Similar to the One-Touch Pass, the previous novel in the SCU Hockey series, we can see Mulder moving away from hockey. Not in any major ways because this still has hockey as a major focal point of the novel, but they take it in a different direction.
The book starts with Desmond finding out his sister and brother-in-law have died and have left directives that he takes care of his nephew, which forces him back to the US and into a job working as an assistant coach on the SCU hockey team. And the other protagonist is Jack, the goalie for SCU hockey, best friend of Nate and super shy guy we’ve seen as a background character in a couple of other novels.
I like to think that Mulder was building to this novel the entire time, because the big thing we know about Jack is that he’s super shy and that he has overwhelming performance anxiety when it comes to hockey. What we didn’t know, but started to get a hint at in the last novel is that he’s also one of the sweetest and shyest people on the planet and he came from a not-great family and is at SCU on scholarship.
‘I don’t care about making you a better goalie,’ he says firmly. ‘I care that you make yourself sick with nerves before games. I care about the fact that you think you’re a bad goalie, when I’ve got hours of video, statistics, and my own two eyes that prove otherwise.’ (72)
There were so many moments that just made me want to give Jack a hug and say you’ve got this, but Nate did an amazing job trying to get him to believe in himself and his future! All while providing hilarious one liners that were absurdly perfectly timed to either move the story forward or break a tense moment.
What Jack wants more than anything in the world is a place to feel safe and a family. Queue Desmond and his nephew Parker. Neither were looking for each other but as it happens in these novels they collided and didn’t look back.
I stare at him mutely, warring with the desire to invite him to join me and the even stronger desire to hide. I wish I could be the kind of person to openly flirt; the kind of person bold enough to make the obvious move in this situation. But I’m just not. I’m the guy who is more likely to walk straight into oncoming traffic than proposition another man. The guy who spent his first date sweating and anxious and wishing time would move a little faster so he could go home. (212)
Everything was above board and I appreciated that even if it added unnecessary drama and pressure on them with others’ reactions, but having read both series the reactions were perfect. Ultimately Jack realizes that although he’s good at hockey, it’s not where he needs or wants to be, and he resigns from the team. It’s an intensely personal decision because it’s all he’s known, but it’s the right decision and it opens up the door for him to get to know Desmond more intimately because they’re no longer coach and player.
The whole Desmond sub-plot with his mom being an absolute horror about him, a gay man, raising his nephew I could’ve done without but it was well done and made me really empathize with both Parker and Desmond in a way I’m not sure I would have and it allowed for the most beautiful of moments when all three were together:
Parker leans into my arm as he scrolls through the videos, looking for one he hasn’t watched. I stare at the television, Desmond’s head lying back on my arm, hair tickling my skin; Parker’s bony shoulder digging into my bicep. I think this must be what it feels like to be part of a family. (289)
Like, it’s small, but moments like this were just so perfect and wonderful and we as the reader are really settling into what Jack has desired more than anything in the novel.
The sex scenes were minimal in this novel, there were 1-2, but Desmond identifies as ace and another label I can’t recall, so it wasn’t surprising this was more about the emotional relationship overall than a physical relationship and it was just as rewarding.
I’m not usually one for epilogues, but this one absolutely wrecked me. It was years later when Parker was graduating from high school and they were there and it was just so beautifully written and so many references to past things and people and it just melted my heart. I would’ve loved to read it from Parker’s point of view, but sorry not signing up for your newsletter or whatever (I get so annoyed with those).
Recommendation: Overall, this entire series is worth the read. This one is probably in my top three, maybe top two. I just loved Jack as a character and his growth throughout this book and the last one made me love him that much more. It also doesn’t hurt that it hit on the single-dad trope that I find myself revisiting every year or so.
Opening Line: “I take one look out the window and decide to go surfing.”
Closing Line: “Some things are just too impossible to consider.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Additional Quotes from The Last Buzzer
“Being friends with Nate required a bit of a learning curve on my part, but I’m at the point now where I not only enjoy but crave the affection he hands out. I’ve never received any from the people in my life up until now, and nobody else I know is quite like him. He is the gold standard of men—free with his emotions and affection, and as beautiful on the inside as he is on the out. For the second time today, I’m reminded of how much I love him.” (25)
“Well, I don’t want to date him. I just—I just want to look at him.’ Nate tips his head back and laughs as if this is the funniest thing he’s heard all day.
‘Okay, fair. Can you imagine, though, what would happen if you did try and date him? Coach Mackenzie would kill him, I swear he would. He’s got that mama bear energy.'” (36)
“Grandma doesn’t like that Uncle Desmond likes boys. She says it’s unnatural.” Oh good, so we’ve come to the unfiltered part of the evening.
‘Parks, let’s not talk about Grandma—’
‘Mom said that’s bullshit though and people should get to love anyone they want unless it’s a goat,’ he finishes. Anthony hacks out a laugh around his bite of steak, turning his head to the side and covering his mouth to cough.” (86)
“‘Nothing. He’s at his place.” He pauses, jaw popping as he yawns again.
‘Practice ran super late, though, and I try to spend one night a week at my house and not his.’
‘Why?’
‘Just to prove that I can,’ Nate replies stoutly, making me laugh.
‘I’m an independent man, Micky Mouse. I can go to bed without a kiss goodnight.’
‘Can you?’ I ask, amused.
‘Dude, no. I don’t want to be an independent man, I want Marcos to put a ring on it.’ (292)
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