Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
DECLAN
Declan
Got the papers from the lawyer
Froggie
Does it seem complicated?
All pretty straightforward
I work late tomorrow night, so how about the day after I come over and we can take a look at everything?
Sounds good to me
Good
I’ll bring dinner and we can discuss everything then?
Okay
Discuss things? Not sure what there is to discuss. I thought it was going to be easy. Sign a few documents and boom, marriage annulled.
Locking my phone, I shove it in my pocket when I see Cash walking toward me.
“Thanks for coming to get a workout in with me,” I tell him by way of greeting.
The arena is quiet. Now that we’re firmly in the offseason, not many people are in this part of the building. Sure, the main office people are here, but I didn’t see them when I came in.
“You’re not the only one that goes a little stir-crazy.”
Cash and I skate around the ice, sticks in hand. There are a few pucks on the ice, but we ignore them for now.
After everything that happened last week, I couldn’t sit around my house and do nothing. I never thought I’d get myself into this situation.
Marrying Alice? Never did I think that would happen. I always thought I would be standing by her side as her man of honor when she got married. Standing beside her as her groom?
Nope, never.
“Have you recovered from Vegas yet?” Cash asks, grabbing a puck in the cradle of his stick and shooting it in my direction.
I debate wanting to tell Cash what happened. When Alice and I met up with everyone the next day in Vegas, we took the rings off and didn’t tell anyone. If they weren’t there, they didn’t need to know. But honestly? It’d be easier if I told someone. At least to get their perspective, right?
“Define recovered…” I shoot the puck back toward him.
Cash skates over to me, sliding to a stop and covering me with ice. “What do you mean? Did something happen?”
“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this.” I scrub a nervous hand over the back of my neck. Alice and I said we wouldn’t tell anyone, but one person couldn’t hurt, right? Besides, knowing her, she’s probably already told Leon. Next to me, he’s her closest friend.
“Now I have to know.”
“Alice and I got married.”
There’s a beat of silence, and I feel like I can hear my heartbeat in the emptiness of the arena.
Until Cash bursts out laughing. “You mean you two actually went through with it? Holy shit. I didn’t think you had the balls to do it.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t been egging me on,” I fire back.
“Do you even remember what happened?” Cash cocks an eyebrow at me. “Because you and Alice were pretty wasted.”
“Because of you.” I flip him off. “I honestly thought you’d be the one getting hitched in Vegas by Elvis.”
That causes more glee to spread across Cash’s face. “Elvis did it? That makes it even better.”
“I’m regretting telling you anything now.”
“Sorry.” Cash tries to stop laughing, but the smirk on his face tells me it’s a losing battle. “I’ll be cool.”
“Fat chance of that happening.”
“Dick.”
“Ass.”
“Honestly?” Cash starts, looking at me with a serious face. “I thought if anyone would do it, it’d be me and Piper, but I’m already planning our engagement.”
“I guess only one of us could make a stupid decision in Vegas.”
“Do you regret it?” he asks.
But before I can answer, the gate slams shut and we both turn to follow the sound.
“Hey guys.” Troy skates out onto the ice, a smile firmly affixed on his face. “I thought I’d be the only one here today.”
“Eh, figured it couldn’t hurt to be on the ice for a bit.”
“In other words, we were bored,” Cash finishes.
“Yeah, same.” Troy grabs one of the pucks and sends it over to me. “Did you hear what happened with Duncan?”
“What did that fucker do now?” Cash growls. If there’s anyone that hates him, it’s Cash. Seeing as how his girlfriend used to date him, it’s warranted.
“Apparently he was caught at a party with multiple women, some of whom were married to other players in the league, and generally being a dick.”
“Are you serious?” I groan. “Why is he such an asshole?”
“Do you want the long answer?” Cash asks. “Or how he just has a general lack of disrespect toward most people.”
“I think you nailed it in one,” Troy says.
“Is anything going to happen to him?” I ask.
“Nick didn’t know. But according to Bex, the league is going to look at its player code of conduct.”
“Really?” Ice slides down my stomach. Code of conduct?
What if what happened in Vegas gets splashed across the sports headlines like Duncan’s indiscretions?
We were drunk. I don’t want any drunken videos surfacing that could jeopardize my position with the team or Alice’s future with Enchanted Petals.
“I don’t know how he’s still playing,” Cash mutters. “He’s a dick and his actions affect everyone. Not just him.”
Troy nods. “Which is why the league is likely going to start coming down on teams for the behavior of its players.”
“Even harder,” I confirm.
It’s not like we don’t already have a player code of conduct.
It’s not like we don’t already have a player code of conduct, and having to conduct myself in a certain manner so I don’t look like an entitled asshole has never been a problem for me.
I love what I do and would never do anything to jeopardize it.
Cash eyes me and I know we’re both thinking the same thing. Like getting drunk and marrying someone to only say oops, just kidding a few days later.
Fuck.
This is why it sucks to be in the public spotlight some days.
“Nick told me about it. I guess it’s good to know people in high places.” He laughs.
Considering Nick is dating the team GM, I bet it doesn’t hurt. Not like he wouldn’t have told the rest of us, but Troy is married to Nick’s sister, and they see each other far more often than we do.
“Wonder when the memo will go out,” Cash says, skating around us.
Troy shrugs. “It’s not like we have to worry about anything.”
“Well…” Cash voices.
“Cash!” I hiss.
“What’s going on?” Troy asks.
Fuck me. So much for not telling anyone else.
“I—”
“Declan and Alice got married in Vegas,” Cash answers for me.
“Hey!” I jab him with the butt of my hockey stick. “I was going to tell him.”
“I didn’t want you chickening out.”
“You went through with it?” Troy asks. He turns his attention to Cash. “I didn’t realize how many shots you were giving them.”
“It wasn’t that many,” Cash defends. “Besides, they didn’t have to take them.”
“It was a celebration,” I add. “We were having fun.”
“Apparently a little too much fun,” Troy says, smiling. “But yeah, it wouldn't be the best look for the team.”
I groan. It’s not like I was caught sleeping with married women—several at the same time by the sound of it. “Great. So instead of annulling the marriage, I have to ask Alice to stay married to me?”
Cash claps me on the shoulder. “Just smile at her. Who can say no to that smile?”
Troy rolls his eyes. “Okay, you might need to make more of a case than that.”
“I figured.”
To say she wasn’t thrilled with this whole situation when we woke up the next morning is an understatement. Now, instead of signing papers tonight, I need to make this work. I mean, it’s Alice, right? She’s my best friend. We’d do anything for each other.
I only hope that extends to marriage.