Chapter 12 #2
I slid my earbuds in, got on the treadmill, and figured I’d do a couple of miles, lift, and then meet up with Rune. My days in Ashford Creek were coming to a close, and with so little time left, I hadn’t spent enough time with my brother or my friends. It was time to finally catch up.
* * *
“You know, that beer looks amazing. I wish I could have it,” I teased, and Rune just rolled his eyes.
“I got you your beautiful club soda and lime,” he drawled, pushing the drink across the bar top to me.
“And don’t worry, when you can drink again, and aren’t in training, I’ll make sure we have a good beer for you,” Callum pointed out.
“I knew it was a good idea to make friends with a brewer.”
“I try my best. We’re doing another small-batch sale coming up, and I’m exhausted.”
“Look at you, getting all famous. I mean, now that nobody recognizes you off the field, it’s time,” I teased as I took a sip of my drink.
Callum flipped me off. “Fuck off. You’ll realize that eventually when you finally decide to take off those skates of yours.”
“I mean, you are safe in the goalie net.”
I glared at Rune. “Excuse me, do you not remember the skate to the face? Not to mention, I’m the one who lets pucks come at me.”
“Poor baby millionaire hockey player,” Rune pouted, though his eyes danced with laughter.
Rune was allowed to make fun of me, the same as Callum, because they would do anything for me, just like I would do the same for them.
I knew my brother wasn’t jealous. There wasn’t anything to be envious of.
Rune had a business he loved, a community, and didn’t need to deal with some of the shit I did. If anything, I was jealous of him.
Not that I would ever tell him that. Dear God. I wasn’t that ridiculous.
“Are any of the other guys coming?” I asked as the conversation moved on to another town event that I wouldn’t be here for.
“Bodhi is out on tour with Kiera, which is amazing.”
Bodhi had been a recluse in his cabin for so many years that it was awe-inspiring to actually see him out and about. But after everything he had gone through, I wouldn’t have blamed him for staying in his cabin until the end of time. He was a stronger man than I was.
Just the thought of losing Lizzie…
I shivered and pushed that thought out of my mind. No, I wouldn’t be going along that train at all.
“That’s right,” I said after a moment, clearing my throat. “I know that Wilder will be in town on a non-game day, so I’m going to beg for tickets.”
“You do realize that my sister can probably get you tickets too,” Callum said, speaking of Briar, who was not only one of the songwriters for the rockstar band that Kiera was part of, but she was married to the lead singer and namesake.
“True, but I enjoy annoying Bodhi versus Gabriel,” I said, mentioning Briar’s husband.
There was an odd moment of silence when we all thought about Malcolm, the former drummer of the band and Callum’s late deceased brother. But, while he was in our hearts and thoughts, we didn’t say his name aloud, not then. Malcolm, wherever he was, we were always thinking about him, though.
I took a sip of my club soda, wishing it were a beer. But I didn’t drink during the season, and we were gearing up for it, so I would do my best to stay somewhat healthy. It didn’t always work, but I tried.
“So that’s where Bodhi is, where are the others?”
“Thatcher and Kellan are off today and hanging out with the family. And Finnian and Sterling are both working. I actually don’t know when the last time I saw the twins in the same room, to be honest,” Callum said, speaking of the younger brothers.
“They’re working their asses off, which is a good thing.”
“True, but they’re going to burn out eventually.” Callum shook his head. “I’m sure Teagan will talk some sense into them, and if she doesn’t, I will.”
“You know, somebody should talk some sense into Teagan,” Rune said after a moment, and I raised a brow.
“Oh?” Though Lizzie and I had already spoken of Teagan a bit, I kind of knew where Rune was coming from.
“Her manager is an asshole,” Rune said after a moment.
“That much I know. But she’s stubborn and won’t listen to me.” Callum drained his beer and gratefully took another from Rune, who still stood behind the bar.
Will was working as a server today, and I was doing my best not to hover.
Our relationship was good, and I liked the kid and wanted to see him succeed, but apparently, I hovered.
He’d come on shift right when I had shown up, so I had dropped him off.
Eventually, he would have to let me get him a car.
He just might have to suck it up and deal with it.
“Atlas Carter?”
I turned without thinking and closed my eyes at the bright flash.
“Atlas Carter, David Soarer from Sports News Media. Do you have any comments on the lack of progress on your attack? Or are you finally allowing the truth to seep out? That you made it up for fanfare, and are trying to keep your name in the news?”
I blinked at the man with his recorder practically in my face and the two photographers behind him.
“Out!” Rune ordered, and I knew he was ready to jump over the bar.
But there were cameras on us, and if my brother punched somebody, I would have to deal with the fallout.
“No answers? What about this woman that I hear you’ve been seeing? Some say that she is a gold-digging has-been, who’d been waiting for you to come home. Apparently, you and she have a history where you cheated on each other. Is that correct?”
My mind whirled even as I tried not to look at the guy, and whatever news he thought he did got under my skin.
“I don’t know why you guys are here. It’s the off-season, and if you look behind you, there’s a no media sign right there.
Why don’t you guys put your things away, have a beer on me, and head out? ”
“Are you trying to bribe the media?”
“I don’t know if this is media,” a sharp voice said from behind them, and we all turned to see a stunning woman with a little girl on her hip, and her light brown eyes narrowed.
She gently turned her daughter’s face away from the cameras and tilted her head up.
Her blonde hair moved back from her face, and I realized that I recognized her.
Tess.
“Are you the hometown sweetheart that Atlas Carter left behind?”
Tess snorted.
“You guys are really lost for news, aren’t you?
Why don’t you talk about the three men who are still on the ice after assaulting that woman, and the authorities aren’t doing a single thing about it?
Or the doping allegations of the fifth-best goalie in the country?
If you can call him the best. There are so many other things that you can worry about when it comes to certain professional sports players, but I don’t think small-town gossip or lies are what you need.
You see the sign behind us, so why don’t you go? ”
“And your name is?” the man asked, and I stood up, ready to defend Tess. I didn’t want Tess to have to deal with whatever this man would lob at her, but before I could say anything, Rune had indeed jumped over the bar and put himself between Tess and the cameras.
“I really hope to hell you aren’t doing a live feed from there.”
“And if I am?” the guy asked, but since he had turned his camera, I could see he definitely wasn’t.
“You’re going to delete everything, including from the cloud, because this is a private business, and none of us have agreed to put our faces on screen.”
“Damn straight!” someone said from the other side of the bar.
“Exactly. We don’t consent. We can sue.”
Countless others joined in, and even though I was angry as fuck, warmth spread through me. This was why I loved this town.
“I see the big brother’s here to save the little brother,” the so-called reporter tried to begin, but his voice was a little too shaky.