Page 61 of Pucking Only
Grace’s face softens, and she pulls me into a hug, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
"I’m going to miss you too," she murmurs.
I hug her back, feeling a mix of gratitude and sadness settling in my chest.
After practice, Grace leads me down to the locker room, which is buzzing with energy, and I’m caught off guard when I walk in and see a cake sitting on the center table with the wordsWe’ll Miss You, Skyler!written in icing. I freeze for a second, the surprise making my heart squeeze. The entire team is gathered around, chatting and laughing. They turn toward me as soon as I step into the room.
Grace is the first to rush over, grinning from ear to ear. “Surprise!”
I blink, trying to process it all. “You guys! You didn’t have to do this.”
“Of course we did,” Cruz says, clapping me on the back. “You’re an honorary Night Hawk, whether you like it or not!”
I laugh, feeling a strange mix of emotions bubbling up inside me — gratitude, sadness, maybe even a little disbelief.It’s just cake, but it feels like so much more. Like a final acknowledgment that I’m not an outsider but I’ve been accepted into this tight-knit family.
“Come on, let’s dig in,” Zander says, grabbing a knife and cutting into the cake. As everyone gathers around, the room fills with light chatter and laughter, and I find myself talking with different team members, taking it all in. The guys are telling me stories, reminiscing about the season, and I realize how much I’ve come to care about this group.
Cruz stands next to me, his expression a little more serious than usual.
“Hey, Skyler, I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” he says, his voice lower. “I’m taking the next year off, so this probably really is goodbye for us. I won’t be here, if you come visit.”
I frown, caught off guard. “What? Why?”
He lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair. “My dad’s sick. Cancer. I’m heading back to Canada to take care of him.”
My heart drops, and I place a hand on his arm. “Oh Cruz, I’m so sorry.”
He shrugs, a tired smile on his face. “Yeah, it’s been tough, but I need to be there for him. Hockey can wait. Family comes first, you know?”
I nod, understanding completely. “Of course. You’re doing the right thing.”
“Thanks,” he says, looking genuinely appreciative. “You take care of yourself, alright? I expect to see you killing it in California.”
I smile. “I’ll do my best.”
As Cruz steps away, Zander catches my attention, making his way over to me with a slice of cake in hand.
“Hey, I meant to mention this earlier,” he says, his tone casual but his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Do youremember I told you about my cousin who works at Lumina Interactive? She told me they had to let someone go, and I gave her your info. Thought you might be interested in an interview.”
I blink, stunned. Part of me lights up at the idea — working for Lumina would be a dream — but just as quickly, I push the thought away.
“Zander, thank you,” I say, genuinely touched by his gesture. “But I’m happy at Code Kickers. I’ve worked hard there, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this project takes me.”
Zander raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Yeah, but Lumina’s the kind of place where you couldreallydo your thing, Skyler. You know that.”
He’s not wrong, and a part of me does want to jump at the chance, but I’ve always wanted to work at Code Kickers, and I’ve worked too hard and too long to give up now.
I offer Zander a smile. “I appreciate it. Really, but I’m staying put. For now.”
“Fair enough,” he says, shrugging before he grins. “But keep it in the back of your mind. Who knows what could happen?”
As he walks away, Grace slides up next to me, nudging me with her elbow. “Having fun?”
I grin at her. “How long did Jensen have to blow Coach to get him to allow this?”
Grace laughs. “Oh, not too long. Turns out Coach kind of likes you. Weird, right?”
“I'm genuinely shocked,” I chuckle.