3. Blake
“Are you sure about this?”
My eyes focus on Dad. “Yes.”
“Still think you’re an idiot,” Landon mutters.
“Nobody asked for your opinion, Landon.”
My brother visibly cringes at the sound of Mom’s voice. She isn’t on the screen, hasn’t shown her face on this video call with the men I respect most when it comes to hockey, but I knew she wouldn’t be far away.
She never is from Dad, or he her. They say it’s because they spent so much time apart when he played in the NHL and the years coaching after that.
“If you’re sure, then tell me what you need.”
Dad’s question has my gaze moving from my brother back to him. Despite this being a video call with six people on the screen, I know my dad is looking right at me, his eyes boring into mine, hunting for any weakness or uncertainty.
I also see trust, pride, and a little concern. All of it stems from his knowledge of me. He knows.
Knows I wouldn’t go into this without one hundred percent confidence in my ability to achieve my objective.
Knows if I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t willingly put myself in a position to be hurt again.
Knows that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Branton Lattimer has the power to hurt me.
Hell, he already has.
But none of that matters. It’s in the past, and now, in the present, I’m all about building a future.
And that future means I have to face the one man I swore I wouldn’t get close to again.
Not that he’s shown any sign of letting either of us be close. He’s done everything in his power to push me out of his life—everyone he used to be close to out of his life.
Sighing, I rub a hand on my forehead and think about what it is I need from Dad right now.
Nothing comes to mind.
Hell, I don’t even know if Bran will talk to me, never mind listen to our offer.
“I’m good for now. We’re flying out tomorrow to go see him.”
“We?” Sutton asks.
My eyes flick to my older brother; he’s been quiet until now. Our oldest brother, Mason, has been tightlipped as well and I wonder if it’s because they don’t approve of my decision to be the one from the Rogues org to talk to Bran. I can put their minds at ease if it is.
“Yeah, we. Oakley, Walker, and me.”
“I assume you’re referring to Walker Alcott, Oakley’s fiancé,” Dad asks.
“Husband.”
“What?”
“Since when?”
“What the hell?”
I laugh at the boys’ reactions. It breaks the tension, and my body relaxes as I lean back in my chair. “They got married a couple of days ago. Just them, Oakley’s Pa, and Micky, the little boy Walker’s cousin left him guardian of.”
“I heard about that.” Mom’s face crowds out Dad’s, her concern clearly etched around her eyes, in her gaze, in the lopsided frown I remember from my childhood. “Is he okay? Micky? Does he need anything? Do they need anything? You tell Oakley to call me if they need help. Walker too. For anything at all.”
I smile at her. “I will.” Mom hums as if she knows neither of them is likely to reach out before moving out of frame again. “I promise I’ll pass on your message and remind them regularly,” I reassure in the hope of appeasing her.
Although I won’t be surprised if she sends a care package or even turns up, my dad in tow, to offer her help in person. She’s loved Oakley like a second daughter since she and I became unlikely best friends when we were young.
“Is Alcott going as Oakley’s husband or…”
Rolling my lips between my teeth, I’m the one keeping quiet now. I hope Sutton lets the question drop.
There’s been speculation in the press, but the Rogues org hasn’t made an official announcement about Walker’s employment as head coach.
Hell, there’s still chatter about his injuries and retirement. And his relationship with Oakley.
“Right. Well, when are you heading up this way?” Dad asks, clearly knowing I won’t be saying a word on the subject of Walker. “Any chance you can squeeze in a quick visit to your old man?”
It’ll be more than a quick visit if we—I—can convince Bran to sign with the Rogues but I don’t want to jinx anything by making plans yet. “Can I let you know?”
“Of course. The door is always open,” Mom says, her head slipping into frame beside Dad’s again.
“Okay, thanks.” Over the top of my monitor, I see Oakley appear in the doorway of my office; she taps her wrist reminding me we need to get moving, before disappearing. “All right, I gotta go.”
After a chorus of goodbyes from my brothers, and an I love you from both my parents, I’m left staring at Mason. He’s my oldest brother and he’s taken that title seriously my whole life. He hasn’t been a second father but at times he’s skated close to that line.
“You were quiet,” I say, hoping he wasn’t that way so he could blast me about my choices now.
“Are you sure?”
“I said I was, didn’t I?”
“Yes, but you’ve never let Dad see your fears. Those you reserved for me or Mom.”
True. But then being the only girl in the middle of a pack of boys—and yes, I refer to my brothers as a pack—in a hockey family, fear is something I’ve strived to hide. “Fear is a healthy motivator.”
“It’s also a crippling emotion and a survival instinct and?—”
“Okay, okay.” I hold up a hand. “I get it.”
“Well? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Is that from a coach’s perspective or a girlfriend’s?”
“We never dated.” Not for lack of wanting on either side. Or at least I didn’t believe it was one sided.
“No? Then what would you call what you two were?”
A sigh slips free, and I rub my forehead again. “I don’t know. Best friends?”
“And yet you heard he was married through the media?”
“Mason. No one knew he was marrying her until it broke on Puck Bunny Promotions.” Fuck, I hate that blog.
“Fine.” He holds up both hands. “I’ll leave it alone. For now.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. If he hurts you like that again, I’ll cut his balls off.”
“You don’t think he’s suffered enough?”
My brother’s face scrunches with pain and sorrow and regret. “No one should suffer like that.”
“Agreed. Now I really have to go. Give my love to Cash when you see him.”
“Will do. Call me after you get things sorted with Branton. I’ve got a lead on a goalie for you. If you’re interested.”
I straighten, my interest definitely engaged. “Yeah?”
“He’s young, or he was, he’d be twenty-one now, still young I guess. I don’t know the full story yet but I’m getting it because I’ve seen him on the ice. Then and now.”
“Give me his name, his details? I’ll get Nat to look into him.”
“Not yet. Get this thing with Branton squared away first.”
Scowling at my brother, I hope my death glare will change his mind but all I get is a laugh followed by I love you before he disappears from my screen leaving mine the only face left.
I can’t stop the growl of frustration dealing with my family has rumbling in my chest.
“Mason has a goalie for us?”
I look up to find Nat standing in my doorway, Oakley behind her. Nodding I say, “Not that he’s sharing.”
“Hmm…” Nat doesn’t say anything else. But the frown on her face tells me my brother will be receiving a call from her in the near future. She’s not one to sit around and wait and I have to grin at the thought of how that call might go. Oh, to be a fly on the wall…
“C’mon, let’s go,” Oakley says. “Walker and Micky are waiting with their gear to check out the practice rink.”
Pushing back my chair, I stand and move around my desk. Scooping up my own bag of gear and slipping it over my shoulder, I make my way over to them and bring up the elephant in the room. “Cami coming?”
Nat scoffs like I’m an idiot for asking and Oakley laughs, though there’s no humor in it.
“Right. That’s a no.”
Oakley shrugs. She’s getting better at letting Cami keep her distance. I understand why she wants her here—involved with the Rogues—and I understand why Cami doesn’t want to be.
She’ll come around, I know she will. Once the team is here, once we start playing in the league. I’d put my gold medals down on the fact she’ll be as deeply entangled in the Rogues as the rest of us once the arena is finished and the staff and players start wandering the corridors, skating on the ice. Speaking of…
I slip my arm through Oakley’s, drag her to catch up to Nat and loop my other arm through hers. “This is it, ladies, everything we’ve been working toward is right at our fingertips.”
“Not everything yet, but we’re close.” Rolling my eyes at Nat, I poke my tongue out at her. “Oh, very mature.”
“Stop raining on my parade,” I say.
“I’m being realistic.”
I halt our movement, yanking them both back a little as I do. “I’ll give you realistic. We own a hockey team. In the national league. The men’s league.”
Smiles curve both their mouths.
“Damn straight we do.”
Spinning around, our arms and feet get tangled and when the three of us finally right ourselves I don’t know which one of us is more shocked.
“You came.” Oakley’s words are filled with disbelief, but her face shows the relief the sight of our fourth partner delivers.
“We get to see the finished practice rink today, right?” There’s a little insecurity in Cami’s voice and I launch forward and pull her into a hug.
“Yes! We do. It’s the first piece other than the original apartment block and these offices we can actually use. I’m so excited to get out there and see how it feels under my blades.” Letting go, I link our arms and turn to the others. “All right, ladies, let’s go see what four kick-ass women have achieved.”