Chapter 47
Camden
“Way to hustle, Connors,” Ryker hollers.
“Thanks, Georgie.” I huff out a breath and guzzle water from my bottle.
I’m running three-on-three drills at the practice rink with Blomdahl, Xander, Del, Ryker, Sam, and Theo.
“We’re looking pretty tired out there,” Xander says. “We’ve got a long way to go before training camp.”
“Look at you, sounding like a team captain,” I say.
He cracks a smile. “Can’t help it. I’m trying to take it seriously.”
“That’s good, man. We’re pumped to kick off the next season with you leading us,” Sam says to Xander.”
We all agree. Xander’s smile grows. “Thanks, guys. Means a lot.” He turns to me. “And hey, I heard a rumor that you’ll be wearing the ‘A’ on your jersey this season. That true?”
He smacks my shoulder. I shrug and attempt to play it cool, but I fail to hide my smile.
Xander grins. “I knew it.”
All the guys crowd around me and congratulate me.
“Shit, dude. That’s awesome,” Theo says.
“Thanks. Coach told me to keep it quiet until training camp though, so let’s keep this between us, okay?”
They all say they will.
“No offense, but I thought Ryker was a shoe-in for alternate captain,” Del says.
Ryker shakes his head. “I’m too old for that shit. I just wanna play.” He nods at me. “Connors is young enough that he sees all the extra stress and responsibility you deal with as alternate captain as a good thing.”
I laugh.
“Seriously though, Coach made the right choice,” Ryker says to me. “You’re the right person for the job. You and Williams are gonna do a kickass job of leading us this next season.”
I grin. “Thanks, man.”
My teammates nod their heads in agreement. It feels good to have their support, especially after how skeptical Xander and Blomdahl were at the idea of me being alternate captain when I first brought it up months ago. But I still feel like I have a lot to prove when the season starts in a month.
Xander’s expression turns serious as he looks at all of us. “I meant what I said earlier. We look pathetic on the ice right now. We’re gonna have to train our asses off for the rest of the off-season if we want a decent showing at training camp.”
“Let’s go again,” Del nods at the net.
For the next twenty minutes, we play hard. By the time we finish the game, we’re all drenched in sweat.
“Damn, that was rough,” Theo says.
“Felt good to get back out there and play though,” Sam says.
“Connors was the only one out there playing with the same energy that he has during the season,” Xander says.
I flash a smug smile. “Perk of being the youngest one in this group.”
Del throws his glove at me, but I manage to duck before it lands. I laugh.
“Have you been doing any extra training lately?” Sam asks.
I shake my head. “Same as you guys.”
“You’ve been doing some extra cardio with the missus,” Xander says.
I frown at him. “What?”
He just laughs. “Dude, we heard you and Ellie when we all came back to the vacation house after Blomdahl’s wedding. And the morning after. And that night too.”
Heat engulfs my cheeks. “Shit, really?”
They all nod, except Blomdahl.
“Glad Bella and I stayed in a hotel suite that night,” he says.
“Sorry about the noise, guys,” I say, an embarrassed smile on my face.
“Thank fuck we’re all staying in our own hotel rooms next weekend when we head to Cabo,” Del mutters.
I’m all smiles as I strip off my gear, thinking about Ellie. We’ve been going at it nonstop since the night we first had sex.
But it’s more than the incredible sex we’ve been having that’s making my heart beat faster in my chest.
I think about my feelings for her—I think about how much I love her.
I think about how I’ve never felt like this before. I smile constantly. I think about her all the time. Every time I’m around her, I need to have my hands on her. Kissing her, hugging her, cuddling her, smelling her hair.
When she smiles at me, it feels like my chest is going to cave in, but in a good way.
I love her so damn much.
The urge to tell her vibrates through me. I can’t though. It’ll freak her out.
Yeah, we both admitted our feelings for each other and that we want to stay married to each other…but confessing my love for her feels a million times bigger than that.
I already feel like I’m pressing my luck with how well things are going. I don’t want to risk scaring her away by telling her I love her too soon.
I just need to wait a little longer, then I can tell her.
The guys and I strip off our gear and get ready to leave.
“You excited to marry your dream girl this weekend?” Xander asks Del.
The corner of Del’s mouth hooks up in a smile. “Fuck, yeah.”
We’re all leaving in a couple of days to head to Del and Ingrid’s wedding in Cabo.
We pack up our gear bags and head out of the rink. When we walk out the door, I see a familiar-looking college-aged guy standing off the side of the entrance.
Ryker frowns at him. “Nick, what are you doing here?”
Hearing his name rings a bell. That’s Nick St. George, Ryker’s younger brother. He plays hockey for Hollis University here in Denver. We’ve hung out with him a couple of times after Bashers games.
I should have recognized him sooner. He looks a lot like his brother. Same dark hair and eyes and tan skin. He’s as tall as Ryker too, at almost six-foot-four. Nick is leaner though. And he smiles more.
Nick flashes a cocky grin. “I need your help, big brother. Also, hey, guys. Good to see you.”
We all greet him.
Ryker exhales sharply, like he’s never been more annoyed. “What kind of trouble did you get yourself into now?”
Nick holds up a hand. “Hey, now. I’m not always in trouble when I come to you.”
Ryker tilts his head at him. “The last time you came to me, it was to give you a ride to the impound lot because your car got towed. Because you parked in a tow zone to hook up with a girl you met at some bar.”
Nick’s smug smile doesn’t budge. “Priorities, big brother. I’ll always prioritize spending time with a beautiful woman above everything else.”
I stifle a laugh. This kid is insanely cocky. He kind of reminds me of me when I was his age.
“You’re an idiot,” Ryker mutters. “So what do you want?”
“You’re not gonna believe this, but I need another ride to the impound lot,” Nick says through a shit-eating grin.
We all burst out laughing while Ryker rolls his eyes.
“How’d you get here without a car?” he asks his brother.
“My lady friend gave me a ride.”
“Why didn’t you just ask her to take you to the impound lot?” Ryker asks.
“She had to work. This was closer to where she needed to go.”
“Fine,” Ryker mutters.
Nick shoots a finger gun at his brother. “Thanks, big bro.”
We all say bye to the two of them.
“Just a few months ago, you were like Nick, dropping everything for a random hookup. Now look at you, wife guy. Totally in love,” Xander teases.
I grin. My phone buzzes with a text from Ellie. I smile at my phone screen. She must have seen the surprise I left on her bed.
Ellie: Camden! I just saw what you left in my room! Oh my gosh, so pretty!
Me: The flowers or the gift?
Ellie: Both!! I love them both :)
Me: Will you wear it for me tonight?
Ellie: Only if you promise to help me use a toy I haven’t yet played with ;)
My dick twitches in my pants.
Me: That’s a hell yes.
Me: I want you wearing what I bought you when I get home. And I want you sprawled out on my bed with the toys you want to play with.
Ellie: Yes, sir.