Page 65 of Ice Mechanic

I hunker lower in my seat.

“Do you plan on giving up and staying here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Of course not,” I say firmly.

“And you think April will leave her town, abandon her family and close down the shop she worked hard for so she can follow you to the city?”

I open my mouth and then slam it shut.

Derek straightens his shoulders and gives me a ‘that’s what I thought’look.

I give the fidget spinner another flick.

“You have enough on your plate without throwing women into the mix. Your team can’t even make the playoffs in theminors. I’ve seen the tapes.”

“This time is different. They have me.”

“Hockey’s not an individual sport.” He drills a finger into his temple. “Your teammates stripped you naked and hung you out to dry. Does that sound like a team that’ll be in sync on the ice?”

I lean back and stare out the window. “I have a plan to fix that.”

“What are you going to do?”

I let the expectant silence ring.

“At least give me a hint.”

“‘An eye for an eye’.” I watch him. “Isn’t that what you taught me?”

A slow, proud grin twists his lips. “That’s right. You’re Chance McLanely andno onemesses with you. If these chumps won’t like you, at least make them fear you.”

Tired of the conversation, I put away my spinner, slip my earbuds in and lean my head back.

But all I can see when I close my eyes is April’s hurt expression when she ran away from me in the hallway.

By now,everyone on the team knows my wardrobe malfunction was the work of The Wicked Wizards of the West—that’s my new name for Gunner, Renthrow, Watson, and Theilan.

It doesn’t escape my notice that the WWW become extra vigilant when I’m around. They startle when I pass by, are extra quiet when I enter a room, and they keep their gym bags nearby when they change in the showers.

They’re not the only ones holding their breaths.

Everyone on the team is tense.

They know payback is coming.

Watching the WWW squirm is its own delight. Power struggles were a regular part of life in the league and, as the New Guy, I constantly had to prove myself to establish my place on the hierarchy.

This time is different.

None of these guys intimidate me.

But theydoannoy me.

“Come on, come on, Renthrow!” I throw my arms up as the winger skates past me on the ice, acting like he doesn’t see me.

Unfortunately, while the WWW are keeping things low key off the ice,onthe ice, it’s a total mess. It’s the last day of our scrimmage and we still haven’t found our mojo.

I rush into position, my fingers clenched around my stick. Gunner looks over at me like he wants me to trip over my own skates, and I return the glare. Our rivalry, while obvious when we were doing in-house scrimmages, is like a giant, throbbingtoesticking out in the away games.

---