Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
KOEN
My mind feels clear as I walk into our building for practice with Princess Sunny on her leash.
She attacked a pile of snow as we walked through the parking lot, and looked smug as she shook herself off before coming back to me.
I tightened the leash after that because our puppy is both hysterical and as much of a brat as Rhodes.
“She’s just like you!” I called over my shoulder as Rhodes jogged back to the Jeep to grab a towel from the back to dry her off once we were inside.
Our puppy is dry after Rhodes carefully toweled her off, and I’m still amused.
“Stay close,” I murmur to the puppy. She can’t stop looking around as she presses closer to me, and I have to watch where I place my feet so I won’t step on her.
The sound of heels has me fixing the leash so Princess will walk beside me instead of underfoot.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” Edna says, her arms crossing over her chest as she looks over us. “You all look well and as if you’re about to move your dog into work.”
“Pretty much,” I admit, heat reddening my cheeks.
“I’m watching practice while I get work done, so let’s figure out what’s going in my office and what is following us out to the rink,” she decides.
“Is everything okay on your side after yesterday?” Rhodes asks as we follow her.
“The owner isn’t very happy about the photo. Sexuality isn’t the reason why he’s upset with it, he’s pissed it happened on my watch,” she says. “I’m on thin ice, but I’ll turn it around.”
“That’s not fair,” I reply, aware I was angry as well yesterday. “You don’t have x-ray vision. Those bins aren’t very large either. I’m not sure how big the photographer is, but it would have been a tight squeeze.”
“He’s a lanky twink. It wouldn’t have been hard for him,” Rhodes grunts. “Is his photo with the guards now?”
“Yes,” Edna says, unlocking her office to allow us entrance. “I think the children’s skate class will be fun, I just need a few more people to help. I’ll rope some of our players in when they come to practice.”
I swear, this woman is always scheming and working.
Rhodes places the dog’s toys in there, but keeps a rope toy for Princess to wrestle with if she gets restless. Edna closes up the office again, and we walk to the rink, grinning as Princess barks at the cold air.
“What if I take you onto the ice while your dads get dressed?” Edna asks, glancing at us to make sure it’s okay. “She won’t get far the first time.”
“Do you do this often?” I tease her, watching as she pulls off her heels and opens her huge hand bag to put on a pair of shoes. “You’re like the puppy whisperer.”
“Only once or twice,” she grins. “No one is on the ice, and the Zamboni already smoothed over everything. Coach is around too if I need help. He can pull on a pair of skates and get her if she surprises me and gets too far. She’ll have fun.”
“It’s okay with me,” I say, picking Princess up for kisses before I take the leash off.
“Same. She’s more likely to nap if she’s tired,” Rhodes admits as Edna takes both the leash and puppy.
“Don’t take too long suiting up so you can see how she does on the ice. She won’t be out long,” she says.
The three of us run toward the lockers, and I swear I can hear her laughing. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten dressed for practice so quickly, and I walk out on my skates to find Princess trying to catch the hockey pucks Coach is sliding toward her on the ice.
“She’s a natural, boys!” Coach Weightman yells, making me laugh.
Rhodes, Skylar and I pull off our blade guards and join our puppy on the ice.
“Hi, baby,” I croon, skating around her. “Are you having fun?”
Thankfully, we arrived early so we could get our pup situated. By the time the rest of the team skates onto the ice, Edna has a sleeping puppy wrapped in Rhodes’ sweatshirt safely inside her dog bed.
“She’s adorable,” Richards says as we begin practice. “Getting a puppy together is very domestic. Are you ready for that?”
“A bond bite trumps a puppy, don’t you think?” I ask, dropping into a deep stretch.
“Fuck. One day you’re hiding from your alphas and the next you’re bonded and bitten,” he mutters. “Things moved quickly.”
“Hush,” Olsson grunts beside us. “You two gossip like schoolgirls. Rhodes and Skylar were worried when they couldn’t find you.”
“I still don’t understand how they found me,” I sigh. “Doesn’t change the fact that I’m glad they did. That heat wouldn’t have been fun otherwise.”
“Please be so fucking for real. None of them are. You’re just very careful about ignoring the pain until you’re stuck going through it alone,” Olsson grumbles.
He’s my best friend on the team, and has always managed to see me, even when I wish he didn’t.
Instead of replying, I grunt in agreement and continue moving through my stretches.
“We’re playing the Blades tonight,” I say, changing the subject. “What are their weak spots?”
The team closes in as they stretch, and I lead them through the strengths and weaknesses of the team we’re about to play. Coach could do this, but I prefer it when I have time to talk to my teammates.
“So the Blades are going to be coming for our goalie,” Skylar says, making a face.
“They’re going to play dirty,” I agree. “We’ll push back, fight, and let Rhodes pick up his crown with his fists if they knock it off.”
Rhodes smirks as he stretches his hip flexors, aware his crown is more that of a queen than a king.
“The media flips its shit when Rhodes gets into a fight, so let’s try to prevent that,” Skylar says.
“Let’s go, Ladies! Stop with the gossip,” Coach yells as I hide a smirk.
Popping in my mouth guard, I organize a scrimmage, not feeling like being punished for more chit-chat. It doesn’t matter that we’re working, Coach Weightman has a sadistic streak a mile long.
We skate hard during practice, setting up different scenarios we’ll have to manage during the game, and I’m ready for a nap by the time we’re done.
“I’ll see you all in a few hours,” Coach calls out. “If you think you’re sore now, then you’re going soft on me.”
Well, we can’t have that, can we?
I’m disgusting after the grueling few hours of practice, which means I need to shower in the locker room. It bothers me less with Rhodes and Skylar showering as bookends on either side of me, and we’re shuffling out the door together pretty quickly.
“Can we nap with Princess so she’ll sleep longer?” I mumble, yawning so wide my jaw cracks.
“Yeah. That’s the only way it’ll happen,” Rhodes agrees.
She’s still cuddled in her dog bed, and Rhodes grins as he picks her up.
“Can you leave this dog bed so you don’t have to lug it back and forth?” Edna asks, standing to gather her things.
She really did spread out her shit to work. There’s a laptop, her calendar, and the rest of her work life around her. It all packs neatly back into her bag, and I shake my head in awe.
It’s like a Mary Poppins bag.
“Yeah, we got her a few. Today got away from me, and I haven’t had time to call anyone,” Rhodes sighs.
“The only real concern is going to be when you travel. She’s an absolute angel, and she was really good for me today,” Edna says. “You’re rarely at the rink or stadium outside of practice, meetings, or games so I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”
“Are you offering to pet sit?” Skylar asks, raising his brows.
“I’ve decided no one else is better qualified,” she says with a shrug. “Bring her to me when you get to the stadium. I’ll be watching from the team section behind the scenes.”
The locker room extends further out in our stadium, and it’s where people are sharpening our skates, scheduling or talking with the press, and equipment managers hold court. It takes a ton of effort to keep a hockey team going.
“Okay then,” I say with a nod.
“When does the snow stop in Minnesota?” Rhodes asks. “I swear, we moved to the tundra.”
“It would be nice to see some sun,” Skylar admits, shrugging.
“Ah, I see. Buy sun lamps and thank me later,” Edna says. “It’ll thaw out soon. The owner wants to have a couple of outdoor games while it’s still cold and snowy, so be prepared for that to happen soon.”
“Are we doing that again?” I ask. “No seriously, it’s always so much fun.”
“You grew up with the snow, didn’t you?” Skylar asks.
“I did. I have to take you tubing in the snow,” I say with a grin. “I promise you’ll have fun.”
“It’s not like hockey. You’ll want waterproof gear for that,” Edna says. “Now, go. Take your big boy naps, and I’ll see you all later. I have a different list for traveling dog sitters. I’ll get that information to you.”
“Your lists are impressive,” Rhodes mutters.
“Of course they are,” she says, picking up the dog bed. “I’m the fixer. Sleep well, and then come back and kick some tail.”
The three of us walk out of the building, and a realization hits me so hard, I trip over air.
“You good?” Skylar asks, concerned.
“I’m fine,” I murmur. “Tripping on air is totally normal for me.”
Rhodes and Skylar side eye me because it’s not at all normal. They moved to a freezing state to be closer to me and upended their entire lives. Seasonal depression, less sunny days, no beaches, the list goes on for miles of the downsides of what Minnesota has to offer.
“It’s just…you gave up a lot to move here,” I breathe.
The cold breeze seems to mock me as it rips through the parking lot, and Rhodes cuddles Princess Sunny closer to his body as we walk to the car.
“I’m sure it appears that way,” Skylar says. “However, nothing else mattered but getting here after we met our scent match.”
“I could have been an asshole,” I sputter. “Or, you could have decided you hated me once you transferred here.”
“We met at a charity event,” Rhodes snorts. “Now get in the car, Little Viking, so we can go home.”
My lips curl happily at the nickname and the fact that it’s our joke as I get into the vehicle. I’m overreacting. Things are good.
“We’re going sledding on Sunday,” I announce as I pull my seatbelt into place.
“Let’s do it,” Rhodes says beside me with a nod. “You can show us the cool things about snow, other than the fact that it’s wet.”
Snorting, I roll my eyes, because no matter what I do, snow will always be wet when it melts.