Page 22 of Game Changer

“I said, for the record, I don’t love anyone else.”

AJ laughed. “I like how you say record. It sounds funny.”

“I’m too hungover for this, AJ!” Lisa groaned. “You shouldn’t mock the unwell.”

“Is it a bad time to tell you that you told Jer you loved him last night, too?”

“I didnot!”Lisa exclaimed.

“Kidding! No, you didn’t. You told him he was an ‘arse’ and he needed to get used to you being around ‘cause you were going to marry me and have hockey-babies with me.”

“Oh, god.”

“You were funny.”

“Par for the course, I guess.”

“I gotta jet. I’m glad you had a fun time last night, you looked gorgeous and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there. I love you – please hydrate, kay?”

“Yes, boss. I’ll get right on that. Hey AJ?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, too.”

Ugh. You do not deserve that woman, AJ Williams. Be glad she can’t remember you agreeing that you were going to marry her someday. We don’t need that discussion just yet.

Jer: Stop talking to your girlfriend. You’re going to be late for practice.

AJ: There’s literally no way you could know I was talking to her. Stalker.

Jer: You’re always talking to her. If you’re awake, chances are you’re talking to her.

AJ: Awwww are you feeling neglected?

Jer: L’il bit. Get your ass to practice.

AJ: It’s your fault I started talking to her, you know.

Jer: You can thank me at the wedding. The real one.

***

“You know, as a defenseman, the biscuitisn’tsupposed to go in the basket, right?”

“Keep chirpin’, Lewis.” AJ fumed as he stomped off the ice towards the dressing room at the end of practice.

“Again? Where the hell were you out there, Age? Where was your head? ‘Cause you certainly weren’t with us out on that ice. If you’re not careful you’ll be riding the pine all weekend. He’ll bench you, man, and I need you out there. We all do. Get it together, for the boys.”

AJ scowled and threw his gloves and pads at the bench in the dressing room.

“Fuck!” he growled.

“Easy, Pim,” Jer warned. “Go cool off.”

AJ clenched his teeth and flexed his jaw a few times before deciding not to vocalize any of the retorts that came to mind. Instead, he pulled off the rest of his kit, grabbed a towel and trudged towards the showers.

“What’s up, Pim? That wife of yours giving you a headache?” someone joked as he walked.

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