by Piper Rayne
They do all the pregame bullshit as always then sing the national anthem and as soon as the final note stops we all start our warmup skate. I get the puck and slap shot it into the net past our goalie. There’s a crowd of people waving at me and I tap the end of my stick on the glass.
Halfway through our drills, Ford finds it funny to moonwalk past the fans. They all scream and wave, putting him up on the Jumbotron. The guy will do anything for attention. But if he hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have seen Saige coming down the stairs with her friend, an usher directing them to the front row.
Fuck me because I know I’m smiling a little too wide for a girl who’s not mine.
Ford skids to a stop. “You gave your puck bunny front row seats?”
“She’s not a damn puck bunny.”
“What would you call her then?” He skates off before I can answer.
I wish I knew.
Tedi spots me and waves. She comes to the glass with a sign that says she’s single and has her phone number on it. Saige joins her, looks at the sign, and tears it out of her hands with a pissed-off look.
I skate by and nod at them, watching Saige as I pass. Tedi frantically waves and elbows the man next to her, pointing at me.
This is my favorite part of the game. The anticipation in the air while the arena is filling up. You can feel the excitement coming off the fans as we get closer to the start time. We all feed off that adrenaline.
Most of the team files onto the bench, but I stay out on the ice with Maksim and Ford and the other guys since we’re on the first line.
“Goddamn, I hate that fucking prick,” Ford says, his eyes on the Sharks across the way.
“Whatever beef you have with him, you guys need to end it. I’m not fighting your battles this time,” Maksim says.
We all know that as soon as Ford and Warner Langley set eyes on one another, it isn’t gonna be good. I don’t know the entire story, but they came up together in the same league and some fight happened that turned them from best friends to enemies. Every time we play the Sharks, it’s hard to keep Ford on task. It doesn’t help that Warner is one of the best left wingers in the league.
“Don’t go acting like you slam him into the wall on account of me. His chirping gets under your skin too.” Ford shakes his head, securing his helmet.
“Let’s just worry about winning, okay?” I put my gloved hands up in front of both of them.
“Hey, you three monkeys want in on the play, or are we gonna talk about the cute boy in English class?” Coach yells at us.
The three of us skate forward to see his play. Once we’re all on the same page, and the national anthem is sung and the rest of the pregame crap is out of the way, it’s game time. My fist clenches as I skate to the red line at center ice.
“Ready to get your ass kicked?” Warner Langley says across the line to Ford.
“In your fucking dreams. Everyone knows we’re the better team,” Ford says.
“Until your center turned into a head case,” Warner says, making me turn my head and lose the fucking drop.
“Told you why I fucking hate the guy,” Ford shouts while we both skate like hell toward the puck.
“Maksim, take him to the board every chance you get!” I yell.
I don’t need acknowledgment from him. He’ll do it.
I try to gain control of the puck from the Sharks’ center. I can’t believe I lost the drop. Fucking Langley.
The crowd is in an uproar and I slide my stick in, miraculously stealing the puck and passing it to Ford. He takes control and I skate like hell to reach him. When he gets cornered, he shoots it to our left winger, Tweetie, and he gets it to me right by the net. All I have to do is practically tap it in. I do my signature celebratory goal move, but as I pop back up, my gaze is on Saige.
Her attention is on her phone, but Tedi’s jumping up and down.
“Looks like the hot blonde did the trick again,” Ford says, patting me on the back, and skates off.
Is it bad that I would’ve liked her to see me score? It’s not the best sign since she’s my agent’s girl.
Tedi elbows me in the breast. “Did you see that? He scored!” She flies out of her seat and bangs on the glass.
I peek up from my phone to see Aiden staring at us. God, he’s so sexy. What the hell am I doing here? Men like Aiden are my kryptonite.
After another player bangs his stick on the boards, and Tedi collapses back in her seat. “Did you see that? That was Tweetie.” She’s talking to the guy sitting next to her even though I think he’s a Sharks’ fan since he’s wearing blue and silver while she’s decked out in the Fury colors of black and white.
“How do you know so much about hockey?” I ask her.
“I have brothers. They played. They weren’t very good, since they’re both architects now.” She sits up straighter in her chair. “They weren’t tough enough.”
“Oh,” is all I say.
“I guess that white wine did the trick, huh?”
I eye her because I’m sure Aiden doesn’t want anyone to know about some weird superstition he has now. Plus, since he scored a goal, I’m fairly sure he’s going to be on my doorstep before his next game.
My phone rings and I see my biggest client, Maverick Sanders’s, name on the screen. He’s a pro football player for the Miami team and was my first client who trusted me fully. Handed me his entire social media, including a webpage. So no matter where I am, Maverick always gets his phone call answered.
“Hey, Maverick,” I say, pushing one finger to my ear.
“Where are you?” he asks.
“I’m at the Fury game.”
“What? All the times I’ve tried to get you to my games, you said you don’t enjoy sports.”
It’s true. Maverick has offered me killer seats, and I always decline. Games are a dangerous place for me. Because of my work, I get to go behind the scenes and associate with the players. I understand the appeal a pro athlete has on my libido and I don’t take chances, since most of them are only interested in one thing and usually only for one night. The only reason I’m here tonight is because Tedi played a major guilt trip on me.
“Sorry, nothing personal.”
“You’re fired!” he says and laughs.
My gut twists. Maverick is the cornerstone of my entire business. He’s the face on every piece of marketing material I have. Just the use of his name gets me other athletes as clients. If I lose him, I’m screwed.
“What?” I ask, the lump in my throat growing bigger.
He laughs again and my shoulders relax a bit. Okay, he really is joking. “I was kidding when I said that, but the truth is that I do have to fire you.”
“I’m sorry?” I stand and shuffle down the row before walking up the stairs of the arena.
“Yeah, you know how Emery and I just got engaged?”
“Yes.” I know because she’s been sending me pictures of them to post, wanting me to report every time they’re doing anything from grocery shopping to a date night to a fundraiser. I keep telling her they should keep some things private and never post live, always post after they’ve left, but she never listens to me.
“She’s going to take it over.”
“Maverick,” I say with displeasure in my tone because this is the stupidest decision ever. If he wanted to try it on his own, then have at it, but not his girlfriend. There’s no way she has his best interests at heart.
“She’s got the time, and honestly, she really wants to do it.”
I can almost hear Emery’s whiny voice pleading with Maverick.
“I really don’t think it’s a good idea. She’s too close, too personal. Remember when I first took it over for you because people were ambushing you when you were out socially?”
“She promised me she wouldn’t do that again.”
I’m silent for a moment because this is a huge blow. I’ll have to redo my entire marketing campaign. “Have you really thought this through?”
My back straightens. I’m annoyed that he thinks my job is nothing but a joke. Does he have any idea how many more followers I’ve gotten him, or that he doesn’t come off like a privileged, condescending asshole now? Has he added up all the money he’s gotten from the partnering posts I’ve secured on his behalf? “Okay, I’ll send over a document to cancel our contract first thing in the morning and provide you with all the passwords. As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure she’ll do fine.”
“Sure, she will.”
Not. Definitely not. She’s going to make a mess of it. I’ve shown their relationship a bit, but the women who follow Maverick don’t want to hear about Emery. That’s why it’s all going to blow up in his face.
“Thanks for understanding, Saige.”
“Good luck,” I say and hang up.
I stand by the concession booth, staring at the large pretzel covered in salt. My bruised ego tells me that will fix my problem. Without thinking of much else, I buy the pretzel and cheese and a large beer.
When I walk down the stairs toward the first row, there’s a frenzy of hockey players whizzing by on skates, and I grow nauseated.
Tedi eyes me for a moment. “Who was that?”
I tear off a piece of the pretzel and dip it into the cheese. “Maverick,” I say as if it’s no big deal.
I think I’m still in shock. I didn’t see this coming. We were great business associates. He was so helpful in the beginning, always referring me to people. I thought he saw my value, but to just hand it over to his fiancée and say it’s no big deal? He clearly didn’t.
“And?” Tedi pulls a piece of my pretzel off for herself.
“He’s no longer with Stars SM.”
Tedi’s mouth opens but nothing comes out.
I nod to confirm she heard me right, and she plunges her pretzel piece into the cheese, sitting straight and staring at the ice, unblinking.
“Asshole,” she mumbles.
I don’t agree or disagree. I don’t know what to think. Just when I was starting to feel secure about my business, this happens. I spent a huge amount on the marketing materials I just had made, which I’ll now have to scrap. Add on the fact that when a high-profile client leaves, it can fill those who are still with the business or thinking about coming on board with doubt. I swear, every time my life gets better, I’m thrown another wrench to dodge.
“No worries though, because look at all these guys who need social media taken off their hands.” Tedi wraps her arm around me and motions toward the ice.
“True. I have Maksim poised to sign on.”
“Yeah, he’s a hot Russian for sure, but you need more than him to replace Maverick.”
She’s right. I’d need about six of them or… I shake my head. The only player on that ice who would be on par with Maverick is Aiden Drake. He’s the captain of the team. And although I pretended not to know who he was on New Year’s Eve, did he really think I don’t know every athlete who’s worth knowing?
But it shows you my weakness that I allowed him to spend time with me and corner me. I had been milliseconds away from him kissing me before I remembered I don’t date athletes. My reason should have been Joran, but I’m not really his girlfriend.
The first period ends, and I feel ready to just go home at this point. I’m annoyed by everything.
A boy around thirteen or so heads down the stairs and approaches us. He’s dressed in head-to-toe Fury gear.
“Saige?” he asks, holding out a piece of paper.
I don’t say anything because I’m skeptical about why this kid knows my name and wants to hand me a note.
“I’ll take that, kid.” Tedi snags it out of his hand.
“Are you Saige? I was told it was for her only.”
I lean forward to look at the bench and see Ford Jacobs wink. Now there’s a man who could use someone to clean up his image online.
“Did Ford Jacobs tell you to give this to her?” Tedi asks.
“So you aren’t Saige?” The kid takes the note out of her hand and holds it out to me. “Please? He gives the meanest noogies.”
I smile at the kid and accept the note, just thankful it’s not from Aiden. “Thanks.”
He jogs back up the stairs and disappears.
“Well, open it.” Tedi nudges me with her bony elbow.
I put my beer in the cup holder and unfold the piece of paper. The note-passing has earned me some attention from nearby fans. The woman next to me is pretending not to be leaning over to read what it says.
All that’s written there is, Carmelo’s after the game.
I pass it to Tedi, and she squeals. “We’re going, right?”
I shake my head.
“Come on,” Tedi whines, almost in full-on toddler tantrum mode.
“Why?”
“Hello, I know you’ve been glued to your phone and ignoring all the hot guys on the ice in front of us, but Tweetie keeps giving me the eye and do you want to be the reason I can’t scratch sleeping with a hockey player off my fuck-it bucket list?”
“I thought you scratched that off your list two years ago.”
She stops and looks at the ceiling. “Oh.” She nods. “But he was in the AHL. That doesn’t count.”
I blow out a breath. Tedi and her fuck-it bucket list. But she does a lot for me for not the best salary, so if I have to endure a bunch of hockey players for a few hours so she can get laid by one of them, so be it. “Fine.”
“Seriously? I thought for sure this would be one of those times you put your foot down.”
“It’s fine, but once it looks like you don’t need me, I’m out, okay?”
She leans forward and down toward the penalty box where Tweetie currently is, smiling and waving as if she’s some sweet innocent girl. She’ll be hanging from his rafters if he takes her home tonight.
I’m distracted by a body slamming into the boards, and I’m shocked when I glance up to see Aiden is the one who did the slamming. The other guy shakes off his gloves, and Aiden does the same. They circle one another once, then both grab the other’s jersey and fists fly. The refs eventually skate in between, trying to stop them.
“Oh my god, it’s so hot. Like cavemen.” Tedi tears off a piece of my pretzel again. I’m not even hungry anymore, so I hand her the entire thing, concentrating on my beer.
Tedi’s right though. I want to tear my gaze from the brawl, but I can’t find the willpower. Aiden gets pulled off the guy he shoved into the boards and his lip is bleeding, along with a spot right above his eyebrow. Somehow, it only adds to his sex appeal. Damn it all to hell.
When Maksim and I walk into Carmelo’s, the entire bar explodes into a cheer of “Lucky 13, Lucky 13!”
Maksim slaps me on the back. “Yeah, man, you’re back.”
It feels fantastic to actually be contributing again with some goals and assists. Especially tonight, when we were tied one-one and only twenty seconds left on the clock. Ford passed me the puck, and fucking Langley thought he had me with his fancy footwork and shit, but I passed it to Tweetie. Ford went in and took Langley to the boards, Tweetie passed back to me, and I slap shot the goal in from the far right with barely an opening in the net.
At the next face-off, the Sharks tried but failed at getting it past our goalie, Trigger. The only shitty part is that I wanted to see Saige to tell her thanks for doing me a solid with the drink in my face, but by the time I got out of the huddle with the guys and skated over to where she was sitting, she and her friend were already walking up the stairs.
After saying a few quick hellos, we walk over to the bar to grab a drink. Most of my teammates are already here, some sitting around a booth in the back, others lined up at the bar. Everyone’s on cloud nine because although the Sharks aren’t our biggest rivals, everyone knows Ford’s rivalry with Warner Langley.
Ford’s flirting with the bartender when we approach him at the bar.
>
“Can’t you ever just enjoy a guys’ night?” Maksim asks him.
“You guys are boring as fuck,” is Ford’s response.
I flag down the other bartender and order, then look at Maksim. He nods and I order him a vodka. Since this is the Fury hangout after every game, most of the bartenders know us.
“You should be thanking me,” Ford says to me, nodding toward the front door.
I turn around and there stands Saige and her friend, Tedi. Why the hell are they here? I’m glad I’ll be able to thank Saige in person, but she’s in this bar with every one of my teammates who decided to go out and celebrate tonight. There aren’t a ton of girls here, which means she’s gonna draw the attention of my testosterone filled teammates.
“I figured why should you just be getting it before the game? Celebratory fucks count too.” Ford smacks me on the back and walks toward the two women with his arms spread wide, the bartender long forgotten. “Ladies.”
Saige looks over and her gaze glues to mine. I shouldn’t have the feelings I do racing through my veins. She’s my agent’s girlfriend—or the woman he’s dating at least. I have no idea if they’re exclusive or serious, but I’d put money on the answer being no. Not with how much Jaron ignored her on New Year’s Eve. Regardless, I need to squash my interest in her and only think of her as a means to an end—she throws the drinks in my face, and I play a great game.
Ford escorts them over to a booth next to some of the other guys on the team and waves me over. I blow out a breath and join them because I’m not about to leave Saige in Ford’s hands. Not a chance in hell. The thought of his hands anywhere near her makes me want to choke him.
The waitress reaches them before I do and takes their drink orders. Then I approach the table.
“Shamrock,” Tedi says and raises her hand for a high five. “Way to go tonight.”