Page 7 of Playmaker

When she was close enough, she squealed, “Hey!” Then she pulled me down into a tight hug. “I was so excited when I saw that you were signed here too!” Releasing me, she met my gaze with a huge grin on her face. “I can’t believe we get to play together again!”

“I know, right?” I couldn’t help smiling, my irritation fleeing in the light of my teammate’s smile. Gesturing at Faith, I added, “You remember Faith, don’t you?”

Laws’s eyes lit up, and she hugged Faith, too. “Of course I do.” She scowled playfully at my roommate. “I’ll never forget you mugging me at the Olympics.”

Faith laughed and shrugged. “It isn’t like it made a big impact on the game or anything. Ooh, waaait…”

Laws rolled her eyes and tsked as Faith and I shared a fist bump. “Too bad we beat you in overtime, eh?”

We all chuckled. That gold medal final between Team USA and Team Canada had been intense, and Canada had finally beaten us in triple overtime. Disappointing, sure, but we’d earned the hell out of our silver medals, so I had no complaints.

Well, aside from everyone acting like we’d only made it that far in the first place because we’d been blessed with the Goddess McAvoy’s talent and—

I dismissed those thoughts and took another swallow of beer.

Fortunately, Laws’s wife joined us right then with their three-year-old perched on her hip. Introductions were made, and we all fawned over Reagan; who wouldn’t? The kid was adorable.

Naturally, though, the conversation quickly shifted back to hockey.

Laws looked at me. “So how’s your knee doing?” She grimaced. “I was so scared you wouldn’t be able to come back after what happened last season.”

I suppressed a shudder. I still had nightmares about that game. That awful moment when I’d realized something in my knee had moved in a way it shouldn’t have. That pop. The way my knee had been an explosion of both pain and instability. The panic, the certainty my career had just ended—it was burned into my memory in the most visceral way.

“I was worried myself,” I admitted. “But it wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to be.”

“A torn ACL wasn’t that bad?” She gaped. “I’d have been freaking out!”

“Oh, I was. But honestly, the doctors told me pretty early on that I’d recover. They always recommend sitting out most of the season after that just to make sure it heals right. And they figured as long as they were going in to fix the ACL, they might as well clean up some of the other issues, so…” I half-shrugged to mask another shudder. “It wasn’t fun, but my leg is a lot better now.” I bent and straightened it as if to emphasize my point. “I’m good!”

“That’s great!” Laws sounded genuinely relieved. “I’d bet money you’ll be on the first power play unit.”

I smiled. “Well, let’s hope I impress the coaches.”

Faith and Laws both scoffed, and I laughed. I was proud of what I brought to a team’s power play. Omaha had had the number three power play in the League the season before last, and I had no qualms about acknowledging my part in that. This was a sport that had taken a long time to get the respect it demanded, and I wasn’t about to shy away from the respect I’d earned on that ice.

Laws dropped her voice a little. “Can you believe they signed Sabrina McAvoy? What a score!”

Annnd… there went my brighter mood.

Struggling to keep my media smile in place, I said, “Yeah. That was… We’re definitely lucky to have her.”

“We are! I mean, we have Sabrina McAvoy, and we have a healthy Lila Hamilton.” She clapped her hands and bounced on her feet. “This season is going to be amazing!”

Of course there was always that qualifier—ahealthyLila Hamilton. Because everyone knew I was an asset as long as my knee was cooperating. The instant it was out of whack, I was a liability who needed to either retire or be launched into the sun. Yeah, I read the comments on articles and social media. I knew how people felt about me.

But hey, if my knee decided to be stupid, maybe no one would notice this time because the spotlight would be so focused on the dynastic generational talent we were so blessed to have.

I sipped my drink but didn’t really taste it.

Maybe I should’ve accepted that offer to play in Albuquerque after all.

Chapter 4

Sabrina

Back when my dad had still been a pro, I’d gone with my mom and siblings to watch training camp. I’d dreamed of being out there someday myself—skating with the prospects and veterans, playing my butt off so I’d be noticed by the coaches and wouldn’t get cut.

A vivid memory from my childhood was Dad’s training camp the year I turned nine. He’d always shit on the idea of me playing hockey. He’d humored my mom letting me play as a little kid, thinking I’d grow out of it before long. He never went to any of my games, though, and he was never interested in talking about hockey with me like he was with my brother. Mom had always tried to dismiss it as him being busy—the regular season was, we all knew, incredibly intense—and she just told me to let it go.

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