Christian "Magic" Magdziuk is a minor league hockey player with dreams of heading to the NHL someday, and he'll do whatever it takes to make that dream come true. So he only plays with the Richmond Rebels for one short season before he asks to be traded to the Bedford Blizzard, a farm team for the American Hockey League where he might get a little more notice from scouts.<br><br>His attitude on the ice left him few friends among the Rebels ... that is, until teammate Ronnie took a liking to him. One thing led to another and the two men became lovers during the time Christian played with the team. But when he transferred to the Blizzard, he left the Rebels -- and Ronnie -- behind.<br><br>Now it's the first game of a new season, and he's facing off against his former teammates in the season opener. But does something still smolder between Christian and Ronnie after all this time?

Playing the Field: Faceoff

The third period passes in a blur.Christian is benched for most of it—the coach says he can’t afford any more penalties,but Christian thinks it’s more than that.From the player’s box,he watches his teammates skate around the Rebels,the puckzooming from one end of the rink to the other without landing ineither goal.His mind careens in much the same manner,swingingfrom,What the fuck does Ronnie want anyway?,to the melancholic,almost nostalgic notion that it’d be nice to catch up with him again,just like old times.By the time the buzzer sounds,he still hasn’t decided what he’s going to do.The team bus back to the hotel?Ronnie’s truck?He almost hopes for a sudden death overtime to delay his decision.


Chapter 9