Chapter 45
CHAPTER
FORTY-FIVE
CHANCE
After the gala, I take April home. She claims to be tired so I drop her off at the guest room, press a kiss to her forehead and force myself to walk away.
Mom barely shows her face the next morning and skips out on lunch due to a mysterious ‘prior arrangement’, but at least dad and my sister make up for mom’s coldness. They’re both warm and accommodating to April.
Dad drives us back to the airport and hugs April so fiercely, it’s like he’s sending his daughter off to war.
On the flight, April is quiet and contemplative. While I want to press, I leave her to her thoughts and sort through my emails.
Derek sent a barrage of potential brand deals. How does he expect me to play hockey and keep such a full schedule? I won’t have any time to train, to date April or even to sleep if I do them all.
On the bright side, the cloud of bad press from my suspension is fading away like sunshine after a heavy rain. If these deals are any indication of public sentiment, I may be getting good news soon.
After dropping April off at home, I head back to the hotel. It feels ridiculous to still be paying for a room here and I make a mental note to look for houses ASAP. The closer to April’s, the better.
I crash into bed and I don’t rise until the next morning for early practice.
“Good to have you back, Chance,” Max says, his bear-like hand swinging into my back in a friendly pat.
“Saw your pictures online, McLanely. You look good in a monkey suit!” Theilan calls in-between drills on the ice.
I laugh and shake my head.
When I sit down to put my skates on, Max is beside me. “How did your mom react to April?” He asks in a low voice.
Max is well aware of my mother’s… temperament. His family situation is similarly complicated, except it’s his dad that has the high expectations, while his mom is always smoothing things over between them.
“As well as can be expected,” I admit, tying up my laces.
“That bad, huh?”
“Mom just needs time. In a couple years when April and I are married with kids?—”
“Kids? Who are you, McLanely?”
A silly grin crosses my face. “You’ll get it when you fall in love too.”
“Love? No thank you.” Max shudders. “I have my hands full.” He gestures to the hockey team on the ice. “I can’t afford to be distracted with all this chaos.”
I push to my feet, balancing expertly on my skates. “I wasn’t looking for April either, but once I found her, there was no going back. It might be like that for you too.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I’m happy for you, Chance. If anyone can make the long distance thing work, it’s you and April.”
“Long distance?” I arch a brow.
Max freezes and I watch as his soul flees his body for a second. “Uh, I mean… the long away games.”
“No, that’s not what you meant.” I narrow my eyes. “You know something.”
“I need to make a call.” He fumbles for his cell phone.
I block Max’s way. After a few seconds of my intense staring and Max’s squirming, he finally breaks.
“Your agent called. He wanted me to send over the contract you’d signed with the Lucky Strikers.”
Shock rushes through my system. “What?”
“He told me not to tell you. Said nothing’s set in stone yet but…”
I break into a wide grin. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, man.” Max leaks a smile.
My mind runs at a million miles a minute. Derek isn’t the type who’ll miss an opportunity to make money. And he definitely isn’t the type to make a move that will lose money.
If he’s already reaching out to Max for negotiations about my contract, he’s got something solid in the works.
I’m still thinking about Max’s words when I get on the ice.
“Heads-up, MC.” Renthrow shoots a puck, his skates making a skkkt sound as he stops abruptly.
Instinct kicks in. I instantly get in position for a wrist shot, sending the disc straight into the net.
“Hey-yo!” Theilan lifts his hockey stick, skating past in celebration.
Gunner smirks. “Show off.”
I laugh and shake my head.
Renthrow partners up with me for the next set of drills.
“Did you miss me, Renthrow?” I tease.
“Not as much as the others. They were grumbling about not being invited to your party.”
“Wasn’t my party,” I answer, already starting to breathe hard from the drills, “but yeah. I’ll invite everyone next time.”
“Heard that!” Theilan says, skating past.
“You better not play with me, McLanely. I’ll be waiting for that invitation,” Watson adds, following right behind Theilan.
I grin wide as Renthrow and I complete another set. Strangely, I wouldn’t mind having the guys at one of mom’s boring parties, especially if April chose not to go and I was attending solo. It would liven up the night and I might actually enjoy myself.
The coach—who still seems to dislike me but has learned to tolerate me because of my skills on the ice—blows his whistle.
Renthrow and I change directions and join the others to practice cycling the puck.
As we get into formation, I seamlessly rotate with Gunner over to the vacated defensive position. He catches my eyes and I understand him perfectly, moving ahead. Despite our rocky start, Gunner and I have developed the best rapport on the ice.
I have a fairly good relationship with all the skaters. The pressure to one-up one another isn’t as harsh here as it is in the majors. Whether that’s by design or a by-product of most of these guys growing up in Lucky Falls together, there’s a layer of care beneath the competition.
Gunner rotates positions again and I know he’s about to cycle the puck in the zone. In two moves, I skate ahead of him, accept the breakout pass and send it back. Gunner goes to the net and the satisfying whiff of the puck hitting the rope fills my ears.
“Nice!” Renthrow compliments us, moving back to the line.
I grin. Power plays like this one are strategic, but I’ve never remembered enjoying a free-form play with any other team.
After practice and a shower, I send April a text asking if she wants to meet up for a late lunch.
APRIL: I ate already. Maybe dinner instead?
I glance up.
Gunner catches my eye first and he jerks his chin at the door.
I text April back to tell her I’ll have lunch with the team and that I’ll swing by the garage at closing. After pressing ‘send’, I jog to catch up with the guys.
We take over the Tipsy Tuna the moment we arrive. Theilan, Watson and the rest are boisterous and cheerful. Renthrow drags two tables together without even asking. The rest of the team swagger into the restaurant and find their seats.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Bobby’s wife says, smiling down at me as she takes our orders. “Welcome home, Chance.”
Something rearranges in my chest. Warmth shines through her honest smile. I see a few grey and white heads bobbing around the other tables. All the old regulars seem to agree.
I’m used to getting recognition and special treatment when I go to shops and restaurants. But here in Lucky Falls, I feel my presence is more appreciated than my hockey stats.
“We missed him too. He’s been too busy dating to hang with the likes of us,” Theilan announces, grabbing both my shoulders and shaking.
I laughingly brush him off and give my order.
“So the usual?” She responds, scribbling furiously. “I’ll be right back with those.” She winks and darts off.
I gaze at her back in a daze.
Gunner, who’s seated to my left, passes me a napkin. “What are you staring at?”
“I… have a ‘usual’,” I say. “I’ve never had a ‘usual’ before.”
Gunner shakes his head as if he doesn’t understand and doesn’t want to either.
“By the way.” I turn to him when our drinks are served. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
He gestures for me to go ahead.
“It’s about your uncle,” I say, watching him closely.
Gunner’s bored expression shifts at the mention of his uncle.
His thick eyebrows hunker low.
“What about him?” he asks in a strained voice.
I pause and choose my words carefully. Although I haven’t mentioned it to April, everything she told me about her ex boss’s sleazy ‘advice’ as well as the unfair firing lingered in my head.
I’ve been meaning to bring it up with Gunner. Pursuing a legal fight against his family is something that would divide the team and ruin our hard-earned truce, so I’ve been hesitant about making a decision.
“Some information came to light about him and his behavior with April when she worked there,” I say vaguely.
Gunner’s lips tighten until they almost disappear from his face. “What kind of information?”
“The kind that I could give to a legal team.”
His jaw clenches. I can’t tell if he’s angry with me or with his uncle.
I wait for a response.
Gunner offers none.
I’m searching for another way to ask my question when the door opens. The bell above jangles and a blonde woman wearing pink mechanic over-alls saunters in. I recognize Rebel instantly and glance over her shoulder to see if April is with her too.
Unfortunately, she isn’t.
When I turn my attention back to Gunner, I’m stunned to find him looking at Rebel, a rare ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. A moment later, his hand pulls into a fist and he forces his gaze away. Something dark seems to overshadow him and his smile putters into a taut frown.
“What were you saying about my uncle?” Gunner asks tightly.
“It’s fine. We can discuss it another time.” Curiosity tugs at me. “Do you know Rebel?”
“It’s a small town. Everybody knows everybody.”
Rebel laughs with Bobby’s wife at the bar and reaches for a package of something. Probably drinks for her and April.
I raise my hand, intending to get Rebel’s attention so I can pay for those drinks. If April is enjoying a refreshing lime soda in between fixing cars, I want her thinking of me.
As my hand starts to climb, Gunner clamps his fingers around my wrist and stops me. Rebel sails out the door, undisturbed.
I frown. “What’s wrong? I thought you knew her.”
“We’re acquainted, but we’re not… friendly.”
“Why not?”
“Even in a small town,” his eyes flash to mine, darkening by the second, “people have their secrets.”
Before I can ask more, Gunner stands abruptly.
The others turn to look at him too.
“Where you going?” Theilan grins.
Renthrow points at the waitress approaching us with heaping platters of burgers and fries. “The food is here.”
“I’ll catch you later,” Gunner grumbles, his eyes on the ground.
Shocked, I scoot my chair in so he can make his exit.
Gunner passes by but suddenly stops and lifts his gaze to mine. I stiffen. The guy’s always been a closed book, but now I get the feeling something bad will happen if that book is ever opened.
“About my uncle,” Gunner says in a low determined voice. “Do what you must.”
With that, he stalks out of The Tipsy Tuna and lets the door bang shut behind him.