Chapter 29
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Bodi
The mood in the locker room is tense before the game against the Phantoms.
It’s weird for me to be here in the visiting team’s locker room, especially when I recognize the support staff and security guards, most of whom say hello.
For some reason, that annoys Coach Morrison and he grunts out a reminder to “get going” when I stop to say hello to Burt, who works the elevator that opens onto the floor where the locker rooms are located.
“I understand you had company in Vegas,” he growls, pulling me aside.
My heart skips a beat but I do my best to look confused. “Is that a problem? You said we had to stay in, you didn’t say we couldn’t see friends and family. My sister and her boyfriend came to the hotel for a little while.”
That seems to briefly take the wind out of his sails—I don’t think he was expecting me to mention family.
“I guess I’ll have to be more specific in the future. When you’re on lockdown, no going out, no one coming in. Understand?”
I nod since there’s no mention of Jayne, which is all that matters. “Yes, sir.”
“I want to see extra effort tonight, Bodi.” His eyes narrow. “You have more to offer than what you showed in Vegas.”
“I’ll do my best, Coach.”
“You’d better.”
He turns and hoofs it in the other direction.
But now I’m pissed.
Who the hell ratted me out? And did they not recognize Jayne? I’m sure that conversation would have gone differently if they had.
“What happened?” West asks under his breath as I start undressing.
“Someone on this team is a fucking rat,” I grunt. “Told Coach I had company last night.”
His eyebrows nearly reach his forehead. “Did they—”
“No.” I don’t mention Jayne because he already knows she’s in town. “Just Billie and Rome.”
“Someone on the team told him?” He frowns.
“How else would he know?”
“That’s bullshit right there. It’s a good thing I decided to accept the C. Coach is going to announce it tonight. And I’m going to find out who the rat is because that’s not how we do it on teams I play for. Someone needs an ass-kicking, verbal or otherwise.”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m more pissed about the fact that one of our teammates went right to Coach rather than anything else. Who would do that?”
He hesitates. “I may have an idea but give me a few hours.”
I nod again. “Yeah, okay.”
“Focus on the game. We’ll deal with the rest later, when we get back to Atlanta.”
“Any idea who he’s going to give the A to?” I ask, referring to the Alternate Captain positions. Most teams have two or three, so there’s always someone in charge on the ice.
“He said he’s coming up with a list. He wants whoever it is to be someone the team looks up to.”
Well, that rules me out.
But that’s okay. I don’t know how I’d handle any position of leadership under Coach Morrison.
I was hoping this would be a positive experience, a fresh start.
Instead, it’s turning into drama central.
I could definitely make other choices. Certainly, dating my head coach’s daughter isn’t the smartest thing I could do, but she’s special.
And we’re not doing anything wrong.
Just because Coach has a burr up his butt doesn’t mean I have to give up something that’s become really important to me.
She thinks she doesn’t bring anything to our relationship but that’s ridiculous.
I’m crazy about her.
She soothes me in areas I didn’t realize were frazzled. More than anything else, I’m not lonely anymore, and that’s huge for me. It has nothing to do with the fact that I have a girlfriend—I’ve had dozens of opportunities over the years and never felt that kind of pull.
Everything is different with Jayne.
She grounds me.
For the first time since I lost my parents, I don’t feel lost anymore.
She brings meaning to my life, gives me something to look forward to beyond hockey.
And now that she and Billie have met, she fits right in with everything that’s important to me—my career and my family.
I can’t explain what I’m feeling or how quickly I’ve fallen for her but I don’t have to.
All I want to do is make her happy. Love her. Give her the wings she needs to fly.
And get her away from her dad.
She just has to give me the chance.
The first person I see when I skate onto the ice for warm-ups is Blake—my best friend for the last six years.
We met playing for the Rebels, moved in together, and he helped me raise Billie.
He’s like another big brother to her, and the three of us spent a lot of time together.
From what I understand, he and his wife Rowan, who’s an assistant trainer for the Phantoms, hang out with Billie and Rome quite a bit.
I’m glad that relationship is still strong because I know in a pinch he’d be there for her if I couldn’t.
“Looking good, bro.” Blake hugs me warmly.
He’s not the kind of guy who gives a shit what anyone thinks. And everyone in the Phantoms organization already knows how close we are.
“How’s things?” I ask him.
“Good! How about you?” His eyes twinkle. “I hear you have a girlfriend.”
I look around before whispering, “Yeah. Her name is Jayne. Morrison.”
His eyes widen as he stares at me. “Your coach’s daughter?”
Then he throws back his head and laughs long and hard.
“Shut up,” I grumble, kicking him in the skate.
“Oh, that’s rich. Even for you.” He shakes his head fondly. “What the fuck, man? You like living on the wild side? Also, why didn’t you tell me before now?”
“I didn’t want to jinx anything,” I admit. “Besides, I knew I’d see you in person tonight, so I figured it would be more fun this way.”
“Well, my coach is giving me the stink eye, so I’m going to move along. But you’re not leaving tonight, right? If you’re not on lockdown, you want to come over? I’d like to meet your new lady friend.”
“Does Billie tell you everything?” I demand.
“No. But she tells Rowan almost everything.”
We both laugh.
“I’ll text you after,” I say, before skating over to take my place shooting at Vik, who’s in net during the warm-up. Usually, the starting goalie sits out of the warm-up if he’s playing in the game. Which means Coach is putting Simon in.
It’s only the second game of the season and we had a day off in between, so that’s going to fuck with Vik’s head. And it seems counter-productive from where I’m sitting. But I’m not the head coach of a pro hockey team.
Looking over at him, he’s expressionless, but I know him well enough by now to recognize the tic in his cheek. The way he’s taking in everything going on. The way he doesn’t look at anyone directly.
Fuck.
This isn’t how you treat the guy who’s supposed to be your starting goalie. And Viktor Maslov is a great fucking goalie. He struggled to earn his place in Alaska because Aaron Ferrar is a fucking superstar. This was supposed to be Vik’s shot—and Coach appears to be fucking with him.
Why is this guy such a dick? I try not to armchair quarterback my coaches. They usually know what they’re doing.
But this time I’m skeptical.
There’s something off about Coach Morrison and deep in my gut, I feel like the negativity has just begun. I’ve also gotten a glimpse into him as a father and I don’t like him in that role any better than this one.
“I have an announcement, gentlemen.” Coach comes into the locker room as we get ready to line up. He holds up a jersey with West’s number—number twenty-five—and the C embroidered into the shoulder. “McGregor is your new captain.”
Everyone starts to clap and whistle, a few of us slapping him on the shoulder.
“Thanks, everyone.” He looks around. “I want you to know that I take this position seriously—both on and off the ice. We’re new, we’re unknown, and we have the opportunity to do great things.
The goal, beyond winning, is becoming a family.
Where we can count on each other through the good and the bad.
” He looks around. “And become friends who trust each other. Now let’s get out there and show the Phantoms who we are. ”
More cheering and clapping, a few whistles, more encouragement.
And the whole time, Coach Morrison stands there, looking smug and haughty.
Like this was all his idea.
Of course, he probably thinks he’s got another spy all set up with West, so from the outside looking in, he’s setting things up just the way he wants them. And I don’t know how I feel about it.