Page 6 of Drop the Gloves
Evan closed the article, then for good measure, he tossed his phone onto the coffee table so he wouldn’t be tempted to look up anything else.He hated that he was curious about stupid Riley Barczyk.Blackwell and Reese were also new to the team, but Evan hadn’t bothered to lookthemup.But one night listening to Barczyk’s stupid stories about fighting every heavyweight in the league, and now he couldn’t get the guy out of his head.
He’s not going to fightyou,he reminded himself.Evan flexed his right shoulder unconsciously, caught himself, and instead gritted his teeth.
Sure, Barczyk wasn’tgoingto fight him, but the jackass had already done his damage last season.
What Evan needed to do was get his mind off hockey.It was going to be a long year if he kept obsessing over one player.
A longtwoyears,he corrected.This wasn’t some temporary arrangement.Barczyk was here for a while, same as him.
All the more reason for Evan to get over his shit.This wasn’t a middle school bully.This was a teammate who might kind of be a dick, but Evan had played with lots of guys who were dicks.Besides, there were plenty of other people on the team.Right now he was seeing more of Barczyk than usual because not everyone was in town yet.Once the season started for real, it wouldn’t be an issue.
Probably.
Unless we get put on the same line,some masochistic part of him supplied.Then we’ll see each other all the time.
Fuck.
He dove for his phone.
Abernathy
Hey have you heard anything about lines??
Lawson
Hi abs how’s your evening going?
Mine’s fine thanks
Abernathy
sorry
Lawson
I’m just fucking with you
You’re still playing center if that’s what you’re wondering but I haven’t heard much else
Won’t know until training camp finishes up but I’m guessing you’re third line
That wasn’t what Evan was getting at, but it was a relief to know he’d moved up to the third line.He’d mostly been on the fourth line the past couple of years, and he knew he wasn’t ready for the top six, not when he knew the players he was competing with.Maybe on another team, he’d be able to hold down second-line duties, but not on the Riveters.He was dying to ask about potential linemates, but he didn’t want to push his luck.Lawson had given him as much as he could right now—it was true; there were no guarantees until after training camp, and even then, things could change at any time.
Abernathy
Thx
I’ll do my best
Lawson
Of course you will kid
You earned it
Evan didn’t bother correcting the ‘kid’ thing.He had the feeling that was going to stick with him for a few more years.At least until a few more of the younger rookies funneled onto the team and took over the mantle.
This time, he shut his phone off completely before he put it away.He didn’t need the temptation to overthink.Instead, he grabbed the remote and put on a movie so he could fall asleep in peace.
