Page 32 of Game Changer

“Oh, you noticed I was lying on you, did you?” she pouted playfully. “But I don’t want to move, you’re comfy!” she grumbled, though she was already moving to sit up.

“Hey,” he said suddenly.

Stop what you’re doing. This is a terrible idea.

“Yeah?”

I repeat, this is a terrible idea.

“You got plans for tonight?”

Shaking her head, she told him she hadn’t planned on making any until she’d talked to him about his schedule.

“How does dinner sound?”

“Great!” she exclaimed, smiling.

“Great,” he echoed as they walked to the door.

AJ! What in the ever-living hell are you doing? You realize you have a secret wife to go with this should-be-secret girlfriend, right?

Yeah. And I also know she flew halfway around the world to come see me, that’s not a small freakin’ deal. In fact, it’s a pretty huge deal.

“AJ?” she began.

Shit! Did you say that out loud?

“Yeah?” he paused, reaching for the door handle.

“Is this a non-date, date?”

Say yes. Say it’s just a meal between friends. Tell her you’re married. Tell her you fucked up. TELL HER!

Smiling, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her gently towards him and shook his head. “No, babe,” he answered, kissing her forehead. “It’s a date, date!” he said simply. “I’ll come get you at five-thirty?”

“Sounds good,” she answered, closing the door behind him.

His heart was racing and his breathing, shallow. Panic clawed at his stomach.

How the hell do I fix this?

Chapter 10

AJ laced up his skates and double-checked his pads before stepping out onto the ice. He’d left Lisa in an unnecessary rush, secretly hoping to grab a few minutes on the ice before anyone else arrived. He needed to clear his head and center himself, so he took off around the rink for a lap. There were few things more perfect than a fresh surface of ice. He’d been skating since he was a child and loved the feeling and the sound of his skates cutting through the ice as he moved. As a two-way defensive player, he’d always enjoyed skating backward as much as forward, he’d worked hard to soften his edges and make the transitions seamless. He loved skating. During practice and games, his mind was fully focused on what he should be doing. Scan the ice, look for the best option. Make on-the-fly decisions about where to play the puck, who to check, and when to check. When in doubt, skate the puck or simply chip it off the glass. The best defensemen could make something happen out of nothing. They could read and react to the plays unfolding around them and contribute. They supported their D-partner and anticipated the pass, stopping a player dumping the puck, or standing up and denying the blue line. He had to know when to go, and when to hang back.

AJ had been playing hockey for almost as long as he’d been able to walk. As a defenseman, he needed to commit to every decision and follow through. He’d learned early that mistakes happened when players weren’t sure of their every move.

Why did you commit to Britt? You knew that was a mistake. You weren’t sure of the move.

Why did you break the habit of a lifetime?

Frustrated at himself, he picked up the pace, not noticing a few of his teammates arriving for practice.

Protecting the netminder and ensuring the other team doesn’t score at all costs is a defensive player’s top priority. Blocking the shot, no matter what.

I feel like I cleared the puck down the middle and it somehow came back to smack me in the face.

Stop. Breathe. Clear your mind. Get Britt out of your head or you’re gonna fall on your ass. She knows about Lisa, calm down. You have nothing to feel guilty about!

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