Page 31 of Wicked Minds
“An NHL career is time-consuming. For half the year, you fly all over the country, and on top of that, you have endorsement deals, advertising, and the public to contend with. You know how challenging that can be. However, if you ask me, all of that makes it even more important to have a supportive and understanding partner in your corner. A woman you can come home to after a week of being on the road. Someone who can handle the hardship of this lifestyle. If you think you’ve found that in this girl, then Logan, you’d be a complete fucking fool not to do everything within your power to make it work.”
I gape at Coach. I’m not sure he’s ever said anything so profound in all the years I’ve known him. Ninety percent of the time, he’s reaming us out, and the other ten, he’s telling us to shut up or to leave him alone.
“I have a contact in the Springview Timberwolves. They’re not the Penguins, but they’re a solid team. I’ll reach out. If they know the Penguins are in talks with you, it might be enough to pique their interest.”
“Y-you will?” I ask, eyes wide. This was not at all how I imagined this conversation going. “I mean, thank you. Yeah. Yes, I’d really appreciate that.”
He nods before arching a brow in expectation. It takes me a second to get my brain into gear and realize he’s telling me to fuck off.
“Thank you, Coach,” I stutter as I head for the door. “Uh, Coach?” I hedge, pausing in the doorway. “If you don’t mind me asking…”
He smiles softly, regrets buried in the lines of his face. “I made the same mistake once—picked an NHL career over the girl I loved. Then, less than a year into my dream job, I tore my ACL, and despite surgery and extensive therapy, I never regained the speed and agility needed to play the sport at that level.”
“You lost the girl and the career.”
He nods. “I did. Those were dark days.”
Sensing that I’ve lost him to his memories, I go to leave but again stop. “What happened with the girl?”
It takes a moment before he comes back into the room, his eyes lifting to mine, and a smile filled with love and affection brightens his face. “We crossed paths a year later, and after a lot of groveling, she finally took me back. I put a ring on her finger as soon as she’d allow, and we married several months later. Popped out a bunch of kids who now have kids of their own, and every day I tell her how much she means to me.”
“Sounds like you got the dream anyway,” I muse.
Coach nods. “Sometimes the dream isn’t always what we think it is. If we’re lucky, it’s better than we ever hoped for.”
Feeling better after my chat with Coach, I step into the Huddle looking forward to catching up with my teammates for a few hours. This is our typical hangout after Thursday’s practice session, where we can shoot the shit and talk ourselves up before the weekend’s games.
The Huddle is Halston U’s campus resident sports bar, where players from all sports come to chill and decompress after a brutal practice to celebrate a win or forget a loss. It’s a quintessential sports bar tucked on the edge of campus. The interior is all exposed bricks; you can hardly see behind the memorabilia from the university’s various sports triumphs adorning the walls. Dim, warm lighting casts a cozy glow over the wooden tables, leather barstools, and booths.
My stomach grumbles as the aroma of sizzling bar snacks hits me. I swear nothing smells better after you’ve burned your body weight in energy. Spotting the team taking up four tables that have been dragged together in the center of the room, I head toward them.
“You actually came!” Gavin teases as I take a seat beside him at the end of the table.
“I haven’t missed that many nights out.”
“Yeah, but you never used to miss any.”
“Drinks are on you and Rickman all night. I wasn’t about to miss that.”
The asshole laughs as he reaches for a tray in the middle of the table with beers sitting on it. “Don’t say I never gave you anything,” he teases as he passes me the cold drink.
“Dude, did you just quoteOne Tree Hillto me? You sad motherfucker.”
He barks out a laugh. “You’re the one who recognized the quote. I’d sayyou’rethe sad motherfucker.”
“Yo, Captain’s here,” someone further down the table shouts. “We need a speech from the newest Penguin player.”
I groan. I swear the entire team knew before I’d even stepped out of the conference room after talking to Neil Hanoman. I never told a soul, but they were all over me the next day, demanding to know what went down.
“Nothing is set in stone,” I tell the table. No way am I about to tell these assholes that I’m turning the offer down. They’d think I’d lost my mind. Honestly, six months ago, I’d have thought the same. I never would have believed a girl was worth throwing away a dream I’ve spent most of my life working toward. But then I met Riley, and she’s wortheverything.
However, the fact the entire team knows about the offer makes me feel like shit for eating lunch with Riley all week and not saying a word to her about it. The only thing that stayed my tongue was that I knew exactly how she’ll react. She’ll be happy for me. Tell me to go. That my dreams matter more than she does. Which is complete and under bullshit, obviously, and exactly why I didn’t say anything.
Not until I convince her thatweare everything.
“Speech. Speech.” Before I know it, everyone is banging their fists against the table and demanding a speech. And these fuckers wonder why I don’t wanna come out with them.
“Alright, boys,” I say, standing and raising my glass. “Here’s to the Frozen Four! We’re not just going to make it there, we’re winning it all!” Cheers go up from the table, glasses banging on the table, feet stomping, and I wait for the noise to cease before continuing. “In all seriousness, we have an amazing team this year. The best fucking goalie in collegiate hockey”—I point to Nico, our resident goalie who doesn’t so much as smile at my acknowledgment—“a star forward line, and some sensitivedefensemen whose egos will be bruised if I don’t mention them, but really all they need to do is skate around and look pretty for the crowd cause there ain’t no fucking way we’re letting a puck get through to them.”
