Page 27 of Body Check

My reputation precedes me.

I almost grin.

“I play to win, kid.” I drop my foot to the floor and sit up. “And I accept nothing less from my team. If hockey isn’t on the brain twenty-four-seven, then you don’t want this bad enough—and I can guaran-goddamn-tee that someone else will want it more than you do.”

Almost resentfully, he snips, “I want it, Cap.”

“Then enjoy your night of watching clips and eating room service. I’ll be at the hotel’s bar if you’re feelin’ the need to vent about how I’m an asshole for not letting you party with the vets.”

His cheeks go red and he drops a fist on his vacated seat’s headrest. “I’ll get you Kase.”

“Good choice.”

As the bus barrels down the highway, toward the airport hotel where we’re staying, I manage to squeeze in a talk with Kase, our backup goalie, and two other rookies who played decent tonight but not great.

The rookies are the first to scurry off the bus when we pull up at the hotel.

Welcome to my life—Captain of the Blades, babysitter to the newbies, and all-around asshole when anyone gets in my way of what I crave most: the Stanley Cup.

As I step down onto the cement, the gravel crackling under the soles of my leather shoes, I can’t shake the fact that Holly never got on the bus with Carmen. Either she had plans afterward and took a cab or she simply wanted to avoid me after I gave her my peace offering on the plane.

I don’t let either option bother me.

Captain.

Babysitter.

Hard-ass.

Nowhere on that list is “husband.”

What she does in her spare time is not my business, and I’d be smart to do as I preach.

Eyes on the Cup.

Heart in the game.

But I’d be lying to myself if I said that I don’t search for her in the hotel lobby when I make my way inside. Or that, when I come up empty, disappointment sinks into my bones.

Lucky for me, it’s not the first time I’ve lied to myself—and after a year, I’ve gotten real good at smothering the truths deep down in the shadows of my soul.

Truth: letting Holly walk away is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Truth: I may have brought up divorce first but only because Holly had lost her spark, her luster, and I wasn’t enough anymore to rekindle her fire.

Lie: I’ve moved on.

10

Holly

It’s close to midnight by the time I make it back to the hotel with Carmen. After spending the last two hours at the bar with the Blades, pulling them to the side individually to get in our first round of personal interviews, I’m ready to hit the sack.

My feet hurt from standing.

My back aches from it being the dreaded time of the month again. Considering that I haven’t had sex since Jackson, I wish I could at least flip an OFF switch on the period bit. Since my body has never reacted well to birth control, my only savior is Midol and even that doesn’t do the trick most of the time.

Cramps ‘R Us, you’re the real devil incarnate.

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