Chapter 36
The arena is dead silent by the time the rest of the team clears out after practice.
A few pucks are scattered across the offensive zone, and the only sound left is the scrape of my skates carving fresh lines into the ice. I gather another puck, circle through the slot, and snap toward the top corner.
Another puck. Another lap. Another shot.
Again.
Last week’s loss against the Titans should’ve shaken loose by now.
It hasn’t.
“You’re going to wear a hole through my ice.” Coach’s voice echoes from the bench.
I look up, breathing hard, to find him leaning against the boards with his arms crossed. Beside him stands a man in a charcoal overcoat who I recognize immediately.
Bruce Collins.
Dad’s former agent.
Fantastic.
I skate toward the bench, slowing to a stop a few feet away. Wonder if I should ask if he’s seen my mom lately.
“Just like your old man,” Bruce says with an easy smile. “You’d have to tear him off the ice.”
Coach studies the two of us before clearing his throat. “I'll give you a minute.”
He heads toward the tunnel, but not before giving me a look that tells me he won’t be far.
Bruce waits until Coach disappears before speaking. “You’ve been hard to get a hold of.”
“Obviously not hard enough.”
He rests both hands on the boards, sighing like I’m a kid he needs to deal with.
“Kane, I’ve represented your family for fifteen years.”
“You represented my dad.”
“And I planned on representing you since you were in youth hockey.”
I huff out a laugh, like I can’t catch a break.
“The Rangers are interested.”
“They should take a look at Greyson Knox. He’s—”
“I don’t represent Greyson. I’m representing you.”
“No, you’re not.”
He brushes off my rant. “They see you as the next chapter.”
And there it is. The proof. “They’re buying the name.”
“Cut the crap. You think they’ll bring someone on with seven figures just for a name? They need talent too.”
“They need to know I can hit a puck. But so can any of the other guys on my team,” I point out.
“Fine. Your name is a bonus. But I’ve got news for you. It doesn’t matter where you go. That’ll always be a fact. You can’t change who you are.”
My jaw tightens. “No. But I can change who I surround myself with. And it’s not going to be you or anyone who wants a younger version of a legend.” I grab my stick. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Kane, don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Get all sentimental about this. Luc was never like that.”
I shake my head.
He steps closer, his voice softer like he’s measuring his new angle. “You grew up in that organization, son. You belong there.”
“Thought we weren’t getting sentimental,” Coach says, coming up behind him.
But he’s too late.
What if he’s right? What if I do?
“I don’t want New York,” I say and it’s almost a reminder to myself.
Bruce looks at me like I’m crazy. “You know if they draft you, you don’t get to pick another team, right?” He looks at Coach like he needs to explain this to me.
“Cross that bridge when I get there,” I mutter.
Where the fuck is security?
Bruce pauses. “Fine. I can get other teams interested. Can’t guarantee it’ll be the Original Six, but your name still carries weight.”
“What about the fucking goals? My stats. My title. What’ve I got without his name?”
“You single-handedly blew a game against a team you’ve beaten three in a row.
You wanna talk about stats?” Bruce shouts back.
“Or the fact that you’re losing focus out there?
” He stares at me and I know he only sees the maze in front of a dollar sign.
And now, he’s chosen to hit me where it hurts.
“You trusted me once. Trust me on this.”
“No.” I meet his eyes. “My dad trusted you.”
That one lands. His jaw tightens. “I’ll come back after the holidays.” He glances at Coach. “Teach the kid what it’s like out there. I’d hate to see him lose everything over an ego.”
He storms off, leaving me with Coach beside the rink, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Man, if only we weren’t within campus grounds.”
I snort. “I’ve seen your videos, Coach. You could make it look like an accident.”
He shrugs and takes a seat on the bench. “He always talk that much?”
I take a long sip of my water. “Used to tune him out a lot better.”
“Don’t read too much into the speech. Guy was needling you. Take it as a peek into what you’d be getting if you sign with him.”
There’s a beat of silence between us.
“He makes it sound like I’ll never make it otherwise.”
Coach chuckles. “He just wants a sure thing.”
I look at him. “You think I’m a sure thing?”
“Would I have made you a captain if I didn’t?”
I shake my head. “I just wanna play hockey. I don’t care where. I loved my dad. Idolize him, but…”
“But you don’t plan on stepping into his skates when you’ve got your own.”
I scoff. “Yeah.”
He lifts his coffee. “You’re a top five prospect, Andrews. You’ll have options. But the day you sign your first NHL contract…make sure it’s what you imagined for yourself. Not what someone else imagined for you.”
I nod.
He shakes his head. “You’ve fogged your brain with what other people think, and haven’t taken the time to consider what you want. Where you see yourself. Only some made-up fact that you don’t deserve to want it.”
My jaw works, angry at myself.
“Kane, don’t make me pull out your highlight tape to make you see your worth.”
I twist my head. “The fuck is a tape?”
“Shut up.” He chuckles. “My point is, I don’t buy into that shit.
I didn’t make you a captain because of your name.
I made you a captain because of what I’ve seen you do on the ice.
In the locker room. So yes, I’m a fan,” he smirks.
“That said, I’ve also seen your insecurities, what it does to you out there.
I’ve seen you fight it, and sometimes lose that fight, but also seen you win it.
And the fact that you’re not a cocky bastard right now, taking shit handed to you on a silver platter?
I respect you. I don’t say that about a lot of people. ”
I can’t help my grin because he’s right, this is a lot coming from him. “Thanks, Coach.”
“You got another agent in mind?”
I shake my head. “Not unless you’re thinking of a career change.”
I’m not kidding either. Trust this man with my life.
He shakes his head and whips out his phone. “I’m going to give you mine. Took care of me like I was his own. Guy doesn’t take the first offer. He works for the client, not the big guys.”
I take out my phone and hold it over his until the contact comes through.
“Wh—how’d you do that?”
I laugh. “Mads seriously needs to work with you on your tech skills.”
He sets his phone aside. “Look him up. But don’t call him. Let him come to you. I’ve already told him about you. If you don’t like him, you don’t sign with him. Feel him out.”
I nod. “Thanks, Coach.”
“For what it’s worth, your dad was good. But he wasn’t everything.”
I grin. “You play against him?”
“Couple times. Fired a few shots around him.” He grins. “He had his weaknesses too. But yours…they only live in your head.”
The Locker Room
Kane’s Shadow
Shadow: Is there a game today I’m missing?
Kane19: No. I’m here for another reason.
Shadow: Don’t you have a girlfriend you can bother with your problems?
Kane19: She’s still recovering from last night.
Shadow: What happened last night?
Kane19: Wouldn’t you like to know.
Shadow: Why am I here?
Kane19: You never told me why me.
Shadow: Why you?
Kane19: The day I saw you in the stands. When you came too far down. You looked at me.
Shadow: I remember.
Kane19: Was it my height? The biceps you love so much?
Shadow: Ha.
Kane19: Mean. Okay. My eyes?
Shadow: Closer.
Kane19: A force of nature?
Shadow: Please stop, lol.
Kane19: Then tell me.
There’s a beat before she responds and I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on it.
Shadow: Familiarity.
I stare at that single word for a moment. Trying to remember her face, which was so clear to me up until I needed it the most.
Shadow: I recognized it. Feeling like you don’t belong somewhere. Like you’re being judged.
Shadow: And when I heard about the app, I knew I was right
Shadow: You still there?
kane19 has left the locker room