Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
“You all right, man?” Hollis asks.
“Huh?” I look away from Coach Forrester.
“You seem like you’re all up in your head. Last season reality hitting?”
“Oh. Yeah.” My stomach twists as I swallow down the lie. This is not about my career. This season can’t be over soon enough. “How was your meeting with your agent?”
“Good.” Hollis taps on his armrest. “I talked to Alex Waters yesterday.”
“Oh yeah? What’d he have to say?” Alex Waters, a legend of a player, runs the Hockey Academy out in Pearl Lake with a bunch of other retired players.
“They’re in the process of opening a satellite campus in Toronto. His parents are out in Guelph, and he wants a reason to be closer,” Hollis says. “They’re looking for coaches.”
“Really?” That’s an interesting option.
“He’s sending information next week. He asked what your plans were. Could be a good opportunity.”
I rub my bottom lip as my heart leaps. My gaze drifts back to Coach Forrester. I could stay in Toronto. Next year I won’t be on the team, and that means…she won’t be off-limits. Dating her wouldn’t be the issue it is now. We wouldn’t be contending with red tape and bureaucracy. Now it could damage her reputation, not to mention her career. But after I’m retired, I could pursue her with much less recourse. She could be mine. “It could. I’ll mention it to my agent.”
“It’d be nice if we could keep working together next year, you know?” Hollis says.
“Yeah, it would,” I agree. So much has changed in the past year, including our friendship, but coaching together could be a great next move.
It’s a short flight to Ottawa. Soon we’re getting settled in our room, and Hollis leaves me to my routine so he can “check in” on Peggy. I put all my things away, roll out my yoga mat, and do my post-flight stretch routine. When I’m done, I grab one of the green apples from the bowl I set out and head down to the lobby to meet Hollis.
But when I get there, the first person I see is Lexi. She’s pacing an empty hall, phone to her ear, tugging the end of her braid. Something is clearly wrong. I should leave her alone. I shouldn’t interfere, but the possibilities of what could be once the season ends make it impossible to walk the other way.
“How high is her fever?” She exhales a relieved breath. “Okay. That’s manageable. And you already gave her something for the temperature?”
She spins around and nearly slams into me. I settle my hands on her shoulders to steady her. Worry creases her brow. “We don’t want it to go over one-oh-three. I don’t love that I’m not there when Callie’s not well.” She mouths, I need a minute.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I murmur, hands still on her shoulders.
“Callie should stay home tomorrow. Crap. I don’t want you to miss a test.” She reaches out and skims my tie. I wore it when I took her out for a very private dinner in New York. “Maybe I can catch an earlier flight home. I’ll check in with you after the game. I love you, too, Big Pheels. I’m sorry. Hugs for Callie.” She ends the call and pinches the bridge of her nose. “How can I help you, Roman?”
“You can help me by letting me help you,” I say softly.
“You need to get to the arena, and so do I,” she replies.
“We do, but Callie is sick, and you won’t be able to focus on the game if the situation doesn’t get managed, which means neither will I, because I’ll be irritated at myself for not stepping in when I could,” I argue.
“Why are you being so kind?” she whispers.
“Because being angry about the past doesn’t change anything tonight, and I feel better being a nice guy instead of an asshole.” I finger the end of her braid. “I presume Peggy and Hemi have already pulled you into their group chat.”
“Yes, but—”
“You and Dred were talking the other day. Why don’t you see if she’s around?”
She frowns, like she’s surprised I know this.
“I pay far more attention to you than I should, Lexi. If you don’t pull up Dred’s contact information, I’ll get it from my daughter and do it myself.”
“You’re so bossy,” she gripes.
“You love when I take control.”
She gives me a look. “Watch yourself, Goalie.”
“Pull up Dred’s contact, Coach.”
She worries her bottom lip. “I can’t ask her to watch Callie when she’s sick.”
“Fine. I’ll do it for you.” I pull my phone out of my pocket.
“Don’t.” She grabs my hand. “I’ll do it.”
“Good girl.” I don’t mean for it to come out gravelly.
A shiver runs through her, but she doesn’t say anything else, just sends the message. It takes all of three seconds for Dred to reply.
“She’s done at the library at ten, and she’s offered to stay the night.”