Chapter 4
four
Zhuri
Even my favorite coffee shop can’t stop me from dreading a morning spent with Cameron Kovacic.
Elisabet and I grab our drinks from the barista—a black coffee for me, an Americano for her—and then I follow her to the back corner, where Sidney and Cameron are waiting for us at a table. Bet takes the chair across from Sid, leaving me to slide into the one across from my least favorite person.
“Good morning, Bet,” Sidney smiles before turning his attention to me. “Good to see you again, Zhuri.”
“You, too, Sid.”
“Am I chopped liver then?” Cameron smirks.
“I’d prefer chopped liver,” I huff under my breath, but it must not have been quiet enough.
“And I’d prefer literally anybody else,” he shrugs. “But here we are, stuck together.”
“I’m not happy about this, Kovacic.”
“You think I am?” Cameron laughs derisively. “Spending time with you is my idea of torture.”
“So charming,” I reply sarcastically, and his light brown eyes sparkle with mischief.
“Charming women isn’t something I’ve ever had a problem with.”
Before I can retort, Sidney interjects. “So, the team…”
“Right,” I say. “We’re here to talk about the team.”
Cameron sighs. “Can we even fucking do this? We clearly can’t get along.”
Elisabet pipes in. “You don’t have a choice. Sid and I may have been your alternate captains before, but we don’t hold those titles now. This comes down to the two of you learning to co-exist and lead the team.”
I take a deep breath and look at Cameron. “For the sake of the team, we need to leave the past in the past. None of our teammates will respect us as captains if we can’t even respect each other.”
His next words take me by complete surprise. “I do respect you, Zhuri. You’re one of the best left wingers I’ve ever seen. That doesn’t become less true because I don’t like you.”
“Oh,” I reply softly. “Thank you. I didn’t realize you actually watched me play at all since college.”
He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Yeah… I’m kind of a Dragons fan. Well, I was a Dragons fan. My mom has lived in Boulder most of her life, and I like supporting women’s sports.”
I look at him curiously. “You’re… surprising.”
Cameron lets out a light laugh. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever had to say to me.”
“Don’t ruin it.” I roll my eyes.
He readjusts the hat on his head, flipping it backward.
Apparently, that’s hot even when it’s Cameron.
I can’t stand him, but fuck if he isn’t exactly what women dream about at night. Tan skin, eyes the color of caramel, tattoos covering every bit of his muscular arms.
The reason he has no problem charming women is very clear when you look at him.
I right myself and move along. “Do you have any ideas for the team?”
“Getting the team together outside of practice is always a good start. When we were still the Lizards, we’d go out to the bar. We also had team dinners as often as we could to help build that camaraderie.”
“I like the idea of team dinners,” I chime in. “The Dragons would get together, but we never did team dinners. I can see that going over really well.”
“Everybody brings something, so everyone is involved. Homemade or store-bought, just as long as something is provided. Except Wes. Wes isn’t allowed to cook, so he buys something.”
“Wes isn’t allowed to cook?”
Sidney throws his head back and laughs. “Wes could burn a pot of water. Blake’s told us about how he tries to help her in the kitchen sometimes, and she always has to push him away.”
“Blake is a writer for The Rinkside Report, isn’t she?” I ask, resting my elbow on the table in front of me.
“Yeah,” Cameron replies. “She and Wes are also attached at the fucking hip.”
I cock my head to the side in confusion. “I thought Wes was single?” At least, that’s the way all the tabloids make it seem.
“He is. They’re apparently just really close. I don’t think either of them has ever had any actual interest in the other.”
“I think we should start team dinners in a couple of weeks or so. Let’s get the team together before that, though. Something fun where everyone can let loose.”
“I have a pool,” Cameron says. “My penthouse has rooftop access, and I have a pool up there.”
A penthouse with a pool. What I wouldn’t give to be able to afford something like that.
I may be a professional hockey player, but just like with every industry, women don’t make nearly as much money as men. The endorsements I have help, but a penthouse in downtown Denver is still a bit out of my price range.
“What about a pool party on Friday then?” I ask. “That would give us six days to get something put together where the team can just have a relaxing day.”
“Works for me,” he shrugs. “I’ll text the guys later to set it up. You should probably text the girls. I don’t think a big team chat will be well received yet.”
“That’s settled then. As long as you and I can keep things civil between us, I think we have a real shot at leading this team.”
Cameron puts his hand out for me to shake, and I take it. “We can do this, co-captain.”
Nia
I can’t stop laughing
Zhuri
I’m afraid to ask why…
Nia
Your new teammate is Cameron Kovacic!
Zhuri
-_-
Good to see you taking pleasure in my suffering
Nia
Oh, come on
You have to admit, this is funny
Zhuri
Ni, I’ve hated Cameron since we met
This is so fucking far from funny
Nia
Not from where I’m standing
Zhuri
I hate you
Nia
You could never hate me, baby sister
Zhuri
I’M TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN YOU
Nia
Which makes you my baby sister
My baby sister, who gets to look at Cameron Kovacic every day now
Zhuri
You’re literally married, Nia
Nia
Doesn’t mean I can’t look
Ty doesn’t care what gets me going
Zhuri
Ew
Nia
Z, you have a niece
You’re aware of what we did to make that happen, aren’t you?
Zhuri
Of course, I am
You were careless teenagers
Nia
My turn to hate you
Zhuri
You could never
Plus, you and Ty made the cutest fucking kid
Nia
The cutest kid who keeps asking when she gets to see Aunt Zhuri again
Zhuri
Once we get this team settled
I miss my Nova Star
Nia
We miss you, too, Z
Go be the badass hockey player you are
We’ll get together soon
“I needed this tonight,” I say, flopping onto my sofa with a wine glass in hand.
Isla sits next to me, her bright pink hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head. “I love girls’ nights.”
Bet smiles, repositioning her long blonde braid over her shoulder. “Icy, you live for girls’ nights.”
She grins and laughs. “Because I love my girls. And I’m not a chaotic, anxious disaster at the moment.”
“We told you you’d make the team,” I tell her.
“Anxiety doesn’t care about reality,” she shrugs, playing it off. Pretending it’s just a quirk and not something that has an impact on her everyday life. “We need to go out soon. The season is over, and the next one hasn’t started yet. Let’s go wild.”
Bet and I both chuckle. I’m pretty sure Isla had the highest sex drive of any girl on the Dragons, so we know exactly why she wants to go out.
“We’re going to the team pool party on Friday,” Bet says.
“God no,” Isla replies emphatically. “I am not mixing business and pleasure. Plus, I’m willing to bet there isn’t meant to be any fraternizing within the team.”
“Probably not,” Bet says quickly with a tone I can’t quite place. “Best not to mix those.” Isla and I look at her curiously, but she waves us off. “Z actually got along with Cameron this morning.”
“Wow.” Isla looks genuinely shocked right now. “I didn’t know that was possible.”
I grumble. “We don’t have a choice now. We’re teammates and co-captains. We have to get along, or the team is fucked before we even get started.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fucked before the team gets started,” Isla teases.
“Probably,” I shrug. “As long as his bedroom habits don’t affect the team, I don’t give a shit what he does.”
Isla sighs wistfully. “I bet he knows exactly how to get a girl off.”
I choke down a laugh. “Thought you weren’t mixing business and pleasure?”
“I’m not. But I’m also not gonna deny that the man looks like a tattooed God.”
“A God? Really?”
She waves me off. “You know what I’m saying.”
Bet looks at her mischievously. “How much wine have you had tonight, Icy?”
“Oh, shush.” She points right at Bet. “You both know I’m not wrong.”
Elisabet shrugs. “Cam’s not really my type.”
“Do you have a type, Bet?” I ask, eyebrow raised. Elisabet has always kept her love life to herself. We know she’s had some fun nights because she doesn’t lie when we ask. We just don’t know if that’s with some secret boyfriend or a random hookup.
“I don’t have a type,” she says softly. “I’m just… not really into Cameron. That’s all.”
Isla turns to me now. “Z is being quiet.”
I roll my eyes. “What am I supposed to say? That he’s not good-looking? I’m not going to lie. But he’s still an asshole, so his looks don’t do anything for me.”
“Do you think you two can ever be friends?”
“I doubt it,” I admit. “But we can at least get along for the sake of the team.”
After more than a decade of us hating each other, I think that’s all we can really hope for.