Page 64 of Dreams
That is not how we want to be represented as a team.Olle Isaksson, Captain of the Blue Jackets, said.We are better than that. In this league, men are forced to be professionals while dealing with the pitfalls of stardom at a very young age. Not every guy who can put the puck in the net has the mentality to be the role models we are supposed to be.
“Double shit.” Josh sighed, although he wouldn’t say he disagreed with Olle. In fact, he’d thought the very same thing. But, he’d never use the media to say it.
As professional athletes, reporters were always trying to get the scoop. It was a daily struggle to keep your private life private. In hockey, most guys could do it - at least the ones who weren’t playing in Canada. Mack had always been utterly incapable of staying under the radar. He’d done a lot of things that people shrugged off as a young man blowing off steam. This was different. There were accusations in that article that would be hard to shake.
“My own captain, throwing me under the bus,” Mack scoffed.
“Were you on drugs last night?” It all seemed so surreal to Josh. He’d been close to Mack since coming into the league and had never seen him touch anything harder than booze. They were best friends, teammates, brothers, yet he suddenly couldn’t trust what he thought he knew of the man. He’d seen the fight. Mack didn’t attack Colin out of the blue, but he had seemed a little crazed.
“How can you ask me that?” Mack’s voice was so low, Josh almost didn’t hear it.
“How can I not? I saw you going at it with him. Why would he lie?”
It was silent for a moment before Mack burst up from the couch. “Because he knows I screwed his girlfriend!”
“That’s a huge accusation to make because of a girl, especially since it was just a one-time thing. He knows he could ruin you.”
Mack’s shoulders sagged and he sat back down. “What is happening to me? My career is on the line and all I can think is that this proves Colin’s a douche and I need to get her away from him.”
Before Josh could respond, there was a knock on the door. It swung open seconds later.
“Oh look,” Zak said. “Brutus.”
Olle held his hands up as he walked closer. “I know you probably think I’m the biggest jackass on the planet.”
“That’s an understatement,” Mack said.
“I came to see if you’re okay after last night.” Olle’s gaze didn’t leave Mack.
“I doubt I will be after management gets hold of me.”
“I’ve already talked to them.” Olle sat in a chair across from them. “The quote in that article was the start of damage control. They asked me to do it. They also want a drug test.”
“Even if I was on drugs, it’s not like that’s an uncommon thing in this league.”
“No,” Olle said evenly. “It’s not. But those other guys weren’t called out for it in the paper. You’ll get the test, and then we can tell theDispatchthat it was negative. I’ll be honest here, they’re getting sick of your shit. And you know how they deal with problems. There are plenty of teams that’d take a chance on a troublemaking thirty-goal scorer. If you want to stay a Jacket, clean up your act. They’re watching you closely. And remember, this is only management. You know Coach will have his own punishment for you. I’d expect to sit a few games if I were you.”
Olle got to his feet to signal he wasn’t staying. “Don’t talk to any media. You know the drill.” When he reached the door, he turned back. “And Mack?”
“Yeah?”
“Come to me if you need help turning yourself around.”
He left and with him went all the anger that’d thickened the room before. Mack seemed visibly more relaxed.
“You heading to the gym?” He asked Josh.
“In a few.”
“I’ll meet you there after I stop by the clinic.”
Josh just stared at him for a moment. It wasn’t like Mack to give up his off days during the season, but he didn’t want to question it. Truth was, if Mack was traded, he’d lose his best friend. So, a newfound dedication was good.
“You guys have fun,” Zak said. “I’m going to see about a girl.”
