Chapter 20
TWENTY
Rain
“So,” Rocky sat at Rowdy’s dining room table, twirling the ECHL proposal on the tabletop with one finger, “I read through the material, and it looks like a slam dunk. More visibility. More money. Higher quality of play. Why wouldn’t we want to do this? What am I not seeing?”
Rowdy, Rebel, and I exchanged a grin around the table before we all looked back at Rocky.
“When did you get so smart, Rambo?” Rowdy asked. “Must be all that Ivy League learning.”
The fifty-year-younger carbon copy of our father held his middle finger at Rowdy for the nickname he hated.
“You all can go fuck yourselves.” Rocky leaned back in his chair, sprawled like the lanky teenager he’d been a few years ago. He’d added a few pounds in the past couple of years, and now he rivaled Rebel for height and muscle. “I’m being serious. I read through everything, and it looks like a good deal on paper.”
“What about you, Reb?” Rowdy looked to his left. “How are you leaning?”
Reb had played his cards pretty close to the vest on this. Then again, he and I hadn’t spoken about it. I’d pretty much made up my mind, but we’d decided among the four of us that this had to be a unanimous decision, or we didn’t do it.
“I think it’s now or never.” Reb laid his arms on the table. “If we don’t, we’re letting fear control us.”
“Damn, Reb,” Rocky laughed, “that’s more words than I’ve heard you say at one time in years.”
“Shove it, kid.”
“What about you, Rainy Day?” Rowdy nodded in my direction. “What’s your vote?”
Damn it. I really didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to go against my brothers. But I also knew what I felt.
“I don’t think it’s right for us. Not at this time.”
Reb blew out a breath and rolled his eyes to look at the ceiling, while Rocky leaned forward, his gaze narrowing.
“Why?” Rocky asked. “Is there something specific you don’t like about the terms?”
I glanced at Rowdy then back to Rebel. “It’s not the terms of the contract. I think it’s everything that’s not in the contract. Financial concerns we need to consider. And I think it’ll change the entire culture we’ve built here, not to mention what it will do to our league. And…some of our guys won’t make an ECHL team.”
“Sounds like you’re selling our guys short.” Rebel’s voice held an edge that put my back up.
“That’s not true. I’m just saying our league is built differently than the ECHL. Not better. Just different. Dad and the other owners have created something here to be proud of. And bigger isn’t always better.”
Rebel stared at me for a few long seconds. “True, but I still think most of our guys would make the cut.”
“And what about the ones who don’t?” Frustration started to bubble up and I had to work to shove it down. It wouldn’t help. “Wellar and Denny? We give guys like them a home in the game. They feel safe here. We give guys like Bonesaw and Brian a second chance.”
“Is that a good enough reason to turn down what could be a one-time offer?” Rebel stared at me, his eyes narrowed and his expression tense. “To stifle everyone because of a couple of players?”
Did he know about Brian and me? At that moment, I swore he did. But now definitely wasn’t the time to address that.
“There’s also the financial concerns.”
“The team makes money, right?” Looking between Rebel and me, Rocky ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. The damn kid had prettier hair than I did. “I mean, the ECHL wouldn’t have wanted us if we didn’t make money, right?”
“True,” I nodded, “but we’d also be putting out more money than we are now. We might get more butts in seats, but it also means more concession workers, more food, more maintenance, and that’s just the start of the list. I know this seems like a great opportunity, but I don’t think it’s the right one at this time. We’ve got to look at staffing concerns. Can we hire enough staff to handle bigger crowds? We have trouble hiring enough people to maintain the place now.”
Rebel and Rocky exchanged a look, as if asking each other if they’d known that. I didn’t want to be snarky and tell them they didn’t know because they didn’t give a shit. But they didn’t. Rebel had made it clear he just wanted to play. He left the running of the team and the arena to Rowdy and me. Rocky got a pass because he was still in school.
“Why didn’t I know about this?” Rocky said.
Rebel actually answered before I could.
“Because we didn’t ask.”
“Hey, we’re not playing a blame game.” Rowdy put his hands up like he was negotiating a treaty. “We’ve all had our roles to play. What we need to figure out now is how to move forward.”
I looked at Rowdy, knowing that if he voted with our brothers, I would go along with their decision. Not because they would steamroll me, but because I wouldn’t be the one to tank this deal if they wanted it. And then I’d do my damnedest to make sure it worked.
Rebel and Rocky turned their attention to our oldest brother, as well. Rowdy looked at each of us in turn, his expression serious. He looked like a grown-ass adult. Impressive.
“Guess it’s a good thing I made pulled pork for lunch because we’ve got more talking to do.” He shot me a glance. “I’m with Rainy on this. I think there’s more to consider than just the prestige of moving up a league.”
Holy shit. I honestly hadn’t expected him to say that. My mouth hung open for a couple of seconds before I snapped it shut.
“Then I guess you should know.” Rebel sighed and dropped an atom bomb. “I got a player tryout offer from the Redtails a couple days ago.”
I drove home from Rowdy’s after the meeting with my brothers, still reeling from Rebel’s announcement. Happiness warred with the sense that change was coming and maybe I wasn’t equipped to deal with it.
For so long, my brothers and I had been a team. I always knew Rowdy would be here for me. And when I said “here,” I meant right here, in St. David, working for the Devils. With me. And for all the sniping Rebel and I did at each other, I thought he’d be here too.
I’d been prepared to lose Rocky, though it would hurt my heart when he moved away to work at some impressive research facility. The kid’s brain was way too smart to use in any capacity other than curing cancer or ending world hunger. Yes, he loved hockey just like the rest of us, but personally, I thought the world needed him more than we did.
But Rebel leaving hit me harder than I’d thought it would. I guess because it was a surprise I hadn’t been expecting. And when I say surprise, I mean it was a fucking heart-stopping shock.
Not because I didn’t believe he could do it but because I just didn’t think he’d ever want to leave. Maybe I didn’t know my brother as well as I thought I did.
After Rowdy and Rocky congratulated Rebel and peppered him with questions for the next ten minutes, I’d given him a hug and told him I was so happy for him, that he absolutely deserved it. Then I’d left to go home, but not before I stopped at the arena to grab a few files I’d forgotten. I walked to the window that looked out over the empty ice. In a few hours, the youth hockey club would have practice, and later tonight, the ice skating classes given by the Y would start.
The knock on my office door made me jump and gasp. I turned to see Rebel standing there.
“Hey.”
I slapped on a smile, but I’m pretty sure he could see it wasn’t completely true. “Hey. Congrats again. It’s such a great oppor?—”
“You looked like I kicked your puppy.”
Arms crossed over his chest, Rebel stared at me. Trust him to cut straight to the chase.
I shook my head, my smile wry. “It was a shock.”
“What? You don’t think I can hack it?”
I made a face. “Don’t be an ass. Of course I think you’re good enough. I think it’s a great opportunity for you.”
“Then what’s going on? I would’ve thought you’d be the one who’d most want us to do this. To push us forward.”
“Maybe I think we’re doing just fine where we are.”
“Or maybe you’re afraid if things change, Brian won’t stick around.”
I refused to give him the satisfaction of a response. “Maybe I’m worried that half our team won’t stick around. And that they won’t have any other place to go. That offer is a great opportunity for you, but maybe you’re the one who wants everything to change for you. Why would you want to stay here and play for an ECHL team when you’ve got AHL interest?”
The muscle in his jaw ticked, and his gaze narrowed. “Maybe because this is my home.”
“I know that. It’s mine too.” Anger had started to burn in my gut. “And I’m not sure I want to completely fuck it up by conforming to another league’s rules. I can’t believe you, Mr. Leave-Me-The-Fuck-Alone, suddenly wants to be a joiner.”
“Maybe because this is my home. And I want to stay with my family.”
“And maybe you’re just afraid to leave.” Fuck. Fuck. I’d fucked up. “I’m sorry. Shit, I didn’t mean that. Not the way it sounded. Reb?—”
“No, I think you meant it.” Amazingly he didn’t look angry. “And maybe I should think about that. But maybe you should think about the fact that you’re holding the team back for your selfish reasons.”
He turned and walked away, and I let my head fall back as I stared at the ceiling that really needed to be painted.
Fuck.
Brian
You home?
Rain
No not yet. Be there in a few
Brian
Lunch?
Rain
Absolutely
I’d just left the arena to work at home this afternoon because it was Friday, and we had a home game tonight. I hadn’t seen much of Brian for the past two weeks, except at the arena during practice. Something kept coming up. He’d had a meeting with Maddy’s teachers Tuesday. Wednesday, Rowdy and I went ring shopping because that was the only day Rowdy could schedule it so that Tressy wouldn’t realize we were going to Harrisburg to meet a jeweler.
And OMG, the ring. I literally sighed when he picked it out. It was so pretty. Not gonna lie, I shed a few tears, which made Rowdy laugh. Then I smacked him on the chest, and he grabbed me in a bear hug, kissed my cheek, and told me I was the best sister ever. And we left to have lunch before making the trip back.
I don’t think Tressy suspected a thing.
The team had left Thursday for a three-game weekend in New York and hadn’t gotten home until late Sunday night.
Something had come up every day this week. Monday and Tuesday, I’d had a meetings for the Winter Carnival, which would be here in two weeks. Since the event had been running for almost a decade, all I had to do was make sure everything ran smoothly during the lead-up. Mom and a team of volunteers did most of the heavy lifting, but I coordinated all things Devils.
Which meant wrangling the schedule of a team of guys for various activities, including a charity game at the town park pond on that Saturday night, featuring the youth hockey groups and our guys.
I’d only seen Brian at the arena this week. A few stolen kisses in a couple of dark corners of the arena had not been enough for me. When my doorbell rang, my thighs clenched because I ached for him.
WI really should tell Brian he could just walk in.
I opened the door and barely had time to smile and say, “Hi—” before he caught me around the waist, lifted me off my feet, and slammed the door behind him with his foot.
His lips landed on mine, hard and demanding, and I practically melted against him. I let him shove all the shit out of my head with his lips and his tongue and the heat of his body wrapping around me.
I gave back as good as I could, but he seemed to be on a mission to consume me as fast as possible. Since I didn’t have any objection to that, I let him. I held on as he walked me up the stairs to my bedroom, his mouth on mine. I ended up sprawled on my bed naked while he kissed his way down my body, tossing clothing aside as he came to it.
I could barely catch my breath, but I didn’t care. I wanted to lose myself in him just as much as he seemed to want to do the same with me.
My pants slid down my legs, giving him the ability to put my knees over his shoulders, his hands on my ass, and lift me to meet his mouth. I sucked in air as he made me come with his mouth, my body shaking with a desire I couldn’t seem to quench around him.
“If I have to face off against that asshole on the ice, I’m going to do it after I’ve made you come so many times you can’t walk right.”
Oh my god, I hadn’t even thought of that. The Devils played the Anderstown Animals. Mo Zelinsky was the Animals captain.
And no way in hell was I going to let anything about that man invade this moment.
“More sex. Less talk.”
Brian chuckled as he bit the inside of my thigh before letting my ass hit the mattress as he fell over me, caging me with his arms on either side of my head.
“Absolutely, sweetheart.”
I already had my hands on his pants, pushing beneath the waistband and shoving them and his boxer briefs down just far enough for me to release his cock. I gave him a few pumps before flinging my hand toward the bedside table and trying to grab a condom out of the drawer. Brian got there before me, grabbing a condom and putting it in my hand before using his hand to cup my breast and squeeze.
Arching into his hand, I reveled in the sensation of his flesh on mine. But I didn’t forget that there was a bigger prize to be had. Fumbling with the condom packet, I tore it open with my teeth, then handed it over for Brian to take care of.
Sitting back on his haunches, he rolled it on, not bothering to take off his clothes, and sank deep on the first thrust.
Brian seemed to be on a mission, and I was happy to go along for the ride. Because the ride was amazing. My body gave in to his dominance and let me drown in pleasure. Any woman who claims not to enjoy having a big strong guy make her whimper with his hands and his mouth and his cock was lying.
His first thrust made my body tighten around him like a fist. The next sent shudders through my body as my nails scratched down his back.
The next sent me over.
“Did you talk to your brothers about what you’re going to do? ”
“Yeah, but we didn’t decide anything. We’re meeting again before the carnival. Reb’s going to be home for the weekend.”
“Guess there’s a lot to talk about.”
“There is, considering we don’t agree on the direction we should take the team.”
“And your dad’s letting it up to you and your brothers? He’s not giving you any advice at all?”
“No. I kinda think it’s a test to see if we do the right thing. I just don’t know what the right thing is.”
“What’s your gut telling you?”
“That it’s the wrong thing to do at this time.”
“You don’t sound sure.”
I sighed, loving the feel of his naked skin against mine as we lay in my bed. “I am. But I also know this could be a huge deal for my brothers. And…” Shit, I couldn’t tell him about Rebel. He’d sworn us to secrecy. “…we’re talking about a decision that could affect hundreds of lives, not just ours.”
“You sure there’s nothing else going on with you about this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Rain, you’re always the first person to jump into something new with both feet. Why is this any different?”
“Because it’s not just my life we could screw up if this goes wrong. We’re not starting from scratch here. And we wouldn’t just be screwing up our team, we could be screwing up the league. Dad and the other owners built this from the ground up.”
“I feel like I’ve fallen into one of those inspirational sports movies.”
I smacked him on his chest then kissed it better. “I don’t know why we can’t expand this league on our own. We don’t need to follow anyone else’s rules. We can make our own. Why are you smiling at me like that?”
“Because you’re cute when you’re channeling the plucky heroine of some cheesy movie.”
“Plucky? Seriously? What the hell kind of word is ‘plucky’?”
“The kind that perfectly describes the look on your face right now.”
Scrambling to my knees, I straddled his lap and mock-glared down at him. Even though his naked body made my mouth water, and my sex clenched at the position I was in and what I could be doing to him right now. His hands landed on my hips and his lips curved in a grin. And when I wrapped my hand around his hardening cock, I had the satisfaction of seeing his expression harden with lust.
“Do you want me to tell you what your face looks like right now?”
“If it’s not telling you how fucking sexy you are, you’re not reading me right.”
Then he showed me just how sexy he thought I was with his hands and his mouth.