Page 171 of Power Play

LIAM

It’s beena long goddamn week since we got back from Spain.

I feel like I’m going a hundred miles per hour.

Everything has been busy. Nonstop chaos. With the last part of the season underway, our practices are heating up. Coach is pushing us harder than ever, and I’ve fallen asleep the second my head hits the pillow every night.

The only reason I’m going to team dinner is because Piper will be there, and I really fucking miss her.

I’ve barely seen her after touching down on US soil. We pass each other in the arena, but we don’t have time to talk. My routine feels fucked up, and I hope a minute or two with her will center me. Get me back on track, because I can’t afford to be off my game these next few weeks.

I don’t knock on the door to Maverick and Emmy’s place. I waltz on in and take off my coat, adding it to the ones on the rack in the foyer.

“GK,” Riley calls out, and I lift my head in his direction. “About time you showed up.”

“Sorry.” I walk into the decimated kitchen and set the chocolate pie I picked up from the corner bakery on the island. “Had a one-on-one with Coach this afternoon.”

“How’d it go?” He hands me a plate and utensils. “Anything going on?”

“Nah. Same old shit.” I pile my plate with pasta and salad, adding a slice of bread to the mix too. “You good?”

“Not bad. My shoulder is still fucked up from practice yesterday, so I had to spend this morning in Lexi’s torture chamber.”

“Sounds horrible.”

“Could’ve been worse.”

I don’t miss the way Riley smiles when he says Lexi’s name. It’s fucking hysterical he thinks he’s hiding his crush from us, and it’s even more hysterical he thinks any of us would actually make a move on her. It’s obvious he’s into her, and we all know that means she’s off-limits.

“There he is,” Hudson says when I walk into the crowded living room.

There’s a round of hellos and I wave, taking a spot on the edge of the couch on the far side of the room. Settling back, I dig into the Caesar salad, fucking famished.

“Hey.” Piper drops next to me on the couch and smiles. “I was beginning to think you fell off the face of the earth.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble. I’m alive and well.”

“Rats. Guess I can’t get rid of you.” She leans against the pillows and tucks her feet under her. Her thigh-high stockings taunt me, and the hem of her skirt stops just above the lace. I spy an inch of smooth skin I wish I could run my fingers across, and I turn my attention to the video game Maverick and Grant are playing instead of thinking about the things I want to do with her. “How was your day?”

“Tolerable.” I spear a bite of spaghetti and inhale it. “I saw some chicken in the kitchen. Did you make it? Is it edible?”

“No, I didn’t make it.” She rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue. “Hudson did. You missed his ten-minute discussionabout the spices he used and what kind of marinade he soaked it in for an hour.”

“Think the guy might food more than he likes hockey.” I shake my head and shovel another bite of food into my mouth. “How was your day?”

“Long, but good. I’m trying to coordinate some player spotlights with our social media team, and that took up most of my afternoon. Before you even try to give me shit, I don’t have you on the list.”

I smirk. “You know me too well. What’s the spotlight about?”

“A get to know you, sort of. I ask rapid-fire questions and the guys answer within a few seconds. We want to do a bunch as we head into the playoff push.”

“That could be dangerous. Don’t ask Ethan anything about hot dogs.”

“Thanks for the advice.” Piper drops her elbow to her knee and smiles. “Sure you don’t want to participate?”

“Nope. I’m all set. You want to go outside and talk when I’m finished with this?”

“How do you eat so fast? You’re almost done and it’s been three minutes.”

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