Bar Down (Grand Marquee Manticores #2)

Chapter 29

TWENTY-NINE

ASH

There’s no update on Nadison, but the whole team is celebrating the end of training camp. We’ve all pushed ourselves and worked hard the last few days, and that really showed on the ice. We work well together, no matter what gets thrown at us.

Bonavich joins us for the meal we got catered and he gives us a whole speech about how amazing we’re going to do this season and how much faith he has in us. This makes me think that the rumor that my father was vying for his job is bullshit. There’s no way Nelson Meyers would give up Boston for Detroit, not when he played there almost his entire career. I breathe a little easier seeing the excitement on Bonavich’s face.

Later, I try to find Eli, but he’s nowhere in the room. I do see Juuse sitting with a group of NHL players and I make my way to him.

“Hey, have you seen Eli?” I ask.

Juuse smiles at me with his perfect teeth and I still kinda wanna punch him for taking my boyfriend on a date. “Ash, good job out there. I just saw Bonavich pull him aside for a conversation. Guess it’s his time.”

“Time for what?” I ask, confused.

“Well,” he says, standing up and leading me away from the table. “Nadison’s injury must be pretty serious,” he says in a low voice. “He might be looking at months of recovery. That means I need a backup in Detroit.”

I stare at him, understanding dawning on me.

Eli is getting called up to play in the NHL.

I smile, but feel a pang in my chest too. That means he’s leaving. I won’t get to see him every day like we planned. We won’t get to go on dates like we talked about.

My face must show how heartbroken I am, because Juuse of all people gives me a pitying smile and pats my back. “You’ll make it work, I’m sure.”

As happy as I am for Eli, I can’t help but wonder if we will.

Eli

My anxiety doesn’t let up as Bonavich takes me aside. I try to focus on what he’s saying.

Two months. Groin injury. Secondary goalie.

My heart is beating a mile a minute and I nod along, but my hands are sweating and my breathing is shallow. This is it.

“Are you up for the task?” he asks, and I stare blankly at him. Am I up for the task? It’s only everything I’ve been working towards. Everything I’ve wanted since I was five years old and my dad was coaching me in little league.

I take a deep breath and run my hands down my face. When I drop them back down, I’m smiling so hard, Bonavich’s eyebrows shoot up. He gives me a wry smile back and I don’t even get to say anything. He pats my shoulder and says, “You’re gonna be great, kid. Keep up the hard work and this won’t just be temporary.”

Holy shit. Holy shit. This is huge for my career. A chance to actually play in the NHL. Even if it is only temporary, this is a huge opportunity, although I feel bad for Nadison.

I go through a wave of emotions and by the time I go back to the large conference room. I spot Ash at a table and my heart sinks when he looks at me. His eyes are wide and he’s smiling hard, but I can tell he knows. I grab a plate of food and sit next to him.

“Well?” he asks, excitement in his voice.

I nod and take a bite of pizza. I keep nodding while Ash just looks at me, waiting for more information.

“I don’t know much, just that I’ll be the secondary for the next two months.”

Ash whoops and tackles me into a side hug. I shush him and look around nervously. “I don’t know how much I’m supposed to say right now.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he says, straightening up. “This is amazing, Eli. You’re amazing.”

“It’s not that serious, I only got called up because Nadison is hurt,” I say, downplaying it.

“Are you kidding?” Ash says, punching my arm hard enough to lose my balance. “ You were amazing out there. You blocked all the shots that came at you. You scored the winning goal. That is not nothing, Eli. Even if this game is all for show and not for points, your performance still matters.”

I blow out a shaky breath. When’s the last time someone believed in me this much? “When did you get so wise?”

Ash tilts his head and leans in conspiratorially, the corners of his lips twitching. “Someone told me I’m smarter than I give myself credit for.”

Then his face gets more serious as he says, “Actually, I think I just have a really great therapist. When in doubt, I ask myself—what would Marge do?”

“I’m proud of you,” I say, and he gives me a soft smile and a nod, but a spike of fear still rolls through me. I don’t want to lose him, not when I didn’t even get to tell him how much I love him.

“We’ll be okay, right?” I ask and Ash seems taken aback for a moment.

“Of course, we’ll figure it all out when we get home.”

“Okay,” I say and give him a shaky smile. I really hope we can, but I’m nervous about our future.