Page 9 of One Good Puck
Ryker leaves my office, and I get through my last couple of one-on-one meetings. At the end of the day, I head to the locker room, where the players are sitting around, talking and laughing while listening to music. The second they see me, the music cuts.
“Gentlemen, I just wanted to say that you impressed me and the coaching staff during these past twoweeks,” I say. “Training camp can be a stressful time, but you all brought your A game. There’s a lot of talent in this room, which is important. But what’s more important, in my opinion, is work ethic. And the work ethic I’ve seen out of this group these past two weeks has blown me away. I’m happy to have all of you on this team. Let’s kick ass this season, alright?”
The players holler and clap.
“Coach, can I make a quick announcement while everyone’s here?” Xander asks.
“Sure.”
“Don’t forget my and Sophie’s engagement party tomorrow night at Se’bon, that fancy French restaurant in Cherry Creek. You’re all invited,” Xander says.
“You think we’d forget? You emailed us invitations a month ago. And then you mailed out paper invites. And then you texted us about it last week,” Blomdahl teases.
Xander rolls his eyes and chuckles.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Theo says as he walks by Xander to grab a bottle of water.
“I’ll be there,” Del says.
“It’s cocktail attire, so be sure to wear a suit,” Xander says.
“Do I have to wear a tie?” Camden asks.
Xander looks at him. “Duh.”
Camden groans. Ryker rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to tie a tie,” Ryker grumbles.
“I know how,” Camden says. “I just don’t like wearing one.”
Xander throws a towel at Camden’s face. Camden laughs as he pulls it away.
“Well, too bad because you’re going to wear a tie for my engagement party.” He looks around the room. “And come hungry. We’re doing passed appetizers before dinner, and itcosts a fuck-ton—and we don’t get to take home the leftovers. I wanna get my money’s worth, so come ready to eat a million bacon-wrapped scallops and puff pastry bites.”
“Anyone need a DD or wanna carpool?” Sam asks the room. “Dakota and I are giving a ride to her friend Abby, and we’ve got room for two more.”
Just the mention of Abby’s name sends a flicker of excitement through me.
I think back to the other week when I ran into her at that dive bar. How pretty she looked. How happy and relieved she was to see me. How I almost asked her out on a date, but then lost my nerve after getting interrupted by that phone call from work.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I was probably just caught up in the moment of having a nice conversation with her. Abby wouldn’t be interested in a guy like me. She’s young and beautiful. She could have any guy in the world. No way she’d want to go out with me.
Xander smacks my shoulder as he walks by me to toss his towel into the laundry bin, pulling me back to the present.
“Pumped for the party tomorrow night, Coach?”
That spark of excitement is still there inside of me at the thought of seeing Abby.
I nod. “Absolutely.”
Chapter 4
Abby
“Could I have an espresso martini, please?”
The bartender says no problem. A minute later, he sets it in front of me. I thank him and take a long sip, hoping the caffeine from the espresso hits my bloodstream soon.
“I didn’t know you liked espresso martinis.”
