Page 102 of Perfect Playbook

To Logan, whose passion never ceased,

And who will be loved eternally.

My heart swells as I read it again. And again. And especially the last line. Once. Twice. Three times I read it, then I glance up at Shay, peering at her through the holes in my skeleton mask.

But her gaze is low, and she wraps her arm around Nino as if she’s anchoring herself, stopping her from floating away on a cloud of bashfulness that totally overcomes her. Because she’s, in her own Shay way, showing her cards. My heart batters my rib cage looking over at my two little skeletons. We’re in it till the end.

I drape my arm around her. “I love you, too, Shay.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Leavingmy favorite people behind wasn’t easy. I had to force myself off Shay and when I grabbed my protein shake to head off to the airport, I wanted nothing more than to stay and make Nino pancakes before school. He’d probably laughed and said his mom’s were better, but these were the urges I was having now. Every day. Multiple times a day.

Three days have passed. The Scorpions have managed to climb the leaderboard thanks to more goals than I’ve ever scored in back-to-back games. Maybe Coach was right. Maybe I needed sleep. Maybe I needed less drinking, partying, and distraction. But Iamdistracted. It’sjust that this one feeds intense focus, too. I’m doing it for all of us now. Not just me.

I’m almost back on my home stretch again. We showered, listened to coaches’ debriefs, and even Rosario has turned off his celebration beats in the locker room. I’m tying my laces on my sneakers, so fucking ready to get back on that plane, when Coach sticks his head through the locker room doors.

“Hunter.”

It’s Coach.

“Give me a minute?”

I tap Ashton’s side and follow him into a barren hallway. Fluorescent lights beat down. Coach leans his back against one of the walls, his head dropped.

This doesn’t feel good. I don’t know why or how I could have gotten myself into trouble, but trouble is coming.

He lets out a sigh and raises his head, lifts his cap off, scratches his bald dome, and replaces the cap. “I normally don’t override the processes around here…” He struggles with his words. “But I wanted to be the one to tell you instead of Reggie, and he’ll be getting word tomorrow.”

An ominous shadow looms between us and makes me shudder.

“Out of respect to you, and you have a brand-new wife and kid who I know can’t move school…” He draws his lips into a thin line. “I wanted you to know from me… I actually changed my mind about you. You’ve been playing stronger than ever since settling down. It’s not your performance. It’s not you at all, Hunter. With Dane retiring we’ve had a chance to bid for Greason…”

Greason. One of the top defenders in the NHL. A veryexpensivetop player.

“Salary caps. It’s the goddamn salary caps that fuck us over every time,” he grumbles.

“Coach. Just spit it out.” I think better of my tone, that’s not the kind of cowboy my mom raised. “Respectfully, of course. Sir.”

Coach’s bloodshot blue eyes lock with mine, but he doesn’t say what I know he needs to.

I do it for him. “I’m getting traded.”

I’m met with a somber nod.

My head falls. “Traded…” I say more to myself than to him.

I can’t believe this. Everything has been perfect. I bought my dream home in Starlight Canyon. I filled it with my dream wife and a perfect son. Even the cat nearly likes me now. And I can’t move them. I can’t. I know Shay won’t leave her dad, and Antonio’s situation is unique and not something we can cart around the country hoping every school can cater to.

“It’s not this season, though,” he explains, “so you’ll be able to play out with Dane. I know that’s important to you boys.”

“End of season?” My words are grim.

“End of season.” He nods.

My stomach crumbles down my legs, and they go all tingly. I’ve got till April, maybe May in Starlight Canyon. It will go too fast. It’s not enough time.

“I’m sorry, Hunter. I really, really am. Honestly, my preference would be to have you and Greason play together, but we can’t spend on you both. We got goddamn money coming out of our ears spending it on stupid bullshit instead of players. I know the caps are for the good of the league and to encourage better competition, but you’re notthe first player I had to reluctantly trade because the budget couldn’t expand.”

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