10. JAGGER
Chapter ten
JAGGER
When Coach walks in with Jess, it takes everything within me not to rush to her side. But she comes into the room all smiles, like she didn’t just get smacked with my errant shot less than an hour ago. She never ceases to amaze me.
What a crazy turn of events over the last sixty minutes. First, I’m impressing all my teammates with my accuracy, clearly building their confidence in me. Everything is going so well for the first practice, better than I expected. The next thing I know, I hit the worst shot of my entire career, an absolute shank, ninety degrees to the left. I didn’t even know that was possible.
But when I saw those locks, I knew it was Jess. The caramel strands I’ve held in my hands so many times while we dated. Strands I tucked behind her ear when they fell out of her ponytail. Ringlets I’ve run my fingers through during a passionate embrace. They’re familiar.
I knew who they belonged to with just a peripheral glance. If only my stick wasn’t already coming forward at that moment. But when you’re rearing back to create a hundred mile an hour shot, it’s impossible to slow down in an instant.
I can’t believe Brooks. Who says something so insensitive when they see a woman go down like that? He apologized for his crassness, though I said that needs to be directed at Jess. He quickly realized I knew her after I said her name.
Brooks is still so young and has a lot to learn, but I don’t think he’s a bad guy deep down, just immature. I can’t judge too much because it’s possible my twenty-four-year-old self might have done the exact same thing. Who knows?
I shook his hand as he left Coach's office. I can’t have rifts between myself and these guys already if we’re going to try to win some games.
Plus, I need to be better, to be an example for these guys. I totally understand why Coach is upset. I even understand his new stipulation in my contract, although I was dying inside when he told me. I don’t really have a choice, though.
I know guys ruin their careers for all kinds of reasons: substance abuse, social media missteps, run-ins with the law. None of those things are ever going to happen to me... But the fighting has definitely been an issue. It needs to stop before it’s too late, before I mess up my future.
Jess made it clear I won’t get a second chance with her, so I need to take the one I’ve been given, the chance to get back in the NHL with a killer year and no trips to the penalty box. And no fighting with my teammates.
Now that I think about it more, Jess said there was no future because we were going in different directions, that we’d never see each other again. And now she’s here.
But she’s off-limits if I want to keep my career.
Which I do. Hockey is the only consistent thing in my day, always has been. It’s the path that’s set me up for this life. I’ve had little success being a long-term boyfriend.
I’m not going to lie to my teammates about my history with Jess if they ask. But I’ll make it clear that she won’t be a distraction for me.
Now if I can only convince myself of that.
Jess isn’t making any eye contact with me when she stands up front. Coach gives her a quick introduction, then she starts talking.
“As Coach mentioned, I’m Jess Lockwood. You’ve met me already, kind of. At least the crumbled up on the floor version of me. I will definitely stay farther back from the glass when Jagger West is shooting from now on.” All heads look my way, and the guys laugh at her comment.
Funny, she’s always been funny. Good for her. I’ll take a joke at my expense, no problem. It’s the least I can do.
“I’m going to spend some extra time after practice to work on my accuracy, Miss Lockwood. I promise.” I smile at her while crossing my fingers in the air for all to see.
A hint of a smile starts to form on her lips, but it vanishes the moment she glances over at Coach Bradley. She clears her throat. “Glad to hear that, Mr. West.”
“Ooo,” the guys tease, nudging each other with playful grins. “Mr. West.”
“Enough.” Coach draws a quick line in the sand about the cackling. Then he gives me a look that echoes his sentiment. Message received. This is going to be harder than I thought. Joking with her is like breathing.
Jess clears her throat again. “Anyway, I’ve been a sports reporter my entire career in Miami and Chicago but thought I’d changed gears. I’ve got some great ideas to get the community more involved with the team, really have them engaged so they fill the seats to root you guys on.”
The team cheers in response.
She concludes with a smile. “So, please come introduce yourself, let me know what talents you have off the ice. We can use them on social media to get some attention for the Hawks.”
One of the guys in the back raises his hand. “Clean talents,” she says with a shake of her finger. His arm shrinks back down with a guilty grin.
Looks like Jess can handle these guys just fine. She doesn’t need me.
“All right. I look forward to working with all of you.”
Coach stands. “That’s it, fellas. We’ll see you at 9 a.m. for your morning lift. Get outta here.”
Some of the guys stop to talk with Jess. Some just nod and walk by, not everyone is super outgoing. Gage bolts for the door immediately, but from what Dax has told me about him, that’s not unusual.
Brooks is actually the first to introduce himself. It looks like he's apologizing. He reaches out his knuckles, and she bumps them. “No worries,” I see her mouth.
A few rookies are up next, along with Troy. Whatever he says has Jess laughing, then he reaches his huge arm out in front of her. He’s giving her some type of direction that she’s listening to intently. Next thing I know, she grabs Troy’s arm and bends her knees off the floor, and he’s lifting her in the air. Guess that’s his talent.
Jess giggles when he returns her to the ground. She gives him a thumbs up.
Dax is the last one in the room. He plops into the seat next to me. “You going up there? Clearly, you know her. I tried to ask her, but she froze like a deer in headlights, then bolted. What’s the story? It must be good for you to punch a teammate on your first day.”
I stay quiet.
“Come on, you’re not gonna tell your new best pal? Thunder and Lightning, baby!” He punches my arm. “We tell each other everything, right?”
I stare at the spot he hit. “Ok, I’ll take that as a no… for now. But you’re going to need someone to talk to, and when you do, I’m here for ya big guy. My door is always open.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say with a laugh. There’s just no way to stay serious with this guy.
Dax practically sprints up to say hi to Jess. His energy knows no bounds. Who knows what he’s saying, but she’s smiling from ear to ear. He’s always entertaining.
When everyone else is gone, including Coach Bradley, I walk slowly to meet Jess, eyes glued to the floor. When her shoes come into view, I force myself to look up.
“I’m so sorry about… well, all of it. The shot, the fight… the position I put you in with the guys. I just—”
She reaches out to touch my shoulder. “I know, Jagger. Your heart was in the right place. Your shot, on the other hand…”
“Hey! You can’t show up in the middle of nowhere while I’m shooting and not expect my whole world to stop. I thought I’d never see you again, and then there you were.”
“And then the puck slammed against the plexiglass,” she adds.
I grab her hand on my shoulder. Now that she’s here, I need her touch like I need air. If this is the last time I get to do this while I’m in Echo Ridge, I want to commit the softness of her skin to my memory. She closes her emerald eyes for a moment. Then they pop back open, and she snatches her hand away like she’s been shocked by a live wire.
“Coach Bradley says he changed your contract. This can’t happen anymore. The two of us…” She points between her and me, “Can’t happen.”
“Hmm. Already thinking about something happening between us. You just can’t resist a man in a hockey uniform.” I give her a playful wink.
She stands straighter. “For your information, I decided on the drive out here that I am giving up dating all hockey players forever. I am on the hunt for a simpler life, one without so many complications.”
And there it is. I come with complications. Clearly, she’s never going to forget that. Maybe that’s for the better, for my career, for her heart.
I inhale slowly, steady myself to say words I never thought would come out of my mouth. But if they make life easier for Jess, I’ll say them, even if I don’t mean one syllable.
“Ok, I get it, and you’re right, having me in your life complicates things. So, from this point forward, you and I have no history and no future. You are nothing more than my hockey team’s new Media Relations Manager.”
Her eyes widen in shock, but I continue. I have to, or I’ll never get through it.
I extend my hand the same way a lot of the guys did. She looks stunned by my words but reciprocates with a slow shake. “Hi. I’m Jagger West. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Glad to have you on board. I have no special talents outside of hockey. It’s the only thing I’m good at.”
My hand starts slipping from hers as I brush past her shoulders. It may be the last time I feel her touch. But clearly, it’s for the best.