Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
JJ
“Fucking unfair,” Sidney grumbles.
“You want in?” I turn to him, frowning. I’ve been focused on Adeline, so I don’t know what his problem is, but now that’s she’s disappeared, I pull myself together.
Dirk’s taking hits from the offensive line now, and he’s handling himself okay. He’s nowhere near as good as Adeline, but not a single person in this room could do what she just did—including myself.
“I’m talking about Addie. It’s a damn shame she can’t play.” He blows out a breath. “She’s better than most of the goalies in the NHL.”
Grinning, I turn his way. I shouldn’t feel this sense of pride; I don’t have any claim over her and I’m not responsible for a lick of her talent, but it’s hard not to swell when someone else recognizes it too.
And he’s right. It’s a damn shame she doesn’t get to compete at this level.
“Kane,” Gavin hollers. “Go watch the showers for Coach Langfield. Make sure no one goes in there.”
I dart forward. “He hasn’t gotten a chance in the net yet. I’ll go.”
“Fine. Just make sure no one goes in that locker room.”
I dip my chin. As if there’s a world in which I let a single one of these fuckers see Adeline naked. While I’ll defend them like my brothers on the ice, I’d cut my own brother’s eyes out if he tried to get a look at Adeline without her consent.
Fuck, I’d cut his eyes out if he did it with her consent.
Groaning, I double time it off the ice. I’m such a fucking goner.
When I reach the door to the locker room, I give it two hard knocks.
“I’m in here,” she calls loudly.
“It’s JJ. I’m just standing guard.”
“Thanks,” she yells. “I’ll be quick.”
I lean against the wall and huff out a breath. “Take your time. No one is getting through me.”
Her chuckle echoes off the cinderblock walls. “Okay, tough guy.”
She’s probably rolling her eyes in there. How many times has she done this dance? How often has she had to rush through a shower or skip one altogether because of a lack of facilities?
Maybe it’s because the two of us played together for years, or maybe it’s because I’m a girl dad, but the unfairness of it gets under my skin.
In general, yeah, most women don’t have the strength and power to play at the level the NHL requires. Hell, most men don’t either. But there are exceptions, and there should be space on rosters for those exceptions.
And there should be accommodations for them too. Like a place to take a fucking shower.
I’m still chewing on my annoyance when Adeline calls out, “All good. You can come in.”
I enter, and when the door closes behind me, I turn the lock. I don’t want those guys barreling in and stripping down while she’s still here.
Stomping over to my own locker, I yank off my practice jersey. I’m working on my pads when Adeline heads my way, braiding her hair.
Nostalgia washes over me, and for a second, I forget to breathe. Suddenly, I’m seventeen again, living for the few moments I had with her alone. When she let her guard down. Back then, she knew that if there was one person in this world who had her back, it was me. At least I hope she knew that.
“What are you thinking?” she asks, a tentative smile on her face.
“Huh?”
“You’re looking at me weird. Do I have deodorant on my shirt or something?” She ducks, studying the fabric, her fingers still rhythmically moving through her hair. When she gets to the bottom, she loops an elastic around four times. Then she eyes me again. “What?”
“Two truths and a lie.”
She coughs out a laugh. It’s a little forced.
“Okay, weirdo. Um, the water pressure in that bathroom is better than some of the best hotels I’ve stayed at.
Even though the cleaning staff here is incredible, the showers still feel gross.
And I’m slightly offended that you didn’t try to sneak a peek. ”
I hold her gaze, a thread of excitement running through me. “The water pressure sucks, the showers are gross, and how do you know I didn’t?”
That laugh again. It goes straight to my heart. “Obviously the last one was a lie. Gavin would have your head if you did.”
I shrug. I’m not worried about what Gavin or any of her uncles or even her father has to say on the matter. I’ll always protect her.
“Your turn.” Tilting to one side, she peers at the door.
“I locked it.” I toss a leg pad to the floor.
With a sharp intake of breath, she stomps toward the door. “JJ.”
A chuckle rolls out of me. “I didn’t want anyone to come in while you were in here.”
“People will think we’re—” She whips around, her eyes going comically wide.
The chuckle turns into a full-on laugh. “No one is going to think a goddamn thing because I’ll have their head if they do.”
Huffing, she rolls her eyes. “Right because you can police the thoughts of others. You men are all the same.”
I pull down my pants, exposing my compression shorts.
With a hiss, she spins around again, giving me her back. “Stop getting undressed. I’m leaving, Jesus.”
“It’s not like you haven’t seen it all before,” I murmur as I slide off my shorts and cup. “Besides, I haven’t told you mine yet.”
“Oh my god, you can tell me later,” she mutters, but she doesn’t make a move to leave.
I snag a towel and saunter past her, headed for the showers. “I’ll never look at a piece of ice the same. I didn’t sleep a wink last night. And your talent is wasted on coaching.”
“Obviously it’s the third one,” she hedges, her tone uneasy, even if she tries to hide it.
I glance over my shoulder and catch her staring at my ass. “Nah, the lie was number two, Angles. I slept like a fucking baby last night.”