Not a Player (Laketown Hockey Book 1)

by A. J. Wynter

  “Read it,” I urged and pushed the thick paperwork towards her.

  “It’s a proposal.” Her eyes scanned the first page and then she flipped quickly to the second and third. “For another ice surface in Laketown?” She flipped the document closed. “What does this have to do with me?”

  “The Laketown figure skating arena’s roof leaks and the building is about to fall. Fitzgerald Enterprises is investing in the new ice surface.” I couldn’t hide the excitement in my voice.

  “Your dad is building a figure skating arena?” She slid the papers back into the envelope.

  “Not exactly.” I rubbed my neck. “There isn’t enough ice time for all of the hockey teams; the players need a secondary surface – and they’d be willing to share.

  “I still don’t understand. What does this have to do with me?”

  The classical music that had been playing in the background stopped and we were interrupted by the cheer of the audience. We had to speed this up because, in just a few minutes, the lobby was going to be bustling. “Well, the skating club needs a new elite coach. And we just hired Veronica.”

  As if on cue, the raven-haired woman walked into the lobby, followed by throngs of figure skating fans.

  “Veronica, is this true? Are you moving to Laketown to coach?”

  Veronica smiled. “Only if my top skater comes with me. The decision is yours, Jessica.”

  Dylan had been hanging back but stepped to his sister’s side. “You can have it all now. You don’t have to choose between skating and the life you want.”

  By that, he meant me. I was jostled by some fans and the space between us was quickly filled with people waiting around for the medal ceremony.

  “Jessie. Come home,” I pleaded.

  Chapter 36 - Jessie

  Kane’s eyes searched mine and I wanted to launch myself into his arms, but something held me back. The two men in my life, my brother and my boyfriend had conspired against me.

  “I need some air.” The smell of popcorn, one of my favorite snacks, had become overwhelming. “I need to get out of here.”

  Before anyone could stop me, I wove through the crowd, bursting from the arena into the humid June air. The door opened behind me a few seconds later and Kane appeared. “Please, Kane. I need to be alone.”

  “Can we talk? There’s a place near here that I think you’ll like.”

  “I don’t think that I want to go anywhere with you.”

  He tilted his head and his lips drew into a line. “And I get that,” he said. “Let me show you this place, and then I’ll leave you alone.”

  “If I say no, will you leave me alone anyway?”

  “Not a chance,” Kane said. The sides of his lips turned into a smile and I turned away because I could feel mine doing the same. I had to stay resolute. I wanted to be mad at him.

  He kept his distance as we walked side by side down the busy sidewalk. “I went to a skills camp at that rink and on days when I couldn’t take the city, I would come here.” The path he led me down was so overgrown, I never would’ve known it was there. Kane held the branches of the trees back, so they didn’t whip me in the face as we bushwhacked down his secret trail.

  “I have to be back for the medal ceremony,” I said. “We can’t get lost.”

  “We’re almost there.” He held a branch and gestured for me to walk ahead of him. I stepped into a clearing and my breath caught in my throat. “It’s beautiful,” I said. Not everyone would think a swampy lagoon was pretty, but as we took a seat on a rickety bench, a blue heron took flight, it’s wings leaving rings on the surface of the pond.

  “I thought you could use a good place to think. Nature helps.”

  “It does,” I whispered. The sun glowed on fuzzy cattails, giving them the same glowy halo that shone on Kane’s hair.

  Kane turned to walk away. “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “To leave you alone.”

  “Oh.” My heart sank.

  “Jess, I want to stay here with you. I want to wake up in your crappy bed in Laketown with you snoring against my chest. I want you to go to the Olympics. But those are all things that I want. I need to start listening to what you want. And right now, you want to be alone.”

  It wasn’t a bluff. He turned and walked away, and within seconds the royal blue of his t-shirt had been swallowed up by the overgrown trail.

  “Dammit,” I whispered to myself. I didn’t want to be alone. At all. I charged into the trees. “Kane,” I shouted. It was quiet in the trees and I scanned both left and right, but there was no sign of Kane or the trail. I took a deep breath. He couldn’t have gone far. “Kane,” I shouted. “Come back.”

  Thump. Thump. The only sound I could hear was my heartbeat whooshing in my ears. My eyes tracked for any sign of movement amongst the trees, and then it came. Sticks cracked and it sounded like a bear was rumbling towards me – if bears wore blue Otters’ t-shirts. Kane swiped branches away as he charged at me, wrapping his arms around me, and burying his face in my neck. Squeezed in Kane’s arms I felt like I was home. I inhaled his soapy musky scent and all the emotions I’d held in for the past weeks escaped. Hot tears streamed down my face and Kane held me even tighter, his big hand cupped around the back of my neck, underneath my ballerina bun.

  When I looked up at him, I saw something I’d never seen before – tears in his eyes. They didn’t fall, but the shimmer made his ice blue eyes even more intense.

  “I love you, Jessie,” he said. “I’ll spend the rest of my life supporting you, but ultimately your life is up to you.” He cupped my face in his hands. “I just hope that you decide to come home and make it with me.” He smiled and one tear escaped from his eyes. I reached up and swiped it away with my thumb.

  “Kane.” My voice was shaking. “It doesn’t matter where I am. If I’m with you, I’m home.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. He wrapped his arms around my back and kissed me tenderly, starting with my lips and then he kissed the salty tears from my cheeks. “Does that mean...?” His eyes searched mine.

  “Yes, Kane. I’m coming back to Laketown.”

  Epilogue - Kane

  The warm air from the lobby mixed with the arctic air in the arena as I sneaked in to watch Jessie’s practice. I shivered and rubbed my bare arms. Unlike McManus’s place, with its suspended heaters and comfy seating, the community rink was old school – and that meant cold. I cursed myself for not bringing a sweatshirt and sneaked into the bleachers as quietly as I could, hoping to go unnoticed.

  Veronica had banned me from Jessie’s practices, but I missed watching her skate.

  Veronica was wearing an ankle-length fur coat and shouting as Jessie glided across the ice. I held my breath – I knew the lutz was coming.

  She stuck it.

  It took all that I had not to scream out loud. My hands were balled in fists and my chest puffed out with pride as she did it again. Jessie was ready for Nationals.

  I stealthily made it back to the warmth of the lobby and pretended to have just walked in as Jessie and Veronica made their way to the entrance.

  “Hi,” I smiled and waved.

  “Hi.” Jessie slid underneath my arm and hugged my waist.

  I glanced at Veronica and she shook her fist at me, but with a smile. Of course, she had seen me.

  “Bye, Coach,” Jessie shouted over the rumble of her wheeled skate bag.

  “See you tomorrow,” Veronica shouted and made her way to her Mini Cooper.

  “You hungry?” I asked.

  “Famished.” She leaned into me. “I’ve got my lutz back.”

  “That’s amazing, babe.” I kissed her temple and then opened the passenger door of the Land Cruiser. I took her extremely heavy skate bag and tossed it into the back. “There’s a party at Tanner’s.” I put the car in gear. “He told me he’s ordered forty pizzas.”

  “I feel like I could eat sixty,” she smiled.

  Since she’d been home, we’d falle
n into a comfortable routine together – something I never thought I’d want – let alone savor. My dad had moved to the sanctity of Pine Hill to wait out his divorce and I had moved into the Pinecone cottage, one of the bigger guest bunkies, to give him space. Jessie didn’t technically live there, but she might as well – we spent every night together.

  A routine isn’t a bad thing – especially when it consists of waking up with the woman that you love – and lots of skinny dipping.

  Tanner’s cottage is on the other side of the lake, so it was faster for us to hop in the boat and drive across Lake Casper than it was to drive around it. Jessie had permanently stolen my Otters’ hat and she put it on backward as I pushed down on the throttle and we headed into the setting sun over to Tanner’s place.

  Leo was sitting on the dock when we arrived and stood to catch the boat as we reached the slip. “Hey, Fitzy. Hi Jess.” He smiled his million-megawatt grin as he helped to tie up the boat.

  The guys had given me a tough time about Jessie, but with Dylan’s blessing, they seemed willing to overlook the whole teammate’s sister thing. They were also distracted with the hazing plans for the new rookies.

  I slung my arm over Jessie’s shoulder. “Pizza or a swim?”

  “Pizza then a swim,” she smiled, and I slipped my arm down so we could walk hand in hand to the timber frame cottage. Three naked guys that looked like zombies ran at us and our hands ripped apart as we jumped out of their path. They were covered in what I could only assume was baby powder or flour, and it provided very little modesty. They were pushing and shoving each other, and we turned to watch as they raced down the dock and flew into the air spectacularly. Flour man one did a cannonball, number two a front flip, and number three went with a swan dive.

  “What was that all about?” Jessie asked.

  The surface of the water was coated in white and when the trio hoisted themselves onto the dock they were covered in a gloopy mess. “Oh no,” Jessie turned away – with most of the flour gone, their nakedness was clearly apparent.

  “Hazing,” I laughed. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Since she’d been home, Jessie had an extra glow to her face. Her friend Paige was at the party and I watched as the two of them talked animatedly in the corner while Jessie wolfed down a slice of pepperoni pizza.

  “Hey man.” Dylan slung his arm around my shoulder. “Did you see the rookies?” he laughed.

  “My vote is for the cannonball guy. A naked c-ball? That takes some guts.”

  Dylan laughed. “No kidding.”

  He followed my gaze over to his sister and Paige and then waved. There were rumors about Dylan and Paige, but both of them denied that anything had ever happened between them.

  Jessie pointed to the slice of pizza and then at me. I nodded.

  “See you around.” Dylan smacked me on the back and then disappeared into the crowd.

  Jessie found her way to my side and presented me with a paper plate loaded with three pizza slices. “Thanks, babe,” I smiled and then took a giant bite. I nodded to Dylan and Paige, who were lined up at the keg. “Is something going on with them?” I asked.

  “I thought you didn’t care about stuff like that,” she laughed.

  “I don’t.”

  She leaned in close. “I think that they’re officially in the friend zone.”

  “Really? They seem to get along so well.”

  Jessie looked around the room and when she seemed sure no one was listening in on our conversation, pulled me close and whispered. “Paige has been partying with some guy from the Thunder – she won’t tell me who though.”

  “You’ll have to wait another month to get the inside scoop,” I whispered back. It was going to be a busy summer; I was going to attend both the Otters’ and the Thunder’s training camps. Jessie had been so excited for me when I told her about my walk-on spot. I tried to brush it off like it was no big deal, but she saw right through it.

  “And Dylan,” she whispered. “The other night, a text message showed up on his phone – a girl had sent him a topless photo.”

  I didn’t want to tell her that as a player, that happened all the time. Or, it used to happen all the time. Her eyes sparkled. “It was Bronwyn Yates.”

  I almost choked on my pizza. Of all the guys in Laketown, Bronwyn Yates was messaging Dylan? I was secretly impressed. The guy deserved a break.

  Someone turned the music up, and the front verandah turned into a dance floor. The rookies, now thankfully covered up in floral bedsheets tied toga style, were surrounded by puck bunnies in bikini tops. “Those guys have no idea what’s coming,” I said to Jessie and laughed.

  “I think I know that guy.” She pointed to the tallest of the three rookies.

  “That’s Brady, he’s a...” I almost said Laketownie, but Jessie and I had agreed to strike that word from our vocabulary. “He’s from here.”

  “Dyl,” she shouted and gestured at her brother to come over.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “That guy, the rookie.” She pointed to the guy doing a keg stand. “Do you recognize him?”

  “Yeah, that’s Brady Bishop.”

  “I thought so,” I yelled to Kane. “He was a few years younger than us at Laketown High.”

  Brady Bishop was the local triple-A hotshot. He was cocky, arrogant, and I hated to admit it, good.

  “Looks like he’s come into his own.” Jessie rolled her eyes as he lowered himself down from his keg stand and draped his arms over two of the closest blonds, kissing them each on the cheek. Then some old school hip-hop blared out of the speakers and he launched into the air in a swan dive and then proceeded to breakdance, doing ‘the worm’ across the balcony.

  “You ready to go for a swim?” I asked. The room was getting rowdy.

  She looped her arms around my waist and pressed her hips against mine. “I am.” She shot me her ‘I’m horny’ smile. She squeezed my ass and my cock twitched in response. She leaned in so close I could feel her breath on my earlobe. The twitch turned to a throb. “But I want to do it without this.” She tugged on the bikini string at her neck.

  “Say no more.” I grabbed her hand and the two of us left the debauchery of the first Otters’ kegger behind. “Let me take you home.”

  If you loved Not a Player, be sure to check out Hating the Rookie!

  Sneak Peek: For Richer, For Poorer

  “What about that one?” Phil breathed into my ear, well into his fourth after-work scotch as he pointed to one of the girls at the bar.

  “The one in the blue or black?” I whispered. Both women were sexy, but Phil was a blonde man, and I liked brunettes. Although, I’d been known to break that rule from time to time.

  “Dibs on the blonde,” Phil laughed, polished off his drink and set it down on our table. “Are you coming?”

  I glanced over to the two women. “Nah,” I said, “But you can get me another drink while you’re up there.”

  Phil raised his eyebrows at me, “You okay, man?”

  “Yep.”

  “You sure?” Because that blue skirt is right up your alley.”

  I glanced back to the duo, this time catching the brunette’s eyes. She smiled coyly before glancing away. We had been spotted and from the thirsty look in her eye, I knew that it would be easy to have her back to my place and on her knees by six p.m.

  “I think I’ve had that one already,” I said and shook the empty glass at Phil.

  “Not in the mood for seconds?” he grinned wryly.

  “Why, when there are so many new dishes here to try?” The bar was filled with impeccably dressed women, most of whom worked in my tower and knew whose name was on top of the building. I am young, hot, and rich with women falling at my feet but every once in a while, I wonder if it would be as easy if my last name wasn’t Titan.

  I watched Phil walk over to the duo and strike up a conversation. The brunette cast her eyes back at me and I felt my cock stiffen against my suit pants. Ah hell, m
aybe I could go for a little action. I stood up and saw her smile in response, but then she turned away. I shook my head at her classic coy girl moves. I formulated my pickup line as I wove through the crowded room, although I was sure I could just nod my head, grunt, and she would follow along behind me.

  I didn’t notice the woman standing beside her. Quite possibly because women over thirty don’t show up on my radar. Ah, who am I kidding? Women over twenty-five don’t even show up on the screen.

  “May I buy you a drink?” I asked Ms. Blue Skirt.

  “Sure,” she replied.

  I signaled to the bartender, who practically jumped to serve me. “What are you having?” I asked her.

  “Rosé,” she said.

  Is that all the girls drink these days? I was old enough to remember when no self-respecting person over the age of fifteen would be seen with a glass of pink wine. “Rosé for the lady,” I smiled.

  Before I could even start a conversation with Blue Skirt, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I stiffened at the unsolicited touch. I was Liam Titan; people didn’t just walk up and tap me on the shoulder. I turned slowly, curious about the fucker who would dare to touch me. I almost fell over when my eyes locked with the only set of eyes that had been able to take my breath away.

  Sadie.

  For Richer, For Poorer

  Now Available

  Coming Soon

  The hot new hockey player is a lot of things...

  Number one: he's a talented player.

  Number two: he's cocky as hell.

  Number three: he used to be my best friend.

  Get ready for more skinny dipping, campfires, and a little enemies-to-lovers action in "Hating the Rookie".

  LAKETOWN OTTERS, BOOK 2

  Coming October 2020

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  Connect with A.J.

  www.ajwynter.com

  email: aj@ajwynter.com