Chapter 40
forty
Cameron
Petar
How’s your ljepota?
Cameron
Fuck off
Petar
I was right about her all along, wasn’t I?
Cameron
Not all along
We really did hate each other before
Petar
You expect me to believe you were calling her ljepota for funsies?
Cameron
Funsies?
Petar
I’m trying to mock you
Cameron
If I just answer you, will you stop being an ass?
Petar
Probably not
Cameron
*eyeroll emoji*
Zhuri is great
You telling her what ljepota meant finally set everything in motion
Petar
My baby cousin is finally happy
Cameron
I’m older than you, dumbass
Petar
But I’ve been married for two years, so I’m wiser
Teasing aside, I’m happy for you, Cam
Cameron
Me too
I’ve never been this fucking happy
Petar
Hold onto that next time Uncle Ivor tries to get in your head
Cameron
I’m going to try
Zhuri is an incredible help with that
Say hi to Vinea for me
Petar
And you tell your girl I’m happy for her, too
She’s got a good one
I smile as I look at all my teammates spread around my living room. We’ve come a long way since the Comets were formed, and we’re acting like a real fucking team now.
The past month has mostly been spent at the rink practicing.
With the preseason starting tomorrow, we needed to make sure we were ready.
Coach Balstad was always a great coach, but Coach Leverson has whipped us into shape.
I think she finally earned the respect she deserves from all the guys on the team, and we’re going to have an incredible season this year with her at the helm.
Even Michael has come around. He’s not distant with any of his teammates now, and he works incredibly well on the fourth line with Amalia and Aili.
Zhuri and I have successfully hidden our relationship, too. It’s been a month of pure bliss with her beside me, but when we’re at the rink, you’d never be able to tell there’s anything more. We focus on hockey, and that’s it. It makes keeping our relationship a secret so much easier.
She spends most nights in bed beside me, though occasionally we spend the night at her place. No matter where we are, though, she’s wrapped up in my arms, and I’m getting the best sleep of my life.
I’m falling in so deep with Zhuri, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
I think this might be what love feels like.
The thought just makes me smile.
I glance up at my girlfriend and grin. She’s sitting across the room from me tonight between Asher and Lina, but she still gives me a soft smile in return.
Wes nudges me when he sees so I don’t give myself away.
Isla taps her foot nervously in front of her. “I can’t believe the season starts tomorrow.”
Bet and Venda wrap their arms around her shoulders.
“It’s going to be fine, Icy,” Bet promises. “Just play like you always do.”
Isla takes a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “Right. Of course.”
It’s pretty clear to everyone around us that Isla has some anxiety issues. I don’t know where they stem from, but they show themselves from time to time.
My job as one of the co-captains is to uplift my teammates.
“You’ve been looking damn good out there, Icy,” I chime. “You, Nico, and Asher work really well together.”
“Thanks, Cam,” she smiles softly. “I’ll be better tomorrow. My rituals will get me in the right mindset.”
“What are your rituals?” Bruno asks her before popping a tortilla chip covered with buffalo chicken dip into his mouth.
Maybe team dinner the night before our first game wasn’t a great idea. We’re all going to look like shit tomorrow after indulging ourselves tonight.
“I pull my hair into a ponytail. Then I drink a bottle of Gatorade—specifically Cool Blue—before I re-lace my skates. After those, I take out my ponytail and tie my hair off in a braid.”
“Why?” I ask. Hockey players are notoriously superstitious, so having rituals in and of themselves isn’t weird, but Isla’s are more specific.
She shrugs. “That’s what I did before my game back in high school when there were scouts there to watch me. I had the best game of my life at the time, and I wasn’t going to fuck that up by deviating from what obviously works.”
“I have lucky socks,” Wes says. “They have Easter eggs on them. Wore them before my first NHL career hat trick. Now I wear them every game.”
“It’s a wonder those socks are still holding up,” Nico laughs. “They’re full of holes.”
“As long as they’re on, I can have another pair on under them. It works for me.”
“I have a Caesar salad with a Diet Coke for lunch,” Bet adds. “I stay out of the sin bin if I do that.”
“Poutine for me,” Sid laughs. “Reminds me of home.”
“What do you do, Lev?” Bet asks.
“Nothing,” he shrugs.
I roll my eyes. “What he means by that is he literally does nothing. He will not let anyone take practice shots on him on game day.”
“My first shutout when I was eight was when I almost missed the game. I didn’t get to practice. Clearly, it works.”
“Nico probably eats a chunk of Swiss cheese,” Isla teases.
Nico scoffs. “Just because I’m Swiss doesn’t mean I eat Swiss cheese.”
“Do you?”
“Yes,” he sighs, “but that’s not the damn point. I don’t eat it on game days, though. I retape my stick depending on what day it is. Each day of the week has a different color. Tomorrow is red because it’s Saturday.”
“What about you, Wolfe?” Zhuri asks Asher.
“Thirteen laps around the rink during warmups. My number has always been thirteen, so I started doing that back when I was still in Squirts. And I won’t say slap shot. Every time I do, none of my shots make it into the net.”
“I avoid my phone until after the game is over,” Theo states. “If I don’t look at it before, I can’t see what people are saying. That and wearing a brand new pair of underwear.”
“What about our co-captains?” Lev asks. “They’re being quiet.”
“I put my skates on last after I re-lace them,” Zhuri answers. “Also, put baby powder on my stick blade. If it was good enough for Gretzky, it’s good enough for me.”
“Cam’s is my favorite,” Wes laughs, and I elbow him.
I sigh. “One of my old teammates on the Tyrants played Shake It Off in the locker room before my first NHL start, and I scored my first career goal in the first minute of the game. I always listen to Taylor Swift before games now.”
Isla laughs. “Didn’t realize you were a Swiftie, Cam.”
“I’m really not,” I reply. “She’s not bad, but her music isn’t really my taste. Just listen to her before games.”
The conversation continues while I watch as Zhuri gets up and heads down the hall. I give it a few seconds before I follow after her. I gently grab her arm before she runs into the bathroom and lead her down to my bedroom instead, closing the door behind us.
“Cam,” she chuckles. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
I dart my eyes over to my en-suite. “It’s right there. Use it after this.”
“After what?”
Her question is answered when I press my lips to hers, holding her close while she’s wrapped up in my arms.
I smile at her. “Haven’t kissed you since before everyone else got here. Couldn’t go another second without feeling your lips on mine.”
Zhuri smiles at me sweetly, and I feel like I’m floating out of my body.
No one has ever made me feel the things Zhuri does, and every day we spend together, she just pulls me deeper in.
I’ll happily lose myself in her, though. I’m pretty sure I already have.
Because I’m definitely falling in love with Zhuri Hart.