Page 86 of Cheap Shot
Parker reaches over, placing his hand on top of mine. “Calm—never mind. Everything is going to work out as it should.”
“You don’t know that!” I screech, throwing my hands up in the air. I can’t break up with him. Well, I can, but I don’t want to. “You said Dad would be okay as long as it didn’t affect the team. If Cole really beat the shit out of Jensen because of me, this is definitely affecting the team. I just wish I knew what he said.”
“He disrespected you,” Parker responds without missing a beat, causing me to stop in my tracks.
“It’s not the first time someone chirped on the ice. Why the hell would Cole beat him up for that?”
I almost shit my pants when I saw the murderous look in Cole’s eyes as he was talking to Jensen earlier. I have a feeling that if Beau and Cooper weren’t there to keep him in check, I’d be trying to figure out how to bail him out of jail for murder instead of waiting for him to reappear. But did he really risk his entire career because someone said something mean about me? That doesn’t make any sense. It’s hot as fuck, but still doesn’t make sense.
“I have no idea, but it had to be pretty bad from the way Cole went after him. Your dad also kicked Jensen off the team.”
“He did what!” I screech, my anxiety shooting through the roof.
Jensen was one of the most promising rookies we had at camp this season. He could’ve definitely increased our chances to play for the Cup, especially with Cole’s shoulder stability still being in question. He wasn’t my favorite rookie by any means, but I googled him after our first meeting. He has the stats to back up his big mouth, that’s for sure.
“This can’t be good.”
Forget worrying about what my dad will say or do once he finds out there is something more than a trainer-player relationship between Cole and me. He’s going to lose his damn mind if this affects the team's ability to win the Cup again this season. This is his last season before he retires as head coach. He wanted to go out on a high note, and now it seems like it’s going to be full of nothing but turmoil, and it’s all my fault.
“It’s not ideal, but we can recover.” Parker slides off the edge of the bench, throwing his arm over my shoulder and pulling me in for a one-armed hug. “A little birdy told me that Cole should be on his way out of your dad’s office anytime now.”
“A birdy?”
“I got a text from Cooper.” He chuckles, pulling his phone from his pocket and unlocking the screen.
Cooper
Tell Michele that Cole will be returning in one piece shortly.
The verdict?
Cooper
He’ll live, but Jensen is gone. The last thing I need right now is to bail my brothers out of jail for killing someone.
Brothers?
Cooper
You know Beau is always itching for a good fight.
True story. Not that it needs to be said, but if he hurts her, I will go through all of you to kick his ass.
Cooper
If he hurts her, we’ll help.
“You’re one of them now, Michele. And the Hendrixes take care of their own.”
My mouth opens and closes like a fish as panic bubbles in my stomach. I knew we’d have to say something to Cooper and Beau at some point, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I assumed we’d have time before we told his family about us. Potentially over a nice dinner I cooked for them in my condo, not because he got into a fight during training camp. What the fuck must they think of me?
The Hendrix men are a hockey dynasty. Sure, Dad was a pretty decent hockey player on his team and has been the head Coach of the Timberwolves for almost as long as Cooper and Beau have been on the team, but I’m nobody. They are in an entirely different stratosphere. I’ve met Mrs. Hendrix a few times when she came to visit Kyle at school, but that was just as her youngest son’s friend. Who knows if I’ll measure up as a potential girlfriend?
“I can see the smoke coming out of your ears, Michele. Stop overthinking things.”
“We both know that won’t happen. I’m a professional overthinker at this point.” I giggle, twirling a strand of my hair around my finger—another one of my nervous habits.
“Fair enough.” Parker looks at something over my head and smiles.
