are defending the goal. If you are in the defensive zone, the other team is in the offensive zone. If the puck leaves the defensive zone, all offensives players must go back to the blue line before the puck can be touched by the offensive player.

  Deke: A feint where you fool the player to go one way while pulling the puck to the other side. It’s short for decoy.

  Dump & Chase: A style of hockey where you shoot the puck into the offensive zone and retrieve it instead of holding the puck as you go over the blue line and pass it to the players.

  Flow: Nickname for hair especially long hair. Long hair will flow from the helmet edge and in the wind as you skate.

  Forehand: The front side of the stick. The curve to the stick is designed to carry and shoot the puck on this side of the stick.

  Glove Side: The goalie wears a catching glove on one hand. If you are shooting glove side, you are aiming for the area of the net that the glove is on (typically the right side).

  High Stick: A penalty that occurs when you play the puck and the stick goes above a player's shoulder or the height of the crossbar on a goal.

  Interference: A penalty where you hit, trip, or board someone for the sake of hurting the player rather than playing the puck. Typically Interference is called for early or late hits.

  Knee on knee: A dangerous hit where the two players’ knees hit together and often results in ACL or MCL tears.

  Neutral Zone: The area between the blue lines where neither team is in the offensive or defensive zone. You will typically try to switch lines while in the neutral zone since the benches are right there.

  Offer sheet: Players who are restricted free agents can be, after being qualified by their current team, sign by another team to an offer sheet with a salary greater than the qualifying offer from their current team. Teams have seven days to match the offer, and If the offer Is not matched, the team making the offer sheets must give up draft picks and money to the team to did not keep the restricted free agent.

  Offsides: Happens when an offensive player crosses completely over the blue l
ine into the offensive zone without the puck being passed into the offensive zone first. If an offensive player touches the puck before bringing the puck onsides, it will blow the play the dead and there will be a faceoff at the red dot closest to the where the player went offsides.

  Offensive zone: The area of ice where you are trying to score on and goes from the one end of the ice to the blue line. If you are in the offensive zone, the other team is in the defensive zone. The offensive player who controls the puck must carry or shoot the puck into the offensive zone before other offensive players can enter and touch the puck.

  OTA: An organized team practice but not always considered to be an official practice and not mandatory.

  Penalty kill: When a team is shorthanded and trying to kill off a penalty by preventing a goal.

  Pigeon: A term for a player who scores by hanging out in front of the net. It's a chirp that tends to be thrown in jest sometimes with cooing sounds.

  Power play: When you have a man advantage after taking a penalty (the other team has 1 or more players in the penalty box). If it's minor penalty, the power plays ends at the expiration of two minutes or a goal happens. If it's a major penalty, the power play ends only after the expiration of two minutes.

  Red Line: The red line that is painted across the center of the ice. It will divide the ice in half. All faceoffs after the goal or the start of the period will occur at center line.

  Rim: When you aim the puck towards the boards and let the boards carry the puck. It goes around the rim of the rink if hit with enough force.

  Shorthanded: Typically used when playing down a man due to a penalty (since a player is in the penalty box) or due to injury.

  Shortie: A goal that happens when you are shorthanded on the penalty kill.

  Stickside: Aiming on the side of the goalie that holds the stick. It can also be called pad side.