Page 32 of The Captain

She actually reached out. She talked to me. I can’t fucking believe it, and the smile that is pulling at my lips right now tells me that I need to take a breath or I am going to be a schmuck about this entire thing.

You’re welcome. I knew you had to have that book.

I press send before I can talk myself out of it and let out another sigh. How do I keep this going?

My phone beeps again.

Cassie: Well, thank you. As soon as I have a bookshelf, it’s going on it front and center.

I grin like a madman, thrilled that I could finally get something right. I hate not talking to her. I hate that I fucking blew it.

This conversation makes me feel like maybe I haven’t blown it yet.

Good call. How are you?

That was a loaded question I couldn’t help but ask. I want to ask her everything. I want to know what she was doing for work. Was she helping her mom? I want to know if publishers have picked up her kickass book yet. I want to know if she got an agent. I want to know if she was excited about Mick’s wedding or if the thought of it was freaking her out like it was me.

I’ve made a lot of progress with my feelings about Tanner and Mick in the last couple of months. It was easy to see how much they loved each other, and that helped with those feelings.

As I drive to work, I think about how Tanner asked me to be in the wedding. I was stunned when he asked, knowing that he had issues with me about how I treated my sister.

I remember the first time he could level me out, and he absolutely did.

It was March, after we had finished with the hockey season, and he was getting Mick moved into his place. I had volunteered to help move her as a sort of penance for my behavior, and he gratefully accepted.

Mick was busy working on her schoolwork, and we had been at Mick and Cassie’s place right after Cassie and I had parted ways. It was the first time I’d seen the evidence of her moving out as well, unable to keep paying for the place.

That shit pissed me off, and so, I said so.

“Mick is really gonna leave Cassie hanging like this?” I said, gesturing to her empty bedroom. My gut felt like lead in my stomach just seeing it empty. It was proof that everything we had was now just a distant memory.

“Really, Ellis?” Tanner’s hard voice came from behind me, and I turned, glaring at him. “You’re really gonna fucking pick on Mick after everything?”

“I’m not picking on Mick. I just didn’t think she was the type to leave her friend high and dry.”

Tanner scoffs and steps up to me, his finger drilling into my chest. I was a big guy; Coach Mitchum was bigger. “Don’t fucking talk about her like that, I’m not kidding.”

“She’s my sister.”

“She’s going to be my fucking wife,” he growled, and I stood taller. I hated that I was acting like a prick and knew deep down it had nothing to do with Mick and him, but I couldn’t stop my foot from going into my mouth.

“Yeah, so she becomes your wife and turns into a shit friend.”

I should have seen the hit coming, and maybe I was asking for it a little bit. But fuck me, can he pack a punch.

“That’s your warning.”

“Fuck you,” I groaned out, coming at him with my own hit. Technically, it was the offseason, so he wasn’t my coach for another four months. I got in a solid hit to his jaw, and he came back with a hit to my ribs.

I spun and hit him in the chest, which was fucking made of rocks, and he took a cheap shot, grabbing my leg with his, making me go down and pinning me to the ground. His knee is pressing into my chest, and he gets in my face. “Knock it off, now.”

I choke back the blood that’s coming from my split lip, and take a deep breath. Fuck. I knew getting into it with him would fucking hurt.

“I don’t know what happened with you and Cassie, Lincoln, but I know you’re trying to do better with your sister. Don’t backpedal and make me kick your ass again.” He shakes his head and stands. “Do better.”

“I—”

“And for your information, Cassie asked Mick if they could move out. She can’t afford her portion anymore, so we took the opportunity to let go of this place so Mick could live with me. She would have never left Cassie hanging.”

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