Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
August
Jason Isner has been spotted at Chicago Rebels HQ where insider sources say he is “learning his way around the gym equipment” ahead of training camp, set to begin in just over six weeks.
Isner, known in Boston as the Green-Eyed Monster, a nod to his vaunted defense skills, his Kershaw green eyes, and the famous left field wall at Fenway, was brought onto the Rebels roster in a five year, twenty-million-dollar deal, as the franchise looks to strengthen its defensive bench.
When asked if Isner’s surprise addition is being rushed so he can play with his brother, Theo Kershaw, for the first time in their professional careers, Rebels PR claimed this was not a factor.
We still have no decision on whether the legendary defenseman will remain with the Rebels or if he’ll hang up his skates before the season starts.
Which leaves us to wonder about Hatch Kershaw’s future.
As far as we know, he has yet to sign with the Rebels for the upcoming season.
What is the franchise cooking up and what part do the Kershaws have to play in it?
-@RebelsInsider
Hatch
“Who the fuck are these insider sources anyway?”
Jason had been muttering about that Rebels Insider piece the entire time we were on the practice ice. He tried to dispossess me of the puck, but I held on gamely and slid it to Conor who slapped it into the open net. Feeling good, I skated over to the bench and grabbed my water bottle.
Conor followed me. “Someone who thinks the gym equipment at Rebels HQ is somehow different from the gym equipment in Boston.”
“Well, we can manage more weights on the press than you wimpy Midwesterners. East coast assholery fuels us.”
“You grew up in the Midwest.” I leaned against the wall and gestured with my water bottle at Jason. “Over ten years in Bean Town and you’ve become one of them.”
“It’s gonna be strange to be back here, that’s for sure. Gotta start thinking like a Chicagoan before the fans start giving me hell.”
“That’s easy,” I said. “Pound Ann Sather cinnamon rolls like they’re going out of style.”
“Say pop, not soda,” Conor offered. “And jabber on about all the different Wackers and how it’s ‘like a maze down there on Lower!’”
I had a surefire one. “No ketchup on your dogs.”
“Truth,” Conor said. “And knowing where the lake is at all times is a Chicago superpower.”
“Deep dish is for tourists.”
This observation from Jason ground the city tips session to a halt.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I yelled. “Pequod’s is the best.”
Jason made a face. “Like all deep dish, it’s overrated.”
So that was his hill. Interesting.
Conor pointed at the tunnel. “Get your deep-dish hatin’ ass back to Boston, dude!”
We all laughed and said in unison, “And it’ll always be the Sears Tower!”
Jason parked his deep-dish hatin’ ass on the wall beside the gate. “Hopefully I’ll be playing with family because that’s one of the reasons I’m doing this.”
“Not the twenty million other ones.” Conor pulled at his helmet strap.
“Money’s not everything, Connie.”
“But it sure as fuck helps. Okay, I’ll pick up the baton here, Uncle J.” Conor eyed me. “Speaking of multi-million-dollar contracts, what’s happening with yours, H? Still leaning towards the Sunshine State?”
“Who tells you this stuff?”
“Oh, people love to confide in me.”
“I don’t.”
My brother pulled off his lid and dropped it on the bench. “Let me guess. You’re thinking of staying in Chicago because a certain coffee-drinkin’, Motors-lovin’, doggie-walkin’ hottie is back on the market.”
“Why would I tell you anything when you’ll just blab to the rest of the family in Group?”
“I don’t blab. I dispense carefully curated breadcrumbs because it’s more fun that way.”
Jason shook his head. “You’re a sneaky little fucker, you know that?”
Conor smirked. “Just like to stay ahead of the goss. And on the topic of steaming hot Double Bergamot Earl Grey, I heard Franky St. James is looking for a sperm donor and the Seanster said nopity-nope.”
How did he do it? “Who’s your source, asshole?”
“Never you mind. Color inside the lines, please.”
Sighing, I turned to Jason. “Did Sean say anything to you about it?”
“Just that he and Franky are friends and it would make things weird.”
We all agreed on that score. Yet Franky thought they were close enough to make that request.
“I told her she was out of her mind,” Jason added.
I looked at my uncle sharply. “You talked to her about it?”
“I was driving home from dinner at Ro’s and Addy’s and saw her walking to her car.”
“And?”
“And I stopped to ask her what in the hell she was thinking. If she wants a baby so much, surely there are other options. People who would be crazy enough to have a kid with her.”
Conor squinted at him. “Isn’t that the point? She feels she doesn’t have the usual options, so she’s resorting to sperm requests from the eligible men of her acquaintance.”
Jason snorted. “Eligible? Right. You know she has a list.” Before I could ask, he said, “You’re not on it, Hatchling. Too young. Neither are you, Connie. Definitely too young.”
That was a relief, I supposed. But something about the way he was acting prompted me to respond with, “Are you on it?”
“Apparently, but only as a formality. I don’t meet her lofty standards.”
Oh, this was only the fucking best. Catching Conor’s eye, I could tell he was hearing an angelic chorus of tea-sipping angels.
“You mean your superior athlete genetic material isn’t sufficient?”
Jason looked very put out. “Some jocks might make the grade. But this one”—he thumbed at himself—”isn’t evolved enough. Which is fine because if I had a kid, the entire Rebels roster couldn’t keep me away. I’m not like Nick.”
That would be Grandpa Nick, Jason’s and my dad’s father.
He had put Dad’s mom in the family way as a teen and then left her in the lurch.
When Dad tried to contact him after she died, Nick wasn’t interested.
They eventually made up, but it had rubbed Jason the wrong way to see how his father treated his eldest son.
Conor shook his head. “It’s just sperm, man. People need to be less attached to it.”
I pointed at him. “And that’s the kind of attitude that’s going to get you into trouble. You’d better be wrapping it before you’re tapping it, Connie.”
I’d seen my little brother in action. If there was a league table for scoring tail, he’d be at the top of it. Plus my own recent mishap with Ava had alerted me to the dangers of unprotected sex.
Yet I wasn’t nearly so worried about going raw with Summer in the Rebels locker room.
Those filthy memories had fueled every jerk off session since.
A part of me was almost hoping that something came of it.
A baby with Summer—bonus: one conceived on Rebels territory—didn’t scare me in the slightest.
I was so fucked.
“Don’t you worry about me,” Conor said. “If anyone needs guidance on his sex life, it’s you. Is that why you want to trade out? Because you’re scared of Carter? Or because Summer turned you down?”
I rolled my eyes. “That woo-woo Jedi mind fuckery isn’t gonna work on me. Let’s get back to work and see if we can get past the Green-Eyed Monster here.”
An hour later, we were back in the locker room when one of the front office assistants, Shona, popped her head around the door.
“Hatch, do you have time to talk to Ryder? He saw you guys on the practice rink and wondered if you could spare a few minutes.”
“Sure, I’ll be up in ten.”
Conor grinned at Shona and made to get up. “Hey, I don’t think we’ve met.”
Grasping his arm, I pulled him back to the bench. “Slow your roll, child. Shona, tell Ryder I’ll see him soon.”
Shona blinked, blushed, and backed out in a Conor-induced daze.
“Do not be messing with the front office, Con. When it all turns to shit, they’re the ones who’ll suffer, not you.”
Conor grabbed a towel and stood, the showers his goal. “Hey, Summer knew what she was doing messing with Carter. But apparently she didn’t learn a thing, if she’s messing with you.”
I shook my head as he moved out of earshot. “When did the youth become so wise?”
Jason chuckled. “He comes off as a total bro, but he’s the smartest guy in the room. And he does kind of have a point. I noticed you two were pretty careful around each other at dinner the other night, so I’m guessing that means nothing’s happening? Or everything’s happening?”
Not so careful I couldn’t resist touching her in the kitchen before Franky walked in on us. And before that, “careful” would not be how I described Summer on her knees in the showers behind me.
I blew out a breath, so tired of keeping it in. “I’m fucking crazy about her, J. But she’s too close to this Carter situation, to how it’s upended her life, to give me—us—a chance. I want to help any way I can, but now she wants to focus on her career and on getting a job with a franchise.”
I filled him in on Summer’s career aspirations before going on.
“There’s something between us—I think we could be amazing together—but Carter ruined her trust. And she sees me as one more obstacle, a damn puck chaser whose career will always come first. Getting all tangled up is too risky for her.”
Jason looked sympathetic. “She’s not wrong, though, is she? As much as we want women who are independent and kick ass, we also want them to drop everything when we call. We are the neediest assholes on the planet.”
Wasn’t that the truth. But it didn’t have to be. I wanted Summer to feel she could have it all, where all included me.
“Speaking of being summoned, I’d better head up to see Ryder.”
Jason frowned. “Not sure you should be talking to him without Lauren present.”
“Not too worried. He probably wants to pump me for info on Dad’s plans. This is still Theo Kershaw’s house.”
Ryder didn’t want to talk about Dad. I had to admit I was surprised when, after about thirty seconds of small talk, he asked me how I thought last season went.
“For me?”
He nodded. “I want to hear your thoughts.”
“I could have played better. I worry that the org put faith in me that I was unable to fulfill. I listened to the press too much, let it get in my head, and frankly, felt the pressure of being on the same team as Dad. I also worry that … I’m here because of him and not because of me.”
Ryder didn’t look surprised at my word vomit.
“It’s an unusual situation, a father-son duo on the same team, but I’m going to be honest. We don’t frame our acquisition strategy around publicity stunts.
Of course, the attention has been a bonus for the franchise, but we would never have brought you on if we didn’t think you had what it takes to make a real contribution to this team. There’s too much money at stake.”
He held up a hand before I could respond. “I know we shouldn’t be talking about contracts or business without your agent present, but I wanted to get a sense of your mindset as we move into the next season. The contract’s on the table but the delay makes me think you’re considering other options.”
Ryder was no fool.
“You know Lauren has been feeling other teams out?”
“I hear things.”
I blew out a breath. “I love Chicago. I love this team. And it kills me to know I’ve let these outside influences into my head. I don’t know what my dad’s going to do next year, but if I can’t make this team better, then I don’t know if I should be here.”
Ryder looked pained. “Well, I appreciate your honesty. We’re going to need a decision soon, so maybe talk to Lauren and let us know where you stand.”
I nodded. “There is something else I’d like to talk to you about.”
“Oh?”
“Summer Landry.”