Page 53 of Dirty Puck

“Come in,” he called and I pushed open the door, walking in. “Take a seat,” he directed.

“I’d rather stand, if you don’t mind.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“What the hell is going on? I’ve been keeping a low profile, keeping my nose clean. You’d have more cause to bring in Bonner than me.”

“Nose clean—I know. Low profile?” He tossed a newspaper at me. I didn’t even know places still printed newspapers. I thought everyone got their news online.

My jaw tightened when I saw the headline. What the hell was Bree going to say when she saw this? CINDERELLA STORY: FROM CLEANING LOCKER ROOMS TO FINDING HER PRINCE. WHO IS THE WOMAN WHO MADE COPPERHEADS’ GOALIE, BAKER REECE, GIVE UP THE SINGLE LIFE?

“How’d they find out? More importantly, why the fuck would they care?”

“You’re a pretty boy.”

“I’mnota pretty boy. Fuck you.”

“Reece, shut the fuck up and take a seat.”

I rolled my eyes as I dropped down into the chair in front of his desk like a petulant child.

“You’re a grumpy pretty boy, but you’re still a pretty boy. Antonov’s a whore and Bonner’s a train wreck. Bishop is married, Jones is married and Winstead lives with his woman. That leaves you. And now you have a woman. Based on your history, people didn’t see that one coming. Logue loves this. It’s great for the team image.”

“Why am I in here?” Something about this felt off. “I’m just living my life.”

“People want to know her. Who is she? How’d you two start dating?”

“It’s no one’s business. She’s a private person.”

“Then she shouldn’t have hooked up with someone in the spotlight. Logue wants her more visible for the time being. Make sure she’s coming to events. Make sure you’re seen together. Give the public a happy, little family.”

“It’s not in my contract to parade around my woman.”

“You’re a great goalie, Reece. Best in the league, but you’re not getting any younger. Lots of talent entering the draft, and you have contract negotiations coming up next year. You make him happy he makes you a very rich man. You piss him off and you’re probably looking at trading in your jersey.”

There went my good mood. What if my mom—I couldn’t even think that, but what if Bree’s and my agreement ended before my contract was signed? Could I get Bree to agree to an extension?

“Can I go?” I asked, royally pissed off with the man in front of me.

“Yeah, go get changed.”

As I walked out of the office, I called the woman of the hour. “Hey,” she said when she answered, and that helped my mood a bit. Hearing her soft voice.

“We’ve made the news.”

“The Copperheads make the news quite often.” Herchuckle struck something inside me and I silently cursed because I didn’t want to have to tell her this.

“No. You and I.Wemade the news.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’m a star goalie and you clean the locker rooms. They’re framing it as a rags-to-riches kind of thing.”

She sighed heavily. “We aren’t rags. Benny and I, we might be on the lower end of middle class, but we’re still middle class. I take care of my boy.”

Shit.“I know that, babe. You are the best mom I’ve ever seen. Benny’s the luckiest little guy in the world.”

“Then why do I feel so weird about this?”

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