Chapter 2
Chapter
Two
Hadley: Good luck tonight, bro! Go Griffins! Can’t wait to cheer you on in the stands at my first game as a Harrison student!
Hunter: Thanks.
Hockey is life.
I repeat it endlessly before every game. It helps me focus and reminds me what’s important.
But today, it’s failing me. All the minor distractions of the locker room—Jonas’ music, Mateo’s mumbling, Cooper’s inane whistling—get on my nerves.
Hockey is—
“So, how ya feelin’?”
I know he means well, but I stifle a growl as I turn to Cooper, my best friend. His relaxed attitude this season grates on me a bit. He’s all blissed out from falling in love with a great girl. I know he can still focus on the game and win, but I’m not quite used to this new version of him. Taking a deep breath, I shrug and try to relax my tense shoulders.
“Fine.”
Raising a brow, he pins me with a stare, his intense brown eyes seeing more than I want.
“Nervous for your first game as captain?”
“It’s the same as any other game.”
I wish that were true. It should be. But tonight’s game feels like a test—can I lead the team well? It sets the tone for the entire season.
Cooper claps a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay if you are, you know.”
I sigh and glance around the locker room. Everyone else is getting dressed and ignoring us. It’s okay to let my guard down a little.
“There’s just a lot of pressure this year, you know?” I say under my breath, and Cooper nods. “To win and take us back to the Frozen Four, and to get signed.”
Cooper squeezes my shoulder. “Your dad?” he asks, voice soft.
He knows. He’s probably the only person who understands my complicated relationship with my dad. Maybe Hadley gets it, too. But between money, hockey, and my dad, sometimes I don’t know which way is up.
“Yeah. He won’t stop calling, offering me advice. Which I should probably take, but…”
Hockey is life, but I want it on my terms. What my dad is pushing doesn’t feel right for me.
“But you want to be your own man,” Cooper finishes for me.
Yeah, I think I do.
“And I want to be a good captain. You’ll tell me if I turn into a dick?”
He laughs. “Of course. That’s my job.”
The choice of captain was between me and Cooper. Coach didn’t talk about it, but everyone knew. I never said it out loud, but I would have been wrecked if it wasn’t me. Cooper was unperturbed. Genuinely. He’s a laid-back, relaxed guy, made even more stable these days by his steady girl. He makes a great assistant captain, supporting me and backing me up in public. But he won’t hesitate to tell me privately if he disagrees with me, and I’m grateful.
“Are you nervous about tonight?” I ask as he adjusts his socks.
“Nah. I don’t have to give the big pep-talk.” He tosses his brown hair out of his eyes, and then his expression softens. “Plus, Jasmine’s watching. That always makes me play better.”
I’m happy for him and his girl. Really. She’s cool, and she honestly cares about him. Doesn’t mean I’m not struck with a pang of jealousy sometimes, though. Not over Jasmine—but what he has. A girl who loves him and shows up to support him. I get plenty of female attention but finding one who’s worth more than one night—that’s not in the playbook for me.
And after what happened this summer, I won’t make that mistake again. I’d rather be alone than with someone who’s using me.
“Is Hadley coming to the game?” Cooper’s still talking, pulling me out of my introspection.
“Uh, yeah.” I put on my knee pads and Velcro them in place. At Hadley’s name, I’m hit with a rush of mixed emotions.“I love her, and I’m excited she’s at Harrison for her freshman year. It’s a little weird, too, though?”
It’s not like Lafayette is around the corner from where we grew up in Boston—I’m pretty sure she only picked this school in Indiana because I’m here.Which is awesome. I don’t know her as well as I’d like. After her mom left our dad, I’d only see her when she’d come stay with us during the summer. We went to the same high school for a year but didn’t run in the same circles. I’m trying to make the most of our time together now.
Cooper nods and adjusts his pants. “I don’t really get it, since I don’t have any siblings. But I can imagine.”
“I remember being a freshman and all the shit we did.” I wince. “I feel a little bit responsible for her, you know? Maybe I can help her avoid some mistakes we made.”
Cooper chuckles. “She seemed like she had fun when we went out the other night.”
“Too much fun.” My voice is a low growl as I remember how I practically had to beat jerks away with my hockey stick last weekend. It’s nice to have someone cheering for me in the crowd, and I like hanging with her. But between my responsibilities to her, my team, and future pressures, it’s no wonder I can’t focus.
“It’s cool that you want to protect her, but you’ve gotta let her live a little.”
“What do you know about sisters?” I shove his shoulder, not too hard, and smile.
Before he can reply, Coach Russell clears his throat, and all eyes fly to him. “Gentlemen.”
With graying hair, eyes that see everything, and a perpetual scowl, he radiates authority. Not to mention his impressive pedigree and the years he spent in the NHL. Coach Bouchard and a willowy brunette stand behind him. The girl is gorgeous, smooth tan complexion with long dark hair in a ponytail. She wears an official Harrison Hockey pullover and khakis—not normally a turn-on—but I have to force myself to stop gazing at her dark eyes and look at Coach.
“A few quick announcements before you get in the zone.”He jerks his thumb at Coach Bouchard, his assistant, who steps forward. Younger than Coach Russell, he’s a little more approachable and easy-going. He played for Harrison, though before my time, so he’s quality.
He smiles.“I know how much you all loved Gary, but we had to make a last-minute change in the organization.”
Evan, one of my roommates, snickers, and it’s hard not to agree with him. Gary, the social media nerd, was like an annoying pet. He was always hanging around, begging for scraps. But that doesn’t mean Evan should advertise it.
Stepping closer to Evan, I throw my arm around his shoulder and send Coach a look, letting him know that I’ve got it covered. Bouchard continues.
“So this is Natalie, Natalie Rios. Our new Social Media Coordinator. Her job is to help you look good. Don’t make it hard. When she’s in the locker room or with the team, be respectful. If she asks you for an interview, a quote, or to make a silly video, help her out. And this goes without saying, but treat her like a sister.”
Natalie flushes at his words and looks even prettier. Which is a disaster. Gary the Golden Retriever was bad, but a beautiful woman? Across the locker room, my teammates elbow each other, stand up straighter, and send her charming smiles. What was Coach Bouchard thinking, bringing that kind of distraction in here?
“She looks nothing like my sister,” Evan mutters, and I have to agree with him. But I squeeze his shoulder and Coach Russell sends a fierce glare at everyone.
All eyes are on Natalie. She raises her hand in a little wave and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Uh, hi. I’m excited to be part of the team. Just ignore me if you see me snapping some pictures. I promise to stay out of your way. And good luck tonight.”
She smiles and bends down to pick something up off the floor, pocketing it. My stomach swoops at the sight and someone wolf whistles. She’s entirely too sweet and innocent-looking for this job. How will she be able to stand her ground against a bunch of rowdy hockey players?
I sigh internally. One more thing to worry about.
“Be ready to hit the ice in ten,” Coach Russell growls. “Focus up, now.”
The coaches move into their offices off the open locker space and Natalie heads for the door, but the damage is done. My arm slides off Evan’s shoulders as he finishes dressing. Voices buzz, repeating her name. Why does she have to be so pretty?
“Guys!” I yell. “You’re here to play hockey, not gossip about girls! Save that for after the game.”
The team quiets for a moment but goes back to talking. There’s no way we’re ready for this. Shaking my head, I put my chest and elbow pads on, and tug on my navy jersey. Then I feel my neck, searching for the chain and my mom’s heart charm. It’s the only thing I have from her, and I touch it before every game.
But it’s gone. My breath comes in a sharp gasp, and I search the floor nearby, hoping to see shiny gold glinting at my feet. But it’s just cement.
My heart pounds as I take my jersey back off and shake it out. Maybe the necklace is caught in it somewhere? But no luck. Rushing now, I strip off all my pads, socks, and undershirt until I’m only wearing my boxers. I have to find it.
“Dude, is everything all right?” Cooper, fully dressed, looks me up and down, concern in his expression.
“No.” My words are short and clipped. “I lost my mom’s charm.”
His eyes widen because he knows how much it means to me. “We’ll find it. Do you remember the last time you had it?”
I think back.
“Definitely when I left the house tonight. And—” I pause, trying to remember. Did I touch my charm when I changed out of my street clothes? “When I started getting my gear on.”
His face relaxes, and he smiles. “That’s great. Means it’s in the locker room somewhere. We can—”
“Thompson!” I spin when Coach Russell barks my name, his eyes bulging. “What kind of prank is this? Why aren’t you dressed? You need to lead the team onto the ice.”
He’s right. My pulse pounds in my veins. A combination of shame at disappointing him and fear of losing literally the one thing I have from my mother makes my skin flush with heat.
“I—”
Before I can explain, he turns to Cooper. “All right, Assistant Captain, I need you to step up.”
Sending me an apologetic look, Cooper nods, then mouths, “We’ll find it. Don’t worry.”
Hockey is life.
Focusing on my breathing, I dress quickly, but all I can think about is my mom’s charm. I will tear this locker room apart after the game. I can’t lose it.
Cooper gets the team out onto the ice for our pre-game skate, and I follow a few minutes later. After I exit the tunnel, Evan skates up to me and stops with a flourish, showering me with a flurry of snow.
He smirks. “What took you so long? Big shot captain’s nervous?”
I can’t handle his banter right now. Shaking my head, I grip my stick tighter. I just have to get through this game, and then I can find my mom’s necklace.
I ride the bench during the third period, staring at the scoreboard as if I can change it with my mind. We trail Bemidji State four to one, and it’s a miracle we even put one point up. I bite down on my mouth guard and grip my stick so hard my knuckles crack as I watch the Beavers—yes, that’s really their mascot—steal the puck away from Mateo. They zip towards our goal, out-pacing Luke, and sink one five-hole on Adam.
Shit. The red light behind the goal spins and the siren goes off. The Bemidji fans cheer, and I sink lower onto the bench. This is all my fault.
If I hadn’t lost my mom’s charm, if I had done a better job leading the team, if I had focused. Maybe we wouldn’t be losing. I shouldn’t let it get to me, but this game sets the tone for the season. And right now, it feels like we’re going to have a terrible year.
The new social media girl, Natalie, hovers behind me. Her perfume smells citrusy, like lemons. I can practically feel her as she leans close and tries to get a video.
“Don’t record that.” My voice is low and dangerous as I turn around. “We don’t want to remember this.”
Her dark brown eyes widen. “Oh, um, yeah. It’s just… I need some footage to post and—”
“Get footage when we win.” I know I sound harsh. I just need us to play better.
“You’ll turn it around.” The pep in her voice grates against my skin. I frown at her.
“Not likely.”
“Think positive thoughts, Mr. Captain.”
Her sunny smile is gorgeous, but her misplaced optimism in the face of an impending loss is na?ve and annoying.
“Positive thoughts won’t do anything.” I roll my eyes. “And I swear, if you talk about vibes, I’m going to—”
The ref’s whistle cuts my threat off. I whip my head back to the ice to see what’s happening. An icing call on us. Dammit.
“Captain Bad Attitude.” She says the words under her breath, not intended for me, but I stiffen. It would be easier if she wasn’t right. I’d have a better attitude if we were winning.
As the clock counts down, we can’t get our offense in gear. We lose the game, and skate off the ice with our heads hanging low.
I should come up with something inspiring to tell the guys as we file into the locker room, but hell if I know what that is. Sinking down into the bench in front of my locker, I run my hand through my sweaty hair and stare at the floor.
“Rough start, y’all.” Cooper makes himself heard over the buzz of conversation. “But now we know what to work on. We’ve got another shot tomorrow! Go Griffins!”
He thumps his stick on the floor and the team returns his chant, then smack their sticks in reply. He makes his way around the room, chatting with everyone. Giving encouraging pointers and complimenting their play, he turns the sour mood around.
They all head to the showers to rinse off and dress. While I still sit, slumped in my misery. Maybe Coach should have made him captain instead of assistant. He’s certainly doing more to earn it than me. I’ve got nothing to offer.
“Tough loss, Captain!” Natalie approaches. She smiles, all sunshine and rainbows as I lift my head, and it makes me want to punch my locker. Nothing about her looks or sounds upset by the loss. I glare at her, gratified when her expression wavers.
“Yeah.” My voice sounds rusty, like I don’t remember how to talk. I stare at her without uttering another word.
“Um, can I get a clip of you saying something about the game?” She holds up her phone, wagging it in my face.
I shake my head. “No.”
I expect her to back down, leaving me alone to wallow like I want, but she doesn’t. Steel laces her words when she speaks.
“Look, I know it wasn’t the outcome you wanted, but it’s just a game. You have another chance tomorrow. Can you give me a soundbite, please?”
She presses her lips together, standing firm, but I unfold from my slouch on the bench to my full height and tower above her. She’s pretty tall, but I’m six-five and wearing skates, so I’m at least a foot taller. It’s a dick move to use that to intimidate her, I know that somewhere, but her flippant words toggled my rage switch. My pulse pounds in my ears and my heart beats faster.
“Just a game?” I echo, mocking her. “Just a game? Are you serious?”
Her nostrils flare, a hint that her cheerful facade is cracking, and for some reason, I want to push her buttons and watch her lose her cool. “Yes. It wasn’t a great start, but you’ll bounce back. It’s not a big deal.”
“I’m the captain. It’s a big deal to me.”
She pops a hand on her hip and presses her lips together before forcing a smile. “And doing my job well is a big deal to me. Would you prefer I ask someone else, Mr. Captain?”
I don’t expect her response to be so snarky, and I’m not sure what to say. Honestly, I’d love it if she could go bother someone else. Even though it’s college and not professional hockey, I know I have extra responsibilities as captain. Leadership roles, but also stuff like this—social media, public relations, and being a liaison to the front office staff. I hate it, but I have to respond.
“Fine.” I give a noisy exhale and don’t wait while she fumbles for her phone. “Here’s my soundbite: It wasn’t a great start, but we’ll work harder tomorrow. Is that good enough for you?”
Instead of backing off, she narrows her eyes at me. Why do I get a sick thrill out of it? “You’re a dick, I get it. Thanks so much for your help. Now, are you ready to try this for real?”
She holds up her phone and counts down until she presses record, but the fact that I made her lose her cool is a shallow victory. She’s right, I am a dick. I lost my mom’s necklace, lost us the game. Got distracted. I don’t deserve to be captain, don’t deserve to have this interview. My palms get sweaty and blood pounds in my temples. I have to get out of here.
I shake my head. “No, I changed my mind. Interview someone else.”
Like Cooper. He’d be nice to her.
I turn away, but she grabs my arm. “I thought you were the leader here. Some example you’re setting at the rink.”
“Rink?” I scoff. How dare this girl who knows nothing about hockey try to lecture me on being captain?
Her cheeks redden. “Yeah, that’s what it’s called. Right?”
I ball my hands into fists and spit out the words. “We’re not figure skaters. It’s an arena. Learn what the hell you’re talking about before you keep me from all the things I have to do.”
“Like what?” she shoots back, getting in my face. Her dark eyes flash, a break in her unending optimism.
She has no right to press me on it. I growl and tick off points on my fingers. “Get out of my sweaty gear and take a shower. Find a very important missing necklace. Refocus for tomorrow. Help the team get back on track. Not worry about stupid social media videos. Is that too much to ask?”
She blinks. “Necklace? What does it look like?”
That’s not what I expected her to say. “Uh, gold. It’s a heart charm.”
“Like this one?” She pulls it out of the front pocket of her jeans, dangling it in front of me.
I snatch it from her hands. “Where did you get this?”
“It was on the floor earlier. I picked it up to put in lost and found. I didn’t think it belonged to any of the guys in here. It looks like a woman’s necklace.” Her eyes soften as she watches me yank it over my head. “But I didn’t know, I’m sorry—”
“Well, it’s none of your business,” I cut her sympathy off with a snarl, “but it’s mine. And maybe if you hadn’t taken it, we wouldn’t have lost the game.”
“What? Are you for real right now?” Her tone is incredulous and her brow furrows. She steps closer and gets in my face. Or as close as she can from her height. “I didn’t steal it. I was trying to return it to its rightful owner. And I know absolutely nothing about hockey, but you didn’t lose because of a necklace. You lost because you suck as a captain.”
With that, she spins on her heel and stomps off. I don’t know why my heart beats faster and my stomach swoops. I shake it off. The flip side is she’s gone, and I can finally shower in peace. Her words sting more than I’d like to admit, maybe because there’s truth to them.
Toweling dry, Cooper wanders back into the changing area.
“What’s that about?” He raises a brow.
“Nothing, man. Nothing at all.”