Counting Down The Days (Counting on Hockey #3)

The air crackled with anticipation, a nervous energy that seemed to hum from every person packed into the auditorium. Noah, my best friend and a defenseman for the Boston Bruins, sat to my left, a solid, reassuring presence. To my right, Cole, my boyfriend of four years, gripped my hand, his excitement almost palpable.

This was it. The NHL Draft. Our future, or at least a big part of it, was about to be decided. We listened intently as team after team called out their picks, each name echoing like a destiny proclaimed.

Then, the Minnesota Wild Head Coach, Bruce Boudreau, stepped to the podium. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence that fell over the crowd. "In the first round pick, the Minnesota Wild select, Cole Anderson, University of Maine."

Disbelief. Then elation. Cole and Noah sprang up, and a second later, the realization hit me. My own jump was a little more restrained, mindful of my short skirt, but the joy was no less immense. A quick kiss on Cole's lips, a shared hug with Noah, and then Cole was on his way, adjusting his suit, walking towards the stage, towards his dream.