Chapter 22
Damon glanced back once, saw his sister sitting next to Marlie and Jeff, and quickly turned around, wishing she’d left town before his game like she’d said she would. The big liar.
It wasn’t as if Damon was God’s gift to coaching, but he knew hockey. These guys loved it, so helping felt good. They all had a love of the sport in common, as well as a will to win.
Morgan’s team had tried, but though they had athleticism and size on their side, their tactics weren’t the best. And Morgan, for all that he could be a dick while helping with PT, was way too nice.
But not too nice. It didn’t escape his notice that Mackenzie, that asshole from yesterday, hadn’t shown up on the ice or on the bench. A good call. A guy who couldn’t control himself on the ice was a liability.
He followed the players shaking hands with the other team and thanked everyone for playing before he got to Morgan. “Don’t hold this against me tomorrow.”
Morgan squeezed his hand and gave an evil grin. “Oh, I totally will.”
Damon had to laugh. “You did good, Coach. But well, your offense was weak, the defense too nice.” The players in question glared at him. “And that goalie… Maybe he shouldn’t quit his day job.”
The goalie in question, who hadn’t been at practice the day before, pushed her mask back and shot him the finger. “Suck it, Sinclair.”
Her teammates laughed and sneered at him.
Steve sidled next to Damon. “Uh, I wouldn’t get too cocky. Sabrina’s one of our deputies. And she carries a grudge.”
“Thanks, Steve. I’m not worried. I know you’ll have my back.”
“Well, if the sheriff will let me.” He nodded to the gathering crowd. “After you sign autographs and talk to people, my parents want a word. Rumor has it you’re seeing my sister.”
“Shit.”
Steve grinned. “But hey, we won. So you have that going for you. FYI, they’re watching you.” He pointed to a couple in the stands.
He glanced at her parents, sitting next to a couple they seemed engaged with, then looked back to see Grace still giving Marlie—and Jeff—the third degree. Which reminded him…
He grabbed Will and dragged him back on his skates for a confab.
“Quit mooning over whoever you were ogling in the crowd. You almost cost us a goal, moron.” He’d been surprised to see Will looking so ga-ga over his sister.
Then he realized Will’s attention hadn’t been sweet but something a guy used when he looked at someone he wanted in bed. Not a look one would give one’s sister.
At least, he hoped not.
And then he’d seen Jeff winking back. Jeff and Will? Huh. Did Marlie know, or was Damon totally wrong about the guys?
Will flushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Damon rolled his eyes. “Oh, so you were shooting fuck-me stares at your sister? This might be a small town, but I’m pretty sure brother-sister love is frowned upon here.”
“Sicko.” Will tried to move away, but Damon had a hold of his jersey and moved them back to the others. “I hear you, Hulk. Let go.”
“Good. Never let your cock drag you down.”
“Unless it’s just that big,” Ed murmured, which had the rest of them laughing.
Knowing he’d tortured Will as much as the guy deserved, Damon turned to thank the guys again for such a great game and agreed to meeting them that night for a celebratory drink.
Then, because the Flashman brothers had insisted he join them and Grant to greet anyone wanting to talk to him, he met them all in the lobby out front, where a ton of folks waited for autographs and to speak with him about the Ice Raptors’ chances for the Cup next year.
“Well, you ask me, we’re going to take it. No one comes close to McClusky and Ford when the pair are on a tear. Then you have Vashevski at center. Guy’s got a big mouth and a hell of a slapshot. He can piss off the defense like nobody’s business and score while they’re cussing him out.”
Henry swung by to tell him to go to hell again, so Damon responded, “Sure, old man. I’ll save you a seat right next to me.”
The crowd loved that. Damon noticed a ton of people talking to the Flashmans and Grant, Mr. Baseball, as well. For a small town, Hope’s Turn seemed to be swimming in pro ballers.
The other players had remained, everyone talking, laughing, jeering. A real crowd. The atmosphere felt fun, the way hockey should be. Competitive but festive all the same.
He suddenly noticed holiday music playing in the background and had a huge case of the holiday spirit splash over him. Except he didn’t spot Marlie anywhere near.
Where the hell was she?
Grace showed up and draped her arm around his neck. “Hey, Demon, got a minute?”
He excused himself from a nice older couple as she pulled him away and shoved him at Marlie. Finally.
His sister sighed. “Dude, I’m late. Gotta head back. I like her. Don’t fuck it up.” She grabbed him in a bear hug, nearly strangling him, then left him staring after her.
Marlie stared with him. “I can’t lie. Major Grace Sinclair scares me.”
“Now you know why I am the way I am.”
She patted his arm. “Oh, I get it.” Marlie ruined it by laughing. “Man, the stories she had to tell about you. So funny.”
He flushed. “None of it was true.”
“Yeah, right.” She groaned. “Oh boy. My parents are coming over. They’re with Jeff’s folks.”
They spotted Jeff with her brothers and the two older couples.
Damon sighed. “I’m going to get interrogated by the sheriff, aren’t I?” The older woman’s scrutiny amused him, so he started toward them, noticed Marlie trying to hang back, and dragged her with him by the hand.
“Hey, let go, Demon.”
“Suck it up, princess. If I’ve gotta pay, so do you.”
She groaned.
He grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll be nice. I won’t tell them how hot you make me with those freckles.”
“Please don’t.” The flush under her cheeks made him chuckle. “Laugh it up, stalker. It’s all fun and games until Mona’s questioning you under a bright light and Irving’s psychoanalyzing you.”
“Is he a therapist?”
“Not a paid one, no. He’s an engineer. But he should have a doctorate in dysfunction. My dad’s spent years making peace in our family.”
“Huh. My family doesn’t have a peacemaker. We just make war or move away from the conflict. World War III hasn’t yet happened in the Sinclair house.”
“Funny.”
He wasn’t exactly joking.
They stopped in front of her parents while her brothers stood behind them, smiling with evil intent.
“So, you’re the man dating my daughter,” Irving Reynolds said, taking the lead. A tall man with dark hair, dark eyes, and the same features stamped on his older sons held out a hand. “I’m Irv. Nice to meet you.”
“Damon. Nice to meet you too, sir.”
Steve rolled his eyes. Ed quietly snickered. Will sidled next to Jeff and whispered something while Jeff nodded, clearly amused. Jeff’s parents introduced themselves as well, then Jeff managed to drag them away, latching onto Will as well.
Lucky bastards.
He turned to the one woman he hadn’t been introduced to yet. “And you must be the sheriff. Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
She studied him, her eyes narrowed. “You look familiar.”
“Maybe because you just saw him coaching the team?” Marlie said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
Steve and Ed chortled. And they called Damon a demon?
“No. Your family lives here, I heard.”
He nodded.
Her eyes widened. “Big Mike Sinclair is your father?”
“You’ve met?”
“I busted him years ago in one of the worst fights we’ve ever had in town. Never forgot it.”
He sighed. “I never heard about that one. He supposedly left his criminal days behind.”
“Criminal?” Marlie brightened. “Oh, is your dad a stalker too?”
Her mother scowled. “What?”
Damon warned Marlie with a look to shut up then turned a charming—so he thought—smile on her mom. “A minor charge for fighting when he was just a young guy. But he met my mom, fell in love, and fell in line. My mom doesn’t tolerate shenanigans, as she puts it.”
The sheriff grunted. She stood several inches shorter than Marlie but had the same freckles her daughter had. She appeared soft and cute, but the glint in her gaze warned him to tread warily.
The woman stuck out her hand. “Mona Reynolds. Nice to meet you, Damon.”
He shook her hand firmly but didn’t overpower with strength. Before he could release her, she tugged him off balance and down for a hug.
“Mom.” Marlie sounded annoyed.
For a small woman, she had a surprisingly powerful grip. “Good game today.” She pulled back with a grin. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you for dinner soon, won’t we Marlie?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
He fought not to smile.
“Enjoy your victory.” She turned, spotted her sons, and nodded. “I need some help getting the decorations down from the attic. You’re coming home to help, right?”
“Uh, well,” Ed said.
Steve stammered some stupid excuse she wasn’t buying.
“That sounds perfect. You can do your laundry at our place while you help out. I’ll even feed you two snacks.” Mona looked around. “Now where did Will go?”
Jeff, Damon noticed, had disappeared as well. Clever guys.
Jeff’s parents waved their goodbyes while Marlie tried to subtly steer Damon away from her family.
Her father stopped them. “Speaking of dinner, Damon, would you like to come by this week? I know Marlie’s got a few games, but how does Thursday sound?”
“Perfect,” he said over Marlie’s attempt at telling her father not to be pushy.
“Wonderful. Is there anything you don’t like to eat?”
“Is that a trick question?”
Her dad laughed. “See you at six on Thursday, then. Mona, let’s go.” He grabbed his wife’s hand, and the pair left with her brothers promising to follow after they grabbed their things from the locker room.
Damon let Marlie lead him away from the lobby and outside to the parking lot.
“I’m over there.” She pointed to her car, and they walked toward it. “Congrats on your win. I especially loved the way you called the opposing coach a punk ass bitch for complaining over an offsides call.”
“I was trying to be polite. There were kids watching.”