Page 68 of Secret Pucking Unicorn

Coach appears in my doorway. “Carter, head back to the ice. I need to speak with Randi.”

I step out of Carter’s embrace and nod at Coach. Before he walks away, he gives me a kiss on the cheek and assures me everything will be okay. I can hear his skates clomping as he walks out of the locker room.

Coach is carrying a mug of coffee from the dining room as he walks in.

“Okay if I close the doors?”

I nod and he closes the door to the dining room and also the door to the locker room. This can’t be good. He grabs one of the chairs in front of my desk and spins it around to face where I’m seated on the sofa again. Taking his seat, he rests his elbows on his thighs and clasps his hands between his knees. His pose should look relaxed, but it doesn’t.

“Randi, I don’t know everything going on with you and Declan. Frankly, I don’t want to know. But we can’t have it impacting the team.”

Oh no. I knew this was going to happen. It was too good to be true. I’m going to have to leave again. I should be used to this, but for the first time in years, I had hoped maybe I’d found my place. I blink rapidly, trying to keep the tears from falling and take a sip of water to ease the lump in my throat.

Nodding, I murmur, “I understand. You have to do what is best for the team. Are you giving me notice or is my termination effective immediately?”

Coach sits upright like he was hit with a taser, causing the chair to tip back slightly and the legs to bang as they hit the floor.

“What?” he asks with a look of bewilderment on his face. “You’re not terminated. You’re doing a great job, and we want you here. The issue is Mac. If he can’t control himself, then he’s going to find himself traded. None of us wants that. We like him and he is a skilled player, but he has to be focused on the game. If he can’t because you’re here, then he’s going to have to go.”

“Wait. What? He’d have to go?” It’s my turn to shake my head. In confusion. Is he saying they would pick me over Declan? I’m not being sent away? I’ve never been picked.

“You’re family. Part of the Devil Birds family, but you’re also like another sister to me. You’re Kennie’s best friend, I’ve known you since you were roommates your first year of college. Mallory and Daphne love you. You’re doing great at your job. As far as I’m concerned, you’re here as long as you want to be.”

I can’t hold back the tears. No one has ever picked me or said they wanted me to stay. But I don’t want Declan to have to leave. I tell Liam that.

“No one wants Mac to leave. But if he can’t control himself and be around you without being in a relationship or whatever is going on with you guys, then he’ll have to move on. He’s a grown man and a professional athlete. His job is to play ice hockey. If he can’t keep his personal business off the ice, then he doesn’t need to be here.” He shrugs. “Some teams love to have the drama and be the attention of social media influencers. We don’t. We are here to play damn good hockey.”

He takes a sip of his coffee and gestures to me with the mug. “I’m not saying you need to date him or have anything to do with him. Your position here is independent of whatever relationship you have with him. But we can’t have scenes like we did today distracting the team. None of it was your fault, I know that. I had no idea the Mackenzie clan was this volatile.”

“They aren’t. I don’t know what’s going on with either of them. Sophie, it’s like she hates me, and I don’t understand it.”

Coach rises from his chair and swings it back around to face my desk again. His hand stays resting on its back.

“Well, I hope you two can get along or stay out of each other’s way. She’s here for the next couple of months as Carter’s dance partner. We have expectations of Carter going far on Celebrity Dance Dare. The further he goes, the more publicity for the Devil Birds, which is good for all of us. We need Sophie focused on dancing with him and not fighting with you. If she can’t handle it, we will find another partner for Carter. It’s part of the contract, hopefully she knows what’s good for her.”

After Coach walks out, I go and get myself a mug of hot water. My tea is steeping and I’m staring off into space when Bedard pokes his head in from the dining room.

“Are you drinking different tea? It smells…um…nice. Peach, ginger. Do you know what else is in it?”

Well, that’s random.

I nod. “Yeah, it’s a blend my mother made. I used to drink it as a child, and it was very comforting. I don’t know everything in it.”

Opening my desk drawer, I hold up my bag.

“I have extra tea bags if you want to have some,” I say.

“Yeah, great. Thanks. I don’t want tea right now, but I think Kendall would enjoy a mug with me after dinner.”

“Sure. Here,” I say, holding out the bag. “Take them all. There are more back in our suite. I’ll restock.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Of course. You’re welcome. I hope you and Kennie enjoy it.”

He smiles and walks away.

I down my tea in a few gulps. My head is pounding. I think I need to get some more sleep. I’ll bring my files with me, and I can work from there later today.

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