Page 2 of Mind Pucked

I pull out my phone and send him a quick text.

As much as I want to look good without you here, this is not the night. Get the hell over here.

Hopefully, it’s threatening enough.

I tuck my cell into my locker and pull out my iPod. It’s old-school. I’ve had it since my senior year of high school, and it’s always served me well.

Five songs. Five songs are all I have on this thing, the same five songs I listen to before every game. I pop in my headphones, and I let the world around me fade away. I have just enough time to listen to my music before Coach comes in here to give us a pep talk. The one where he basically tells us it’s okay if we don’t win, but he expects us to win.

I close my eyes and bob my head to the music, getting completely lost in it. It’s a good mix of EDM, rock, and classical. Something for every part of my mood and every part of my nervous system. I actually put a hell of a lot of research into this playlist.

The noise around me grows louder as I get to the last song and more and more family members come in and out. Coach is good about letting us see our loved ones before the game. Especially at big games like this. He believes that instead of a distraction, it gives us motivation.

It’s one of the things I love about him, and it definitely sets him apart.

As I’m putting my headphones away, there’s a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to find Quinn, Dean’s wife, surrounded by three children.

Two are her own, a little boy and a little girl. And one is the most beautiful little girl in the world—mylittle girl.

I smile down at her and reach to pick her up as she lifts her arms and rises onto her tiptoes to try to reach toward me, even though she’s not even two yet. Not for another two weeks.

I lift her up into my arms and give her a big kiss on the cheek, then look at Quinn. “I’m guessing Lyla’s not here yet?”

Quinn shakes her head. “Sorry. I haven’t heard from her or seen her yet. But don’t worry—she’s not going to miss this game. Even if her boss is an ass.”

Quinn rolls her eyes and goes over to see Dean. They share a deep kiss as I tickle Hayden’s side.

She rubs her hand across my stubble, and my heart has never felt more full than in this moment. This is exactly what I needed before the game. But it would be nice to get to see Lyla too.

In fact, Lyla’s kind of our lucky charm. Ever since I married her, she’s always come back here and made everyone feel good before the games. And she’s always got something freshly baked to offer everyone. Only this time, her new boss made her work.

It’s been hard since she started this new job. She’s been working long hours and dealing with some discrimination and all kinds of bullshit. I’ve offered to go beat their asses, but she won’t let me.

I give Hayden another kiss and pass her to Quinn as she’s on her way out. “Be good for Aunty Quinn, okay?” I tell her and she blows me a kiss.

She nods, letting me know that of course she will be a perfect angel. She always is.

Along with Quinn and the kids, any remaining family members filter out of the locker room. The pregame energy’s hitting, and everyone is somber. I don’t know if it’s because of what’s at stake, or the fact that one of our best players, Preston, still hasn’t shown his damn ugly face.

Coach comes in, hitching up his pants like he always does. He squints his eyes, making eye contact with every one of us at least twice before saying anything.

“Does anyone happen to know where the hell that cocky asshole Preston is? Of all the games to miss…”

Everyone shakes their head and mutters that they don’t know.

“Well, we’re going to get ready anyway. Because this is our game. Isn’t it, boys?”

We all scream in unison, fists pumping in the air. We start chanting and high-fiving, five minutes before the game. Preston has five minutes to show up.

Luca looks happy about it, hoping he gets to come in instead. But dammit, I was hoping he wouldn’t. He’s such a hothead, we’re likely to get way too many damn penalties with him.

I squeeze through the crowd of players and pull him in so I can whisper in his ear. “Please, man, keep it under control—don’t fuck this up today.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he says, not even looking at me.

Great.

If I get ahold of Preston after this, and I find out he had no good reason to miss, like him or a family member dying, I’ll kill him myself. I may hate the bastard, and I may wish that I had theteam to myself sometimes, but this is a time when we need him most.

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