Page 72 of Blocked Shot
“I’ll call you when I do,” he says before hanging up.
Jake grips the wheel tighter, knuckles white against the leather. The silence in the truck is thick, humming with everything no one’s saying. Beside him, Carter lounges in the passenger seat, fingers laced behind his head like they’re headed to brunch instead of a search party. In the backseat, Theo sits silent, swallowed by shadow, but alert. Always alert.
The streets of Hartford shine with wet snowmelt, streetlightscatching on the pavement in blurred, golden streaks as Jake pulls up in front of the training facility and kills the engine.
Carter stretches with a groan. “Remind me why I’m here again? Oh right, because you broke the code and banged Jesse’s sister.”
Jake turns, scowling. “Jesus, Carter.”
“What?” Carter lifts his hands. “I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking. No moms, no sisters. That’s the hockey bro code. Cousins are fair game, provided they didn’t share a bunk bed growing up.”
Jake slams his door harder than necessary and stalks toward the entrance. “We’re here to find Jesse, not dissect my love life.”
“I’m just saying,” Carter repeats as he hops down onto the slushy pavement, crunching behind him. “You two were practically eye fucking each other at Christmas. Everyone saw this disaster coming except Jesse.”
Jake’s jaw ticks. He feels the guilt settle like wet cement in his chest.
Theo follows in silence, his boots landing in a steady rhythm behind them. He doesn’t say much—he rarely does—but Jake feels the comfort of his presence all the same. Theo’s not one to ask questions. He just shows up when it matters.
The facility is quiet, lending the feeling that the whole building is abandoned. A few stragglers run drills in the far corners of the ice. No Jesse.
“He’s not here,” Theo confirms after a beat, scanning the near-empty rink.
Jake doesn’t stop moving. “Next stop’s the gym.”
Back in the truck, Carter cranks the heat, rubbing his hands together with dramatic flair. “You think he’s pissed enough to ghost a practice? That’s some next-level petty.”
Jake ignores him. He pulls out of the lot, knuckles still clenched on the wheel.
“You worried about him?” Theo asks softly from the backseat.
Jake nods once, jaw still tight. “Yeah.”
“He’ll come around,” Theo says, quiet but certain.
Jake doesn’t answer. Because right now, he’s not sure Jesse will.
The gym is empty. They check the locker room, the weight room, even the smoothie bar.
“Nothing,” Carter mutters. “Man’s a damn ghost.”
Jake runs a hand down his face, frustration mounting. “Alright. We’ll check the bars.”
Carter perks up. “Now we’re talking.”
Jake shoots him a look.
“What?” Carter shrugs. “If he’s spiraling, he’s sure as shit not doing it at a yoga retreat.”
They start their search at MacLaren, a popular spot for players to wind down after games. The place is packed, music blaring, laughter spilling from every corner.
Carter nudges him. “I’ll take the left, you and Tilly take the right.”
Jake nods, weaving through the crowd, ignoring the people who recognize him. His focus is singular—find Jesse, get him home before he does something even more idiotic than skipping meetings and playing like he doesn’t care.
They check two more bars, each one filled with the usual late-night crowd. No sign of Jesse. With every empty booth and every shake of the bartender’s head, Jake’s frustration builds.
By the time they pull into the parking lot of Huckleberry’s, Jake’s gut is a knot. He doesn’t even want to get out of the truck.
