Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Roxie
The coach was my scent-match. Holy shit. I was going to lose my damn mind around here.
Not just one, but three scent-matches since moving to North Crossing. That had to be a fucking record.
As much as I disliked the alpha, I liked the way that Carter Hayes’s arms felt when they were wrapped around me. He’d moved quickly, stopping me from falling on my ass in the pool.
Coughing up a lung full of chlorinated water wasn’t exactly attractive.
My head was spinning, and the moment Kota pulled Rylan and Evans into a game of pool volleyball, I gave the coach my excuse and hurried away.
I was still dripping wet, but I found a lounge chair over in the corner to hide away in. Thankfully, I’d doused my pale skin in sunblock earlier, so I laid out, letting the warmth chase away the chill of the water. My eyes drifted closed in seconds, body relaxing.
“Ma’am, can I get you a cocktail or a drink or anything?” an eager employee asked after a few minutes of pure bliss.
“Something fruity and tropical to drink would be great. Alcohol is fine, and I’d love a little snack. What do you have?”
“We have quite a few options,” she offered. “We have fruit platters, charcuterie boards, then, of course, things from the kitchen.”
She continued on, but I was already committed the moment she said charcuterie. I ordered as soon as she finished her explanation.
“Coming right up,” she promised, giving me a bright smile before hurrying away.
Now that I was alone again, I let the sun beam down on me, crossing my legs at the ankle and just absorbing some good old vitamin D.
It was short lived. Something warm and wet flicked across my toes. I was so startled that I let out a little yelp, my eyes flying open as a little, furry body dove on top of me.
“Chorizo, no!” A horrified voice called out, the pounding of bare feet across the concrete following it.
Now that I was less startled, I couldn’t help but take in the adorable, fluffy puppy that was now sprawled across my chest like he had any right to be there.
“Well, aren’t you a cutie?” I teased, digging my fingers into his fur and giving him a good scratch.
“I am so sorry.”
Ah… the infamous Greer Abbott.
I gave him a smile that I hoped would reassure him that this was no big deal.
“I’m really sorry, Miss Crane.”
“It’s Roxie,” I corrected him. “He just wanted to make some new friends, no harm done.”
“That’s all he wants to do,” Greer grumbled. He looked exasperated but amused at his dog’s antics. He was too cute to stay mad at, so I couldn’t blame him.
“They let you bring a puppy into this resort?”
“I tried to use him to get out of coming, but Coach wasn’t having it. Apparently, the resort is animal-friendly, and they’ve assigned someone to help me walk him when I have to go to mandatory meals or events.”
He stepped closer, scooping up the puppy from my lap. Chorizo let out a little whine, but I didn’t fight it.
For the second time today, fate struck. Teakwood, bergamot, and pink peppercorn washed over me. It was woodsy, masculine, and had that delta electric sharpness with the peppercorn. It was downright mouth-watering.
My jaw dropped while his eyes went wide with shock.
Then pain shuttered over his face.
“You don’t want me,” he said, his voice hoarse now.
“Telling me what I want is a bold move, delta,” I shot back automatically. My filter had vacated the moment I breathed in his scent.
He opened and closed his mouth as he fought for the words. Then he sat heavily on the chair. When Chorizo fought to get back to me, he didn’t fight it. Especially since the pup decided my bare stomach was a great place to take a nap.
“I feel like you should know something before we even consider this,” he said. His dark green eyes were locked on mine. I could see he had pain and regret about whatever happened in his past. The fact he was being open now was reassuring but I wanted to hear what he was so desperate to share.
“Okay, then tell me about it,” I said softly. My fingers gently brushed through the puppy’s warm fur as I waited for him to fight through the words.
“I was in a relationship early in my career. It was the kind of connection you find young and go all in with rose-colored glasses. We didn’t see our issues clearly until they were a barrier between us.
We wanted different things and eventually, I couldn’t take not being heard,” he explained in a rush.
The pain in his voice made it clear this wasn’t an easy thing to share. Someone with a past like that could have easily thrown me aside, walked away and avoided me, but here he was pouring his heart out.
Maybe I should put my own safety net up and fall back on old feelings. This was the exact scenario I worried about.
Did he put his career first and find issues so he didn’t have to stay? Something told me that wasn’t true and I refused to hold anyone’s past against them. Not if they were actively trying to work through it.
“Thank you for telling me that,” I said, reaching over for his hand. He hesitated, then held his palm out for me to take.
We sat there in the quiet for a while, watching the team laugh and bond around us.
“If we do this I want to do it right,” Greer finally said.
“What do you mean?”
“I’d like to properly court you and communicate about what each of us needs,” he said. “This setting isn’t the best for it but I’d love to take you out to lunch and talk when we get back.
“That sounds perfect,” I said. Honestly, it was reassuring that he was taking his time here and letting me know what he needed as well. “Until then we can take it slow. My personal cell number was in the email Hayes sent out early on. Feel free to message me whenever.”
“I will,” he promised, giving me the hint of a smile. The first real one I’d ever witnessed on his handsome face. He ran a free hand through his auburn hair and stared down at the concrete.
“For the sake of full transparency, I should also warn you I have a pack that’s just forming. An omega and a delta… and possibly an alpha. It’s new.”
He froze, then let out a deep breath, taking a few more after for good measure. I let Greer process it, worry settling in my gut until he looked at me.
“Maybe having a pack was what we were missing. I’ve always liked the idea. Maybe after we talk I can meet them, too?”
This was the part where I should be telling him who my pack was but the guy looked like he needed a minute to process it before I did that.
“I have to go chat with the team. I’m under strict orders not to be a hermit. But I’d love to catch up later if you have time?”
“I’ll be around, just send me a text,” I said, relieved he wasn’t running away like he looked like he wanted to.
Before he could respond, someone yelled out across the pool, waking the puppy. He was moving before either of us could stop it.
“Chorizo. NO!” Greer’s voice echoed out. The pup had wiggled free and instead of listening, was running full tilt into the pool. He jumped from the edge and dove in, doing laps around the players already inside the pool.
It looked like he was having the best time of his life and the team was eating it up.
A small bubble of laughter escaped me and Greer joined in, both of us watching Chorizo shake his wet fur, making the guys chatting nearby scream in protest.
“I better go save them,” he said before disappearing.
My drink and snack were delivered a few moments later and I was content to divide my attention between Greer who was chasing his pup again and Rylan and Kota playing a round of volleyball at the far end of the giant pool, surrounded by the team.
Rylan had lost the tension from earlier and seemed to be having a good time. Greer wasn’t the only one with hangups in my pack, but at least everyone was trying to figure their demons out so we could make this work.
I’d been so wrapped up in people-watching and my own feelings that I hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.
Sam Breckner sat next to me. He was part of the second line and one of the friendlier players on the team so far.
“How are you adjusting to being this close to our hot mess of a team?” he questioned, giving me an easy smile.
“It’s nice. It’s definitely a change of pace,” I said. “How do you think the team is doing since getting the new coach?”
“Is this on or off the record?”
“I guess that depends. Do you mind if I record so I can get something out of it?”
“No, of course not,” he said with a shrug, sitting back to get comfortable on the lounger. “We don’t have anything to hide, and you have to do your job, right?”
“Exactly.” I reached into the bag I’d deposited here earlier before shifting the food to the opposite table so we could share.
“I have plenty if you’d like some.”
“Thanks,” he said, patting his stomach, “but I just had a sandwich they brought out to us. The food here is incredible.”
“So are these drinks,” I said, taking another sip of the pina colada she’d brought out before setting up my recorder.
“Don’t let it make you feel weird. We’ll just have a conversation.
I’ll probably play it back and get some little snippets for the article.
I just want to make you guys seem a bit more human for the fans, if that makes sense.
A way to show that you’re people and that you have lives and aspirations. ”
“Sure. Sounds good,” he said.
“Alright Sam, tell me a little bit about yourself. Do you have a pack of your own?”
“Not yet,” he said, “but I’m not writing it off.
As long as I have this career, I know it’ll be tough on an omega.
As much as the AHA makes accommodations for us, it’s not always easy.
Unless my omega or pack has the flexibility to travel, I’d be away from them a lot, and I think that’ll be hard on me, too. ”
“That would be hard,” I agreed. The idea of Kota being off for weeks at a time had my chest aching sharply. We’d just met, too. I couldn’t imagine being bonded to that.
It was another reminder of the fact that my dad could’ve made this decision. He could have easily stayed away from my mom and let her live her life if he knew he couldn’t handle a pack or family.
Then again, I guess I wouldn’t exactly be here if he had.
“So, what does Sam Breckner get up to when he’s not on the ice?”
“Did you know that Coach Hayes runs a children’s hockey camp over winter and summer break from school? I started helping with that a few years after he formed it. At the time, I think he was just a retired player who wasn’t ready to let go of the game.”
“Oh, wow, I didn’t realize it was kids. I just heard he coaches outside of the Narwhals.”
“That’ll be me when I get to retirement age,” Sam said with a grin.
“He started it to include kids in the community, even worked it out with the AHA to start it.”
“Oh, wow. I had no idea.”
“It’s great because if the parents work in a community service-type job, he doesn’t charge them. AHA staff play for free, too, even arena staff. We raise some funds once a year with a few charity events.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“It makes me feel like I’m doing something for the community. North Crossing has always meant a lot to me.”
Thank god. That was a segue into a new conversation far away from Coach Hayes.
I didn’t think I could handle him humanizing the coach even more. It was safer to keep the distance for now.
“So, you’re from North Crossing?”
“I am,” he confirmed. “I left for a few years then played for three other teams before I finally got transferred back. I’m hoping to impress Kingsford enough that he keeps me around. The Narwhals are honestly one of the teams that trade the least.”
“Oh, wow,” I said, realizing those statistics were something I needed to look up about the team I’d agreed to work for. I wanted to know the ins and outs, which was exactly why I was having these conversations.
“What do you think the next several years will look like for you? On and off the ice.”
He considered my question before answering, which I appreciated.
“I’d like to think that I would still be out here, playing for the Narwhals. I believe in this team, and I think that we can give it life again if we’re given half a chance.”
I smiled softly. Him approaching me made perfect sense. At least he was being genuine. We had to start these interviews somewhere.
It was nice to see the players be proud of the team they were building here, and as a journalist, that told me I was getting the truth out of him.
He wasn’t just blowing smoke up my ass or saying something easy, he was giving me his truth. I appreciated it.
“Thank you for being forthcoming. Not everyone is going to give it to me that easily,” I admitted. Just like Coach Hayes, not everyone was happy with my presence.
“Oh, yeah. I’ve already heard them grumbling a little bit about it here and there, but they’ll come around. What you’re doing is important. It’ll be better for us if everyone just talks.”
“Feel free to tell me this is as much as my interviews entail. I’d much rather have a candid conversation.”
“Will do. But don’t worry. At the end of the day, we’re all here to be Narwhals. Even Greer’s grumpy ass.”
“I don’t know about grumpy at the moment. Have you seen him with his puppy? Anyone with a dog that cute can’t be too grumpy. I bet that scowl is just an act and inside he’s just a squishy teddy bear.”
I whispered it conspiratorially and Sam barked out a laugh.
“No shit, he’s got a puppy? Here?!”
I pointed over at the shallow end where the puppy was still diving into the water like a fuzzy psycho and the team was gathered around, encouraging it.
Chorizo would climb the ramp then run around the side before jumping in and paddling back to do it again. All while Greer hovered over him like a terrified parent. It was way too adorable.
My inner-omega was practically swooning already and we barely knew him. I just hoped the rest of my pack would be welcoming. Hell, if you could even consider us a pack yet.
“Hey, Breckner! Are you going to stay there and gab, or are you going to join the game?” One of the other players called out, finally spotting us.
He rolled his eyes but gave me a good-natured smile.
“Thanks for chatting with me, Roxie. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Have fun,” I said, waving him off.
He stood up and went to join the other guys.
I turned off the recorder and sat back, pulling the platter into my lap, nibbling at the food and watching the team interact.
My gaze found Hayes who was lounging in the deep end. He was stiff now and I swear I could feel him watching me every time I looked away.
Maybe it was the fact we were in this incredible resort or the fact that the negativity had been siphoned from the team, but it felt like everyone was taking a collective breath here and giving this team-bonding experience an actual chance.
Which wasn’t something I expected.
The more I got to know the players, the more I realized that maybe I had been unfair to judge them all based on my father.
In fact, it seemed I was scent-matched to three men in hockey. Fate had a twisted sense of humor.