Page 205 of Skate the Line

Right down Sunny’s throat.

I lace my skates, tightening them with force.

She’s on my mind, amongst other things.

Do I tell her?

Is it going to scare her off?

Or does she feel it too?

The last time I was this bent out of shape over something was when I became a father. It was a life-changing event. Loving Sunny feels that way too.

I glance up at the sound of someone walking into the locker room. A man dressed in a suit stands with his hands on his hips, staring at us like we owe him something.

Emory shifts his attention to me, and being team captain, I take the mental shove and stand.

“Wrong locker room?” I flick my chin at the door he walked in. “Down the hall and make a left. That’s the visitor’s locker room.”

There’s a small cut on the bridge of his nose, and I briefly wonder if he’s been in a fight of some sort.

“I’m in the right place, Volkova.” With a quick glimpse around the locker room, gaining everyone’s attention, he says, “I’m Coach Tarvo.”

Oh.

Weird introduction, but alright.

I hold my hand out and wait for him to shake it. When he does, annoyance runs through me. His grip is firm. A little too firm.

“Welcome to Chicago.” My welcome is clipped, and though he is our new skills coach, I don’t appreciate his introduction.

Coach Jacobs comes out of his office just in time.

A remark is on the tip of my tongue, but it probably won’t sit well with Coach Tarvo, and it doesn’t set the best example for the team either.

“We'll meet you guys on the ice.” Coach Jacobs turns and directs Coach Tarvo to his office.

The door latches, and I stare at it long enough for Kane to slip beside me.

“I don’t get a good vibe from him.”

Emory, in his goalie gear, leads the guys out of the locker room, leaving me with Kane, Malaki, and Hayes.

Malaki snorts. “I can already tell this isn’t going to work out.”

“How?” Hayes asks, always attempting to be the mediator on the team.

“By the way Rhodes is staring at the door.”

I smooth my face and shake it off. “It’ll work out if he helps us win.” Though, I agree with Kane too, whichneverhappens. The vibe is off.

“Let’s get on the ice,” I say.

The feeling of unease stays with me until I catch sight of my girls.

Ellie and Sunny are smiling from the first row, opting to sit closer than usual for this game.

It was something that Sunny was originally against because she didn’t want the cameras on her, but with Ellie never in the spotlight anyway, one game shouldn’t hurt.

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