Page 5 of Pucking Revenge

I pick up my glass of water and tune him out. This speech is one I could recite in my sleep. Yes, I’m Good-Boy Brooks. I don’t need to be reminded of that reputation and all it implies.

The nickname makes me cringe, but it’s fitting.

“Was in bed early. No clubs, no bars. Don’t worry, my virtue remains intact,” I grit out.

The sting that comes along with that last part is a little sharper than it’s ever been. Not dating never bothered me until I met Sara. Now it’s all I think about.

Am I saving myself for her? Possibly. Which just means I’ll die a virgin, because the girl doesn’t see me like that.

The waitress appears, thank God, and we give her our orders. Once she walks away, my uncle dives into talk about our plan for practice today and tomorrow’s game.

This is what gets me up and moving on mornings like this. Not because I love forcing myself out of bed early on practice days to meet up with him, but because he wants to go over game strategy with me. My opinion matters to him. I’ve spent my life striving to get here. Making him proud is truly the only way I know how to thank him for investing in me the way he has.

Once we’ve polished off our breakfast and gone over his plans, we stand, both smoothing out our suits—my uncle would never approve of wearing something as pedestrian as a pair of jeans out in public, even if it’s to the damn greasy spoon we’ve frequented for years—and head out into the crisp October air.

The beginning of the season always brings such promise. We’re the defending Stanley Cup Champions, so there is a lot riding on these first few weeks. A lot to live up to. Especially, since the team has changed in some big ways—making the line-up look almost unrecognizable from the past year. We even got new jerseys and a new plane. But our team is young and hungry. There’s no reason we can’t do it again.

“You walk like an old man,” Aiden chirps, rushing to catch up to me on the way to the locker room.

I eye him. Yeah, I’m older than he is, but I’ve also got a couple of inches on him and a shit ton more muscle. “I’m in better shape than you.”

“Impossible.” With a grin that splits his face, he pulls his shoulders back and slaps his stomach. “Washboard abs, baby. You could do push-ups on these things.”

I choke out a laugh. “Pass.”

He shrugs. “You’re missing out. Speaking of missing out, why didn’t you come out last night? We don’t even have a game today.”

Gravy wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, jostling me as he does. “Because he was hanging out with his Sar Bear, eh?”

“Shut up,” I groan, my chest going a little tight at that sentiment. My Sar Bear. If only.

War, the right-wing instigator on our team and my best friend, holds open the locker room door as we file through. “Your brother was no better. Aiden spent half the night on the phone with Jill.”

“Did not,” Aiden whines. Then he lets out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping. “She just gets nervous because of how you idiots act when you’re out.”

I roll my eyes. Jill sucks. Not that I’ll ever tell Aiden that. Guy needs to figure that out himself. Hopefully soon, because if this goes on much longer, I can only see things going one way. He’ll marry her, and once the dust settles from the ridiculously lavish wedding, she’ll cheat on him. Then she’ll take him for half of what he’s worth. But it’s his life. I can’t fix everything for him. He wouldn’t listen even if I tried.

There are four of us Langfield brothers. Beckett and Gavin are several years older than me, but Aiden and I are close in age. He’s been following me around since he was old enough to skate, so we’ve always been tight. Playing for the same team and spending almost every waking minute of every day together only adds to that.

But he’s a lot. Youngest brother syndrome or something.Even if he’s not the baby. That title belongs to our only sister, Sienna.

As we’re hitting the lockers, my phone buzzes.

Beckett: Want to come over for dinner?

Aiden: Fuck yeah!

Me: Sure, what time?

Gavin: What did you do?

Beckett: Why do you assume I did something? Can’t I just want my brothers to come over and hang with my family for dinner?

Gavin: No.

Aiden lets out a laugh beside me, and I frown at my phone as the texts continue to come in.

Beckett: Fine. Liv is less likely to kill me with you guys there.

---