Page 7 of Faking the Shot

Zac bit back a smile as Ainsley’s co-star boyfriend stood up, glaring at Logan until their teammate threw up his hands and said loudly, “Can’t blame a man for trying.”

“Oh, we can,” Diana murmured.

“The dude has no clue,” Drew said.

“If you’re talking about Johansen then he needs Jesus,” Chris said, finally joining their conversation. “Just like you do, Drew.”

“Hey.”

“Come on. You know you once believed. God’s on your case, my friend. Just like he was on Zac’s.”

“Whoa.” Drew turned to him. “You’re a God-botherer now, too?”

“I prefer the term Christian,” he mumbled, shooting raised eyebrows at Chris, who seemed oblivious to what he’d just spilled.

Sure, he was learning he was supposed to be admitting his newfound faith, but he had thought he’d have more time to figure out how to admit to it, rather than being shoved into the deep end like this.Thanks, Chris.

“Wow. Why?” Drew asked. “I thought you had it all.”

Obviously he didn’t. “Something was still missing,” he admitted.

Chris and Diana had explained about a lot of stuff in recent months, ever since he’d first started asking questions when his Stanley Cup ring and MVP trophy at the NHL awards hadn’t filled the hollow space within. He’d been sure they would, but… no. He still felt as empty as before. Which was scary for a hockey player who’d seen his name mentioned alongside some of the greats, like Gretzky, Crosby, and Karlsson. What was wrong with him that the epitome of success in hockey no longer satisfied?

For as long as he’d been playing in Vancouver he’d always noticed how Chris Thomas had a kind of peace about him. Sure, the man was rough as broken bricks sometimes, and his kids seemed like they’d come from a different planet, but despite the pressures in his life he still seemed to own an inner calm Zac had envied. So he’d angled an invitation or two to get to know him, which had led to conversations that had quickly plunged much deeper than he’d ever experienced before. Which then led to an introduction to the other guys in the online Bible study, which was how he’d gotten to know Calgary’s Mike and Franklin, Winnipeg’s Luc, Edmonton’s Ryan Guillemette and San Jose’s Jai Mullins. They’d welcomed him, answered his questions, seemed honest and forthright, and celebrated when he finally gave his heart to the Lord, as Diana Thomas put it, last month. Since then his life had been a wild ride. The rush of a spiritual high. Then grappling with practical truths. Like, a growing certainty that God didn’t want him looking at women like he had before, and cleaning up his mouth, and learning to be more generous with the many blessings of his life.

Which was part of why he’d agreed to come tonight. He’d grown up next door to a man who had killed his wife, and he’d never forgotten the raw looks on the kids’ faces when they’d been escorted away by police. When he’d gotten his first NHL contract, he’d tracked them down to where they were staying with grandparents and sent anonymous gifts, but that always felt like too little too late.

Tonight’s fundraiser, supporting research into why domestic violence occurred and fundraising for services to stop it happening further, felt like a good thing, even a God thing, which was what he’d tried to explain. Until Chris had looked at him with a tilted head and said he felt like maybe God had more for him at this event than merely raising money. That maybe Zac should trust God with some of the bigger questions he had, like how to find a woman who wasn’t into him for his fame or money or the perks of being associated with one of the NHL’s supposed superstars. That Zac should pray and ask God to bring along that kind of woman and then—how had Chris put it? That’s right—step out in faith and trust that God would bring her along at the right time. Just as God had for Mike, Jai, Franklin, Ryan and now Luc, with his dancer girlfriend, who Chris had teased would probably become his fiancée by the new year.

And sure, Zac was a new believer, but this stepping out in faith thing seemed a step too far. He liked statistics, measurable goals, knowing where he was going, what he could see. Which made trusting in Someone he couldn’t see a little hard to swallow sometimes. Until the alternative—that his life was ultimately meaningless unless there was a God who was bigger than himself—had shown just how much he longed to have this world make sense, even when there was a lot still to learn. Like how to share his newfound faith.

Logan returned, his disappointment plain.

“Someone struck out, huh?” Drew teased.

He sighed. “Man. She’s even more gorgeous up close, but her boyfriend told me to”—expletive—“off.”

Wow. Ainsley was going out with a man like that?

“Dude, watch your mouth,” Chris warned. “There are ladies present.”

“Ladies like Parotti,” Logan mumbled.

A sharp inhale went around the table. Zac could either ignore it, or make a stand.

He put his glass down and slowly faced Logan. Over the years he’d learned a few things about dealing with those with bullying or gaslighting tendencies. Few liked to repeat themselves—especially in company—as it tended to take much of the initial heat out of their rage. “Could you repeat that?”

“Look, you don’t drink, you don’t fight, you don’t go to strip joints—”

“Is that what makes a real man, is it?” Chris sneered. “Guess that means I’m not one either.”

“I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to him.” Logan stabbed a finger at Zac.

“Dude, you’re drunk. You need to go home,” Drew said.

“I’m not drunk.”

“You’re embarrassing yourself. You can’t say that stuff about Zac. He’s tough as nails, and we’ve all seen him with plenty of girls over the years.”

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