“I didn’t know if you were in the mood for beer or not.” She holds out both options to me.
“One beer won’t hurt.” I accept the bottle from her, twisting the top off and taking a hefty swallow. The crisp, refreshing liquid slides down my throat, cooling down my overheated body. “Sit,” I tell her, patting the couch cushion next to me.
“Sorry,” she says, her own beer bottle resting against her mouth. I watch as her lips wrap around the edge of the bottle and instantly go hard in my jeans. Knulla…fuck. Now all I can see is her lips wrapping around my cock as she sucks me into her perfect mouth. I force myself to look away, taking another drink of my beer as I try my best to will my hard on to go away. Stats start rolling through my mind as I try and think of the most un-sexy things I can come up with.
Sweaty teammates after practice. Balls and dicks in the locker room—not that I try and look at my teammates’ junk, but it happens when you put twenty-three guys all in one locker room where they’re expected to strip down a few times a day.
“What do you have to be sorry about?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” She laughs and I can hear the nervousness. “I guess I don’t really know what to do here. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I understand you want and need to keep things platonic and friendly between us.”
“How about this. I promise to tell you if anything makes me uncomfortable. In the meantime, we can just hang out and get to know each other better. Become good friends. I’ve never believed that guys and girls couldn’t be friends, and I’m not about to start now,” I tell her, trying to project confidence.
“Sounds good.” She leans forward and sets her beer down on the coffee table in front of her couch. “Would you like to watch a movie?”
“Sure, what do you got?” I ask as she grabs the remote and turns on the TV.
“Netflix, Amazon Prime, or we can find something on TV.”
“You pick,” I tell her, not really knowing what one is best.
“You sure? I might pick a chick flick,” she teases.
I take in her carefree personality and how easy it is to just be around her. It is going to take every last ounce of my self-control to keep my hands off of her. Especially when I feel this magnetic pull to her, one I can’t explain but feel every time I see her.
Julia pulls up the menu and starts scrolling through the movie options. “How does this one sound?” she says, stopping to read the description on a rom-com.
“Sounds good to me,” I tell her, not really caring what she selects. I lean back on the couch and kick my feet up on the coffee table, getting comfortable.
“Do you want anything? I can pop some popcorn or grab you a pillow.”
“I’m good. Just relax and enjoy the movie,” I assure her.
We both relax into the couch, a respectable amount of space between the two of us as we laugh our way through the movie.
When the credits start to roll, I look over and watch as Julia stretches. As her arms go up over her head, her shirt rides up, and I get a peek at a strip of her creamy skin. I’m once again hard against my zipper. Knulla. I avert my eyes, not wanting to get caught checking her out as she stretches.
“I should probably get out of here. I’ve got practice tomorrow and you’ve got work,” I state, grabbing my empty beer and water bottle.
“I can get those,” Julia says, taking the empty containers from me.
“Thanks for the fun night. We’ll have to do it again sometime,” I tell her as I follow her to the kitchen but keep going until I reach the apartment door.
“Thanks again for dinner, and for coming over,” she says, a yawn escaping her lips.
“Anytime.” I open the door. “Godnatt.”
“What was that?” she asks, a look of confusion wrinkling her brows.
“Goodnight,” I translate for her.
Her eyes light up. “Oh, say it again.”
“Godnatt,” I say, the word rolling off my lips.
“I love the way it sounds. You’ll have to teach me some words sometime,” she says, standing in the doorway of her apartment.
“Maybe next time.”
“Night, Beckett,” she says before stepping back and slowly closing the door.
I head down to my car and begin the drive home, my mind spinning with what to do about this attraction that’s obviously mutual between the two of us. I wanted nothing more than to pull her against me tonight on the couch. Run my fingers through her hair as I pulled her in for a kiss. But I kept my hands and lips to myself. I can’t fuck things up at this point in the season.
The next month is not kind to our team. For the first time in at least ten seasons, we’ve got a losing record. We’ve won a whopping four out of the first fifteen games. Two of those wins came from games I was lucky enough to get the start.
I’m not saying it’s anything to do with Tyler’s game. The guys in front of him just aren’t clicking the way they need to be and it’s really starting to get into everyone’s heads. I know we can do better. I know we can communicate and play together. We’re all professionals. We know how to play the game; we just need to execute.
“Listen up,” Coach Martin calls out into the locker room before game time. “I know this past month has been hard and it hasn’t gone the way we’ve all wanted or expected it to go. But the past is in the past. Let’s acknowledge our mistakes and move forward from them. Learn from them.” He looks around the room, making eye contact with each of us. “I want you to go out there with a new mindset. We’re starting over. Look at this as game one. We can beat this team. We are good enough to be at this level. We can work together. Our goaltenders have been busting ass and we’ve been leaving them all alone out there on the ice. That stops tonight. We need to keep them well-covered. Help them out so they’re not out there standing on their heads, trying to protect the net.”
He stops and guzzles down half the bottle of water he’s got in his hand as everyone stays quiet. “I believe in all of you. I believe in this team. We just need to figure out how to work together and get back on track.” He pauses again, looking around the locker room at each of us. “With all of that said, I’ve made some last-minute changes to the lineup. Beckett.” He says my name and my head pops up. “You’re starting tonight. Austin and Brian, I want the two of you together tonight, starting defensive pair. JC, Eric, and Zander, you’re moving up to the top line tonight.”
Coach rattles on, letting everyone know the changes he’s made. It’s not uncommon for coaches to mix and match lines to see who plays best together, and with how crappy we’ve been playing these last few weeks, it doesn’t shock me one bit that he’s shaking things up so much tonight. It might still be early in the season, but if we don’t turn things around, and fast, we’ve got no chance of making the playoffs this year.
We all file into the locker room, elated that we somehow squeaked out a win tonight over Ottawa. Coach’s pep talk and shakeup of the lines apparently lit a fire under everyone’s asses with the way the guys played in front of me tonight. While it wasn’t a perfect game—none ever are—it was our best effort probably all season so far.
“I’m here to tell you all,” Coach calls out, getting everyone’s attention, “I’m damn proud of all of you tonight. You showed up and played the game I know you all can play. You worked together on every shift. We didn’t leave Beckett out to dry tonight, and that’s a huge improvement over the last month. I want you all to hit the showers, head home, and get a good night’s rest. Be ready to hit the ice tomorrow for practice. We’re going back to the basics, and will be watching video from tonight’s game to see what went right and what we need to improve on. All it takes is one game to change the trajectory of our season, and this can be it. This can be our turnaround point. I have faith in all of you. Now it’s time you have faith in yourselves.”
Coach finishes his speech and walks out of the locker room. Everyone is quiet for a few moments as we sit in our stalls and let his words sin
k in.
“He’s right,” Mark says, breaking the silence. “We played our best game so far this season. We played the game I know we can all play. Coach is damn right that every single one of you should be proud with the way you played tonight. Yes, we might be down in the rankings, but that’s what comeback stories and seasons are all about. Don’t let the last month control the outcome of the next five-plus months. If you want to be playing hockey past the beginning of April, the buck stops now. As Coach said, today is our turning point. Let’s look forward and not backwards.” He stands and starts to strip off his jersey, effectively breaking the trance of all the other guys in the room as we all follow suit.
Once showered and dressed, I’m asked to join the press conference since I was the goalie in net tonight, gaining the win.
“Beckett, can you describe to us what was going through your mind when you made that diving save late in the third period?” a local news reporter asks.
“I was just focused on keeping the puck out of the back of the net. I’d already let it past me twice tonight, and I was bound and determined not to allow it slip past a third time. I knew we had a two-goal lead at that point, and I wanted to keep it that way.”
“Beckett,” another reporter calls out. “Any indication from the coaching staff that they’ll switch to starting you? You have the better stats, and with the way the team played with you in net tonight, some might say that you’re the logical choice to take over the starting position.”
“I can’t comment on what the coaches are thinking, as I’m not them, but Tyler is one damn good goalie and I’m proud to call him my teammate. We start when we’re told to start and if the coaches switch up which one of us is starting, then that’s their decision.”
I wait through a few more questions, as some are directed at Mark and Brian. Once our PR people have determined the press conference is over, I head back to the locker room to grab my things so I can get out of here.
With my bag in hand, I head for the hallway. As I’m about to pass Coach’s office, Julia steps out, almost colliding with me.
“Oh, shit. Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she says, reaching her hands up. They land on my chest as she steadies herself.
“No problem.” I chuckle, holding on to her arms. “How are you tonight?”
“Good now. Great game tonight.”
“Thanks, just glad to have gotten the W,” I tell her honestly.
“You played really good tonight; the whole team, really.”
“We did. I think the shakeup to the lines really helped.”
“The fans sure appreciated the win.”
“I’m sure they did, but probably not as much as the guys did. Some were getting pretty upset about our current standings.”
“I can only imagine. Walk out with me? I need to get going, I’ve got the Saturday shift tomorrow.”
“Sure. Are you in the reserved lot?”
“Sure am,” she says, a smile cresting her lips.
“How have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks,” I state, making small talk as we walk down the hall.
“Busy. Work has been kicking my butt. One of our therapists went out on maternity leave about five weeks early, so everyone has been having to cover her patients.”
“That sucks, is she okay?”
“Yes, and her baby girl is so cute. She stopped by the office today and I got to hold her for a few minutes.”
“Sounds like a good day then.”
“It was,” she says, a dreamy look on her face.
“Do you have to work all day tomorrow?”
“Nope, just for a few hours in the morning, thankfully. And then I’m off until mid-day Monday.”
“Nice.”
“Yeah. I don’t mind it, really. And with the rotation we have set up, I only have to cover the Saturday hours once every six weeks.”
“That’s not so bad.” We push past the doors that lead out to the secure lot for the players, staff, and family members.
“Nope. Plus, then it gives me half of a business day to get anything I need done during those hours without taking off time at work or trying to squeeze in something on my lunch break.”
“Can’t say I’ve got the same issue,” I tease.
“Smartass,” she volleys right back, nudging me with her shoulder. “Hey, are you up for another movie night anytime soon?”
“Sure, when did you have in mind?”
“Anytime you want. I don’t have much going on with my social calendar. I really need to change that,” she says with a laugh.
“What are you doing tomorrow night?” I ask, realizing I’ve missed spending time with her.
“Uh… a big whopping nada,” she says sarcastically.
“All I’ve got tomorrow is practice in the morning. We don’t leave for our road trip until Monday.”
“Then tomorrow night sounds perfect. Call me when you’re done with practice and we can make a plan. Maybe pick up some takeout and we can have a movie marathon.”
“That, or we could try and get a group together and do one of the escape rooms we talked about a while back, and then catch a movie after,” I suggest.
“Sounds perfect! You ask some of the guys, and I’ll ask my friend Jill, and we can figure it all out. I’ll look up and see if they have any available times for tomorrow and text you with what I find out.”
“Sounds like a plan. And if it doesn’t work, then takeout and a movie marathon it is,” I say as we come to a stop at her car. I wait while she slides in and shuts the door, then I hoof it over to my own car a few rows over and head toward home.
Julia: The escape room has two rooms available tomorrow, one at 5 or 7 pm, and the other is available at 5, 6, and 8 pm. Both can have up to 8 people.
Beckett: Perfect. JC said he’d be down to join us. Still waiting to hear back from some of the other guys I texted. It might end up just being the four of us.
Julia: That shouldn’t be a problem. What time slot should I book?
Beckett: JC says the 7 or 8 pm one, that way we can grab some dinner before.
Julia: Okay, we’re booked for 8 pm.
Beckett: I’ll let him know and will converse about dinner plans and get back to you, sound ok?”
Julia: Yep!
I toss my phone on the cushion next to me and flip on the TV. “Julia booked us for the eight p.m. time. It might just be four of us—her and her best friend, Jill, and the two of us. I haven’t heard back yet from anyone else.”
“Her friend hot?” JC asks, a smirk on his face.
“No clue, haven’t met her.”
“Still keeping her at arm’s reach, huh?”
“Just friends. That, and we really haven’t seen each other for a while.”
“I’m sure that ‘just friends’,” he says, flashing quotation marks in the air, “title can be tossed out the window with just one comment.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but we agreed that we’re just friends and nothing else can happen between the two of us.”
“Then why torture yourself by being around her?”
“Because,” I state, not really sure why I put myself through it, “I just can’t stop myself. I enjoy spending time with her, I just can’t have the constant distraction that comes with a full-time relationship, not even taking into consideration who her dad is. If things didn’t work out between the two of us, it’s my job that’s on the chopping block.”
“I think you’re overthinking that minor detail. What happens if it doesn’t go wrong and she’s your end game?”
“What’s with you and waxing the poetics with me tonight?” I ask, trying to deflect his question away. I’ve had the same exact thoughts myself and have considered tossing all my worries aside and saying fuck it. If dating her gets me traded, then so be it. But I haven’t had the balls or time to do so—yet.
“Just think about it. Mark pulled off dating and marrying the owner’s daughter, I don’t see why you ca
n’t do the same with your coach’s daughter.”
“Whoa there, slow your roll. No one’s talking marriage proposals.”
“Just you wait. I’ve seen all these guys fall when the right woman walks into their lives. I’ve been around since before Scott reunited with Becca, and Brian met Kinley. Before Murph pulled his head out of his ass and realized he wanted more than a FWB with Madison. Austin was probably the funniest guy to watch fall. That guy went from awkward rookie, not quite a full ladies’ man, to under Reese’s spell in the blink of an eye. I think he was in love with her the first night he met her.”
“Sounds like this is where guys come to get married off,” I muse.
“Or grow up.”
“Then why aren’t you settled down and married yet?” I ask. “You’re, what, pushing thirty?”
“Fuck off,” he says on a clap of laughter. “And, so what if I’ll be thirty this year. Nothing wrong with waiting for the right lady to find her way to me.”
“Just teasing you.”
“I know you are and that’s what teammates are for. We bust each other’s balls and then stand up for each other at the inevitable weddings that happen each summer.”
I chuckle. “Truer words have never been spoken.”
“On that note, I’m going to head to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Did you want to ride together to practice?”
“Sure, might as well.”
I grab my cell off the couch to follow suit and head to bed myself. The adrenaline from tonight’s game has finally worked its way out of my body and I’m starting to feel the crash.
Chapter Six
Julia
“Mrs. Padget, how are you feeling today?” I ask as I take my next appointment back to the treatment area.
“I’m fine, dear, how are you?” the older woman replies.
The Hardest Shot: Indianapolis Eagles Series Book 7 Page 4