Chapter 25 #2
I’m not sure he knows, not sure what he’s saying don’t to, but I nod reassuringly and hope he’s not right.
Coach Logan speaks up. “We’re on board with the limited time and easing Brody back into the lineup. We’re taking it seriously. I’ll put together a two-week plan with our games and practices accounting for every activity planned for Brody and run it by you for approval.”
Doc nods.
“Not every activity,” I say, because I just can’t help being a wiseass. It’s who I am.
Jason smirks. No one else in the room appears amused.
After one last death stare to drill in the importance of taking care of my brains—as if I don’t already know—Doc turns his attention to Jason.
I stand. “Meet you in the dining hall,” I say to Jason.
Coach says, “Don’t be late to the film and strategy meeting. You’ll need to stay to talk about how we’re playing you.”
“Got it, Coach.”
In the locker room, most of the guys are dressed back into street clothes after the earlier skate, and I dress fast, keeping to myself so I don’t need to play the pretend newlywed game any more than necessary. Although after last night, maybe I know how it feels.
It’s been a very long time since I spent the entire night with a woman and never in my own bed.
We’re usually in hotels or her place, in part because of Ax, but not entirely.
I like being the one to leave, close the door behind me, and not look back.
Occasionally I see a woman more than once, but not often, mostly because I avoid the kind of women who would interest me that way—women like Bianca Brooks.
I’m down to tying my boots when Windy seeks me out, sitting in a chair near my cubby.
“So what’s it like going from wild bachelorhood to married in the snap of your fingers? Must be nice. Brooks is a very good catch, though not what I’d call your type.”
“You obviously don’t know my type.” I try smiling at him as I stand. “Time for chow.”
He stands with me and slaps my back. “Congratulations on your marriage. I hope it lasts.” He winks, and I stare at him, wondering what the hell he knows. I notice Jason standing behind Windy, wincing at his words.
Jason joins us as we walk to the dining room. “That’s a helluva thing to say to a newlywed, Windy.”
Windy shrugs. “Sure, but Holden isn’t your usual newlywed, and the marriage was sudden—a Vegas wedding.
” He looks at me, and I don’t hide my animosity, hoping he can hear my mind telling him that I want to punch him—the urge way stronger than any urge I’ve had to punch Sabien.
It’s a real urge. In fact, my hands ball into fists.
Jason eyes me, giving a small shake of his head.
Windy doesn’t care about my threatening demeanor, or he’s blind. “You’re so young, and she’s your agent.” He shakes his head. “Isn’t that against the rules—”
I stop in my tracks, my nostrils flaring like a bull seeing a red flag, and I’m about to shove him into next Sunday when Ax trots over, waving a hand like he’s a referee.
“We’re having an impromptu toast to your marriage, Brody, come on before coach changes his mind.
” He grips my arm like a jailer, and Jason puts himself between me and Windy.
He and Ax escort me to the nearest table in the dining room where Coach Logan stands with Coach Nash—with plastic champagne flutes raised.
“Let’s go, Holden,” Coach Nash says. “We’re risking getting arrested allowing you to drink a sip of champagne.” That gets a laugh.
Sabien joins them and hands me a flute with maybe an eye-dropper of champagne in it. I laugh.
All the guys are standing, and they all hold plastic flutes with no more than a sip of champagne in them.
“What did you do, divide one bottle between the whole team?” I laugh.
Ax tips his head from where he stands at the nearest table, looking chagrined. “It’s all I had.”
Everyone in the room laughs.
“Don’t worry, Axbell,” Coach Logan says, “I wasn’t going to let anyone drink more than a sip of champagne before heading into our game strategy session. I’d end up with a bunch of guys snoring.”
Someone shouts, “That’s what we do anyway.”
After the laughs die down, Coach Logan gets serious, quieting the crowd with a raised hand. He turns to me. “We all want to wish you a very happy and long marriage, Brody.” He lifts his glass, and the entire room agrees with shouts of here, here and Saluda.
Of course, it doesn’t take long for us to drain our glasses.
I barely taste a thing, but the gesture and congratulations and slaps on the back are genuine, and it’s not lost on me that these guys are my guys, more than teammates.
I feel the warmth, stolen or not, and my gut churns at my betrayal of the camaraderie.
Sabien sticks to my side, and for a change, I don’t want to punch him because I know he’s in it with me and doing his best to support me.
“I heard you’re playing tonight.” He grins and slaps my back.
I raise the empty plastic flute. “Here’s to a hat trick on the way to a big win.”
“We’ll need that hat trick if we want to beat the Wild. They’re on a roll.”
What he doesn’t say, doesn’t need to say, is that they’re all healthy and playing at full strength, and we have two almost healthy guys limping out there: Jason Hall and me.