Frenemies with a Player (Westfall U #7)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Wyatt

I’m packing up my bag in the locker room after a brutal practice. Christmas break is finally here and I am looking forward to some downtime.

“James, come by my office before you head out,” Coach Darren says as he walks by my locker.

“Sure thing.” I nod.

A ruckus of oohs and ahhs breaks out in the locker room amongst the guys.

The thing is, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.

I think it has more to do with my future.

Everyone who is a senior on the Westfall U hockey team pretty much knows which team they will draft to next year and if they don’t know, they are in several negotiations.

Being a senior means it’s our last year on the team.

Talks of contracts have been ongoing the last couple of months, but not for me.

As a goalie I am less in demand, even if I am doing a bang-up job.

Knowing all the talk is going on around me and I’m excluded has my morale feeling low.

“Where you headed for the holiday?” Easton asks.

“Home to Ottawa to help my parents around the house. My dad has a list of chores for me,” I reply dryly.

“Shit, sounds boring.” Easton chuckles as he takes his duffel bag and swings it over his shoulder.

“Tell me about it,” I say. When I was growing up, my parents would head to Grams’s cottage along the Quebec-Ontario border.

It was on a lake and the view was spectacular.

She had snowmobiles and a firepit. We would make smores and hang with other kids who came to visit their grandparents, but the most fun we had was when we spent our summer vacations up there on the lake.

My sister and I would have a blast. When Grams passed, she left the cottage to Mom, but Mom couldn’t bring herself to go back there.

“I’m probably going to get some skiing in over break,” Easton says, which makes sense since he’s from Colorado.

“Sounds a lot better than fixing up my parents’ aging house,” I sigh.

I take my duffel and lift it on my shoulder.

“Well, peace, bro. Have a good holiday,” Easton says. We fist bump each other and Easton heads out while I head over to Coach’s office.

I walk up to Coach’s door and give it a little knock. “Hey, Coach.”

“Come in. Take a seat.” Coach Darren waves me in and I place my duffel on the floor and take a seat and wait. “I just wanted to check in with you. It’s important you keep up some training over break and do your daily stretches. You need to take care of yourself,” Coach advises.

“That’s the plan, Coach. I don’t have much else to do so I’ll keep up with all my stretches and exercises,” I assure.

Coach Darren brings his two hands together, allowing the tips of his fingers to touch. “I know you’re worried about next year, but I really do believe you’re going to be fine.”

“I don’t know, Coach. I’ve been working my ass off, but you know the stats. Each team only needs two goalies.”

“You can still make it,” Coach Darren encourages, “with hard work.” Really what I am hearing is I will probably be taken to one of the farm teams, for a couple of years, before I will be called up to the NHL, or maybe it’s if I will be called up.

“I’m not too hopeful, Coach. I’ve worked my ass off to get to this point. I was hoping I’d be able to help my parents financially. They’re both retired but money is tight.”

“I hear that. I was in a similar situation when I was about your age,” he says.

Coach Darren played in the NHL but not for long.

Him sympathizing with me isn’t helping. “Look, I think it’s important to be the best you can.

Don’t get too far in your head because the negativity will just drag you down.

Do you have any special plans over break? ”

“Yeah, fixing things around my parents’ house,” I snicker.

His lips turn upside down. “I’ve been to Ottawa. It’s a beautiful place. Do you have some friends back home still?”

I’m starting to get the feeling Coach is worried about my well-being. “Coach, I’ll be all right.”

“I know. You have yourself a merry Christmas. I’m expecting big things for our team when we get back from break.”

“Me too,” I confirm. The Westfall U team is considered one of the stronger teams in the NCAA hockey league. We have a strong record of winning the Frozen Four. If I can show my worth at the Frozen Four, then maybe I’ll have a chance at the NHL during the draft. “Merry Christmas to you.”

With that I take my duffel and head out.

I stop by my house to pick up my suitcase, and make some arrangements, before getting on a bus to Boston since I need to fly out of Logan International.

When I arrive to the airport, I realize my flight is delayed because of the weather.

I head to the food court and grab a hamburger and fries.

My mom’s name pops up on my screen. “Hey, Ma,” I say into the phone.

“You didn’t message you were taking off. I got worried,” she explains.

“Sorry, I should’ve called. My flight is delayed.”

“Casey and David are here with the kids already,” she states. My sister lives in New York with her husband and two kids. My niece and nephew are adorable, but I don’t see them often. Casey is a decade older so she’s been more like a mom to me than a sister.

“Cool,” I reply. “Can’t wait to see everyone.

” Excitement is lacking in my tone, but I can’t help it.

My situation with hockey is grating on my nerves.

I’ve still got a political science degree to fall back on and my grades are pretty good, but I really don’t want to have to pursue a career in law.

When I think back to my days in high school, when everyone knew what they wanted to be, all I ever wanted to do was play hockey.

However, given my parents’ financial situation, they always encouraged me to have a plan B.

My plan B was law school, but I didn’t have it in me to write the LSAT over the summer.

Instead, I’m betting all my cards on a professional hockey career, which at this point isn’t looking too promising.

We finally board the plane and I place earbuds in my ears and listen to some music while I chill for a bit.

Once I get home it’s going to be busy. Between my chores and my sister’s kids there won’t be much time for rest. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and I miss them dearly, but our town is boring as hell.

Most people I went to high school with left for university and never came back.

The flight from Boston to Ottawa isn’t long and before I know it we are landing.

I proceed to get my luggage and pass through customs. My parents are waiting for me in arrivals.

Mom is waving both her hands up in the air.

She’s wearing a bright red Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer sweater.

Dad is beside her wearing a matching sweater, only he’s wearing a Santa hat too.

With his white beard he really does resemble Santa Claus.

“Mom, I see you. You can stop waving now,” I say when I am in arm’s reach of her. She hops up and wraps her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” I reply, hugging her back.

Dad shakes my hand. “Good to see you, Son.”

“Thanks for coming out to get me,” I say.

“Your mom wouldn’t have it any other way.” He smiles.

We head out to their Honda Civic, which they parked in the underground parking lot. It’s a bit of a bugger getting my suitcase in the trunk with all of the knickknacks Dad has in here.

“Any news on prospects for next year?” is Dad’s first question the minute my passenger door closes. “Saw your last game. Some nice saves there, Son.”

“Thanks,” I reply. I decide not to answer his question and he doesn’t press because why should I dampen the mood? I’m not the only one hoping I’ll draft. My parents spent a lot of money on hockey to get me where I am. They are hoping I make it too.

We pull up to my childhood home within twenty minutes. When I leave the car, I inhale deeply, taking in the fresh air. It feels good to be home.

I get my suitcase out of the car, even though Dad offers to help, I don’t let him because he’s been having back trouble.

We don’t even make it up to the front door and my older sister, Casey, is whipping the front door open.

She’s wearing reindeer antlers. “Hi, big guy,” she squeals, spreading her hands wide.

She hugs me and latches on and I spin her around like I did when I was younger.

My sister who is in her thirties laughs like a small child.

“Whoa, this never gets old,” she says, catching her breath. I’m six foot two and Casey is five foot five. She’s wanted me to spin her around ever since I hit my big growth spurt at sixteen.

“Totally,” I agree.

Taylor and Kai, my niece and nephew, are next to greet me. I pick them up and swing them around too. I’m a big guy and they don’t weigh much for a ten-year-old and a twelve year old, but maybe that’s what kids weigh these days.

David, my brother-in-law, is next in line to greet me. He shakes my hand and pulls me in for a half hug. “You going pro?” are his first words.

I wish my family would stop asking me that damn question. Like it’s expected of me at this point in my life being on a Division 1 NCAA team.

“Don’t know yet.”

Mom takes my jacket and ushers me into the kitchen where she has a fresh batch of mac and cheese. I eat like it’s nobody’s business. This is one of my favorite meals.

While I am eating Mom gives me my list of chores. The eaves need cleaning out, the garage could use a good cleanup. The fence in the backyard is missing some boards. The list goes on but I tune her out. It’s when she says that she and Dad have a surprise announcement tomorrow that my ears perk up.

“What kind of surprise?” I ask, shoveling more mac and cheese in my mouth.

“There’s only the good kind,” Casey says, walking into the kitchen.

“Why does she get to know and I don’t?” I ask, reverting to my teenage self.

“Because I need you to get through those chores by tomorrow noon at the latest,” Mom says.

“You want me to clean the garage out now?” I ask, flabbergasted. I just got off a flight and it’s dark outside.

“Trust me, it’ll be totally worth it,” Casey says, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. My sister clearly likes knowing something I don’t.

I finish my mac and cheese and thank Mom with a peck on her cheek.

Then I put on my winter puffer and head outside.

It’s fucking cold. I can do the garage tonight, but there is no way I can fix the fence in the dark.

There’s also no way I’m climbing onto the roof in the dark either. The last thing I need is an injury.

I start by emptying out the entire garage, which has a lot of shit my parents probably don’t need.

They are clearly hoarders. I place earbuds in my ears and listen to some tunes.

Meanwhile, I try to envision what the surprise would be.

Casey seemed excited and it’s hard to please her.

I begin to think maybe my parents want to take a beach vacation.

Having a break from the cold winter would be awesome.

My buddies back at school go on all kinds of beach vacations and tell their stories when they get back.

Their skin is golden brown and they are radiating sunshine.

In the meantime, my skin is creamy white.

My body only knows the cold weather and I spend vacations doing chores.

I try to get into the song I’m listening to because my life just about sucks right now.

Hell, I was so busy with school and the team I can’t even remember the last time I got laid.

I turn up the music to drown out my thoughts.

I work quick to get the garage clean because my parents must be surprising me with a beach vacation. That has to be it.