Page 6 of My Brother's Enemy
“No one. I mean it, no one. The players. Your assistant. The press team. No one. Social media team.”
“The owners?”
“No one besides those who already know.” I waited, holding my breath, because so many would want to know why. This was a hint at juicy gossip. But after giving me a long and considered study, Mr. Benoit dipped his head in a nod. “That’s fine.”
I liked that so I said, “Box seat for Friday. Not with the WAGs. Other than that, I don’t care where or how nice of a box it is. I just need to see the team from a decent distance away.”
“That’s easy enough.”
“And right next to the rink for Sunday’s game—where your team starts in the goal if there’s a single seat available.” I wanted to watch the way they moved together tonight, and then on Sunday I wanted to be able to see their eyes when they played.
“Done. I can do that.” He nodded and must’ve given some sort of signal because the server began weaving through the tables toward us again. “You never touched your coffee, but do you know what you’d like to order?”
I considered leaving, starting my research now, except Mr. Benoit seemed eager to assist me in any way, so I nodded instead.
When the server approached, I asked for one of their salads, along with a side of roasted vegetables and a glass of wine.
He ordered a steak, and his eyes held a hint of approval after she left. “You drink red wine?”
I smiled. I didn’t normally, but today, I would.
4
TYLER
Minneapolis
“Are you sure you want to do this?” My agent stood next to me, his shoulders taut.
Brian had been with me from the start, and while anyone else would look at him and find him the epitome of relaxed, I knew that was not the case. He was known for his poker face, and that’s what everyone else would see right now. His features were impassive, his stance casual. Yet his eyes were constantly moving, taking everything in around the empty locker room. I knew my agent.
He was anxious.
I leaned down to check my skates, one of the last things I did for my routine. I cast him a quick frown. “Kinda late for that question. The ink is dried. I signed the contract.”
It had been a whirlwind since I’d called Brian a couple days ago and told him what I needed to do. After I’d talked to Ski, I had no other choice. An offer materialized for me very soon thereafter. It was generous too, and a surprising one considering this was one of the newer teams in the league.
I’d been shocked. So shocked I’d had to sit down when he’d called to let me know.
He had told them the reason for the sudden transfer was family. My former team hadn’t wanted to give me up, and I didn’t want to leave. I’d been with them since I was drafted. I respected them, but they also respected me and letting me out of my contract was the biggest show of that respect. Once I told them the reason, they didn’t balk.
Leaving my teammates and friends, however, had been another matter. Since everything happened so fast, most of the guys and their partners came over to help me pack. We’d loaded up what I needed for a few weeks, and I’d figure out what to do with my house later.
Along the way there’d been beers, food, and lots of idle chatting, as all of us were in some level of denial about me leaving the team. Nolan, my best friend, broke first, demanding to know the reason. We were all close, so I told them the truth. Some of them got weepy.
Nolan’s eyes had gone glossy. “Fuck, man. Zoey?”
I’d nodded, my vision blurred. “Yeah, man. So, I gotta be there.”
Nodding, he’d crossed the room, wrapping me in a tight hug. “I got it. Zoe’s your girl.”
Yeah, she was. My niece. My goddaughter.
Even so, Christ. That goodbye was one of the hardest things I’d had to do.
Although going to see Ski and Zoey early this morning had topped it. When I saw Zoey in the hospital, her arms so thin and tangled up in all sorts of cords, I almost lost it.
But the Grays had wanted to move fast. So here I was. I hadn’t even practiced with my new team. We’d had an early warmup skate this morning, so I went straight from the hospital. I’d met the guys, met my new coach and the rest of the coachingstaff, then was swept off to sign my contract. After that, things had been a blur.
