Page 132 of If You Love Me

“Where’s Coach Forrester?” Madden asks as he finishes lacing up his skates.

“She won’t be joining us today,” Vander Zee snaps.

Madden frowns. “Is she okay?”

“Why don’t you ask our goalie? He might know.”

I give Vander Zee a look. “Really, man?”

“Fuck.” Hendrix shakes his head.

“This is about to get nasty.” Palaniappa focuses on his gear.

“What’s in the air today?” a rookie asks.

“I wish I had some popcorn,” Bright whispers, but he’s not nearly as quiet as he thinks.

Vander Zee’s head whips around. “You think this is funny?”

“Nope. Just hungry.” Bright goes back to lacing up his skates.

Ryker looks anxious, and Stiles seems like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Someone want to explain what the fuck is going on?” Madden asks.

I cross my arms. “This is how you thought the team should find out? While you’re still pissed off and being reactive? You’ve been my coach for the past nine years. Where’s the respect?”

“I could ask you the same question,” Vander Zee fires back.

“Is there a full moon or something?” Stiles mutters.

I hold up my hand with the ring on it and glare at Vander Zee. “Coach Forrester is my wife. She’s not here becausesomeonehas an axe to grind. Happy now?”

Vander Zee’s nostrils flare.

Murmurs of “holy shit” and “no way” and “what the fuck?” ricochet through my teammates.

“All right, guys. Let’s get on the ice and give these two a minute, yeah?” Hendrix makes a circle motion with his finger. Coaches Thomas and Boxer step in and usher the team out of the locker room.

Hendrix hangs back, arms crossed.

“Of course you knew about this,” Vander Zee says to him.

Hendrix sighs and pins Vander Zee with an unimpressed stare. “I get that you’re not happy about this, Coach, and I respect that you’ve been blindsided, but I’m a little concerned you’re going to say the very wrongest of things, and then our goalie is going to be out for a five-game suspension for punching you in the mouth.”

“I can handle myself,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Under normal circumstances, I would agree. However, these are not normal circumstances,” Hendrix argues.

“We’ll be fine,” I assure him.

“You can go,” Vander Zee agrees.

“Okay.” Hendrix raises his hands. “Please don’t break your hands on each other’s faces.”

He leaves the locker room.

Vander Zee grips the back of his neck. “Why, Roman? You’ve kept your dick in your pants this entire time. Why fuck the team now?”

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