CHAPTER EIGHT
LEVI
I’m sitting on a bar stool in the middle of Last Call, a rustic bar down the street from my apartment, nursing a beer.
I look around – dim lighting, the soft light pooling over the polished wood, half empty glasses scattered around leaving a musk of stale beer in the air.
Conversations and laughter hum, sort of in the background.
I mean, it must be in the background, after all, because these douchebags I call friends just won’t shut the hell up.
It’s the whole first line out tonight – my defensive partner, Cole Taylor; our goalie, Bennett Steele; and our forwards, Hudson Moore, Evan Calloway and Reid Ashford.
It’s Ash’s rare night out with us, his baby girl at home with the nanny for tonight.
I’d normally love to spend the night at a bar with them, but I’ve been in a sour mood ever since the reformer-gate incident with Scarlett yesterday.
I’m just. So. Tired. Add in the boys giving me shit, it’s been a rough couple fucking days, I’ll tell you that much.
I take another drink of my beer. As I put my glass back down, Steele catches my eye, “How’d your first sessions go with your Pilates princess, big guy?” He teases.
I roll my eyes, “Dude, fuck off. I really don’t want to talk about any of that shit.” I snap back.
Steele holds up his hands, “Woah, just kidding man, but seriously, how did you go? How’d you get on?”
“Awful. It’s a waste of time. I don’t understand why Coach is so hellbent on this.”
This time, Ash pipes in, “Come on, man. Just give it a shot. Coach knows what he’s doing.”
“Absolutely not. I refuse. It’s a waste of time. I’m done talking about this.” I look away, waving my hand for the server to get me another beer.
“Yo, dude,” Steele nudges my shoulder. “Isn’t that your Pilates princess over there?”
I glance up slightly, doing a double take, my eyes widening slightly. What the fuck is she doing here? Can’t I catch a break?
I do a quick once over of Scarlett. Wearing a little, skin-tight black dress, strappy gold heels that make her legs look a mile long, though she’s only about five-foot-five in height, her perfect brown hair long and wavy flowing down her back.
She looks hot as hell – and she knows it.
I clock the rest of my teammates staring at her too, taking her in.
I flick my gaze back to her, panning over to her blonde friend. They’re laughing at something. What? I couldn’t care less; now I’m just annoyed. But of course, she’s here. I can’t escape her. At this point, she’s haunting me.
Suddenly, her eyes drift over to me. They widen slightly, before settling into the glare I’ve come to know quite well in the few meetings we’ve had.
I see Ash smirk in my peripheral, and I know he’s about to say something that’ll piss me off. “Go say hi, Carter,” He starts to tease, “Maybe if you ask her nicely, she’ll give you some good pointers on your form.”
I ignore him, keeping my eyes locked on her as she is still frozen at the entrance.
She whispers to her friend, then starts to approach, slow and deliberate, tilting her head slightly as though she is dissecting me. Her friend splits off to go find a table.
I decide to get the first word in, “Fancy seeing you here. Did you miss me that much already?”
“Absolutely not. Just knew I’d need to have a drink and let loose if I’m to put up with you for the next couple of months.” She snaps back.
I hear a low whistle before someone behind me whispers, “Oh, shit.”.
My pulse starts to race as I feel myself get heated, slightly embarrassed. I don’t have the chance to get another word in before she pipes up again, “Should I be concerned about any falls outside the studio as well? Or do you think you’ll be good?”
I glare. She knows she hit her target.
“No, princess. Yesterday was a one-time thing during a vulnerable moment. You’ll never see that happen again.” I retort.
I still feel my teammates eyes flicking between the two of us as we have a stand-off.
“You ready for tomorrow, Carter? I expect you won’t run out on me again if you want to be good in time for the season.” She just won’t let it rest, will she?
I decide to just keep it short. “Nope. Never again.”
She looks at me, somewhat perplexed, but continues anyway, “Don’t underestimate the work ahead Levi. If you stick to my plan, I really think we can have you healthy for the season opener.”
I roll my eyes, which is becoming an awfully common occurrence around this relentless woman. “Look, Quinn, you’re wasting your breath. I just don’t believe Pilates is the answer to my problems.”
I faintly hear a gasp in the background, though, it’s barely audible through the ruckus of the bar.
Her eyes narrow, “God, you’re a dick, aren’t you? And here I was hoping what happened yesterday would have given you a slice of humble pie, but clearly not.”
My jaw drops in shock. My brain is trying to formulate the words, but I’m at a loss.
“See you tomorrow, Carter.” She turns to my teammates, “Have a good night, boys.” Before she turns, swaying her hips and leaving us to watch after her as she walks.
I notice Reid smirking out of the corner of my eye, so I snap my head to look at him, “Not a fucking word, Ashford, I swear to God.”
He puts his hands up in surrender.
I can feel Steele’s stare on my face, but I don’t want to deal with it.
Finally, he speaks up, “You going to keep pretending everything is fine, or are we going to air it out?”
I look at him but stay silent, so he speaks again, “How’s the shoulder?”
I slightly shrug. This time, Ash speaks, “C’mon man. Give us something, We’re here for you.”
“I just don’t know what to say. I’m lost right now. Hockey is my purpose, what if I don’t have that anymore?”
“You’re not done, man. You’re going to heal. If I’m honest, Pilates will be good for you. You’ll come back stronger than all of us.” Calloway reasons. But at this point, I’m not in the mood to be reasoned with.
My mouth drops open, “Dude, you cannot be serious. I don’t believe that for a second.” I look back down to my beer. Fuck my life. Fuck this, I’m out of here. That’s enough fuckery for one night, I’ll say.
Pulling out my wallet, I toss a couple twenty-dollar bills on the bar. “I’m out, boys. I’ve had enough for one night.” I grab each of their shoulders on the way out, they stare at me dumbfounded as I walk toward the door.
I catch Scarlett’s eye on the way through, giving her my signature smirk, and a wink to go along with it. Her eyebrows pull together slightly as she watches, almost like she is trying to figure me out. I’m sure I leave too quick for her to get a read on me, though.
Stepping out into the brisk air, I take a deep breath. Coach, what have you done?