Page 107 of Play Book

“Do we have to wear tuxes?” Connor asks. “I own one now and haven’t had a chance to wear it.”

“Tuxes?” I ask, frowning. “Saylor didn’t say anything about a tux.”

“Maybe we should surprise them,” Gabe suggests. “The ladies like seeing their men in tuxes.”

“What the—” Marty’s staring at Phil’s phone. It buzzes on the table. Then buzzes again. And a third time. Marty reaches down and touches the screen, and though I can’t see any specifics from here, I can tell it’s a picture.

“What’s wrong?” Ivan asks him.

“Mother fucker!” Suddenly, Marty’s on his feet, racing across the hotel restaurant. Phil has just turned around with his coffee when Marty pulls back his fist and clocks him. “You son of a bitch!”

“What the fuck, man?” Phil’s coffee cup shatters on the floor and a few guests gasp.

Marty doesn’t respond, instead, lowering his shoulder and ramming it into Phil’s chest, pushing him backward until they go topping over the nearest table.

Phil is pushing at him, defending himself, but Marty is relentless.

Coach Vanek is on his feet, yelling for them to knock it off, but they’re oblivious.

“You’re fucking my wife!” Marty yells. “You homewrecking piece of shit—I’m going to end your sorry ass!”

“Fuck you!” Phil yells back. “You’re a shitty husband. She needs a real man to take care of her!”

Marty nails him in the jaw, and I see a splatter of blood.

“Fuck!” Gabe’s on his feet chasing after Jensen, who’s the biggest guy on the team.

“Come on, stop it.” Jensen tries to grab Marty’s arm but he’s running on fury and slips away, catching Phil in the stomach with his knee.

“Stop it!” Coach Vanek grabs for Phil, but Marty’s unstoppable right now. Swinging, kicking, cursing, and making a huge spectacle in the restaurant. Someone’s called for security, but Jensen finally has Marty in a choke hold.

“Come on, man, he’s not worth going to jail for,” he growls.

“Motherfucker!” Marty tries to swing again, but Coach and Ivan have pulled Phil out of his reach.

“Jesus,” I breathe, grimacing as the scene continues to unfold.

“She never wanted kids!” Phil yells. “But you knocked her up anyway. Three fucking times. She hates you!”

“That seems to drain the fight out of Marty, and he wilts against Jensen, his eyes blazing with a combination of hurt and disbelief.

“That’s right.” Phil shakes off Coach and glares at him. “She’s just been waiting for the right time to tell you. She wanted to wait until the season was over, but fuck that. She’s leaving you now, and she’s going to be with me.”

Marty appears shellshocked, no longer fighting or anything else.

He’s just staring at Phil.

“Shut the hell up,” Coach Vanek hisses. “You realize this whole god damn thing is being recorded, right? All your dirty laundry is about to hit the internet. So shut your fucking mouths and get up to my room. Now. Or you’re both suspended.”

Jensen walks with Marty while Gabe nudges Phil.

“Whose side are we on?” Connor whispers to me.

“I’m pretty sure we side with the guy who didn’t cheat, ruin a family, or embarrass himself in front of the team and this entire restaurant.”

Connor nods. “Jesus. Does this happen a lot in hockey?”

“More than you’d probably expect.”

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