Page 34 of Puck Princess

“My bad.” He plays it off like an accident.

It takes everything in me not to take him to the ground, but I know I can’t. Not after what just happened with Miles. I have to hold it together. Coach is helping Callie get situated again and he told me to “lead practice and show the new winger the ropes.”

I’d like to tie a rope around this kid’s neck right now.

But again. I won’t.

“I want to run it just like we did before, but Heath, let’s have you over on the other side. We need coverage for?—”

“That’s not what I would do,” Spencer cuts in.

I’m about to snap my stick in half and impale him with it.

“No one asked what you would do, Santos.”

“Hey, if you want to create a hole right where their best guys are going to be, go ahead.”

“I think he has a point,” Dax mumbles, clearly afraid to speak up.

I open my mouth to say something, but Lance puts a hand on my back.

“O… why don’t we just call it a day and you go get that shoulder checked?”

“What are you talking about? My shoulder is fine.”

I can see Spencer sniggering, and I want to grind his teeth into dust against the ice. Lance is just trying to deactivate the bomb that’s about to go off.

So I let it go.

As much as I don’t want to, I know I have to be the bigger man. He’s trying me, and I’m not going to fuck this up. Not with my job on the line. Not with Callie back at work. And not with a baby on the way.

With time, I’ll put him in place. But Lance is right, it’s a little too hot in here.

“Yeah. Yeah, maybe I should have Callie check it out.”

“I’ll go with you,” Lance says.

“Me too.” Dax pulls his helmet off. “I have an injury I should probably get looked at.”

“You fell off a barstool last night ‘cause you can’t hold your whiskey,” Kason laughs. Everyone else joins in. Everyone but me, Lance, and Hotshot, who is still glaring daggers after me.

“We can see how Callie’s doing on her first day back,” Lance adds.

I hold Santos’s glare for a moment longer than I should, and I’m fuming. I don’t want Callie or Coach to see it. I need to cool off.

“Actually, you guys go ahead. I need a shower.”

12

CALLIE

Despite sleeping on Kennedy’s couch again, only one wall away from the disappointed pining Owen was aiming my way all night, I wake up refreshed.

The sun is peeking through the windows and the world is quiet. Owen’s rental is still parked in the lot outside, and I haven’t gotten any more shirtless pictures of him in bed since he finally fell asleep after midnight, so my guess is that he isn’t up yet. Which is for the best. As much as I like waking up next to him, I need this slow and peaceful morning to prepare for the day.

I didn’t think I’d be happy to go back to work, with all the drama swirling around the arena, but I’m determined to do things right this time. It’s the same job with (mostly) the same people, but it feels like a fresh start.

I take a shower, indulging in the hot water and the lavender soap I just bought. Every time I smell it, I smile to myself. I can’t wait for everything to smell that way.

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