Page 55 of Stick Play

“Seems nothing was getting by you tonight.” He cocks his head and there’s a gleam in his eyes and I’m not even sure I want to hear what he’s thinking.

Theo walks over. “Who’s the chick in the stands that he couldn’t take his eyes off?”

My blood instantly boils as that asshole smirks at me. I get along with almost all the guys on the team and some of us are closer than others, but Theo Wagner is a fucking womanizing pig.

“None of your fucking business and have some respect.”

He laughs and lets out a low, slow whisper. “Respect, that coming from you, Ash-hole?”

My fingers curl into fists. “What did you fucking say to me?”

“You think putting your dick in a single mom is going to help your image, Ash-hole? Wait until the media gets a hold of this. They’ll spin that shit in a direction that will send your head spinning.”

I turn to him, about to pound him against the lockers, but Elias steps in. So does Kalen Coolidge. Kalen has only been on the team a couple years, and he’s mostly quiet, until someone he cares about might get hurt.

“Go fuck off, Theo,” Elias barks out, and Kalen crosses his arms in a show of strength and support.

Theo holds his hands up. “Hey, just looking out for you, buddy. Hate to see you slammed on socials, again.”

“None of this is your business,” I toss back and his face hardens.

“It’s my business when you get traded.” He glances at the guys. “It’s all our business when you get traded and we have to break in a new guy. You made one good play tonight, but mostly you’ve been playing like shit.”

“I can’t remember the last time you brought anything to the ice,” Gunther points out, coming to my aid.

As they toss barbs back and forth I shake my head. Looks like Theo believed Liza’s lies, and that’s not a surprise. They were spotted out together a couple of times after she threw me under the bus. The relationship must have fizzled out—maybe being with him didn’t get her enough Insta likes—because he’s back on the bunny circuit again. Too bad really, they were made for each other.

“You good?” Noah asks, as Gunther shoves Theo away, before I get a chance to destroy him. I don’t like him talking about Gina like that. Yeah, I’m overprotective of my friends, all my friends, even the one who is friends with benefits, and maybe more so. Jesus.

“I’m good.” I tug off my clothes, grab a towel from my locker, and wrap it around my waist.

“We’re heading to Kilting Around?” Noah asks. “Grab a beer before we head out this weekend?”

“Sounds like a good idea to me.”

“Will Gina be joining us?” he asks in such a casual manner—so casual, it’s clear he’s trying to cover for something, so I turn back to him.

“No.” I study his face as I harden mine. “She has Zoe. Tomorrow is a school day.”

“Right, Zoe. I saw her in your jersey next to your dad and Camryn.” A small smile touches my mouth and I quickly wipe it away. Noah grins again. “You’ve got something on your mind, Jonesburger?”

We start walking to the showers. “No, it’s just that Camryn and Tate had a lot of fun with you guys when we were in the Caribbean. They told me all about the sledding, your broken nose…”

“It wasn’t broken,” I grumble.

“They loved the sleepovers and cutting up your clothes.”

“Gina came to take care of Dad and they had nothing to sleep in. What was I going to do? We had no choice.” Oh, so many excuses, that I’m not sure my buddy believes anything I’m saying.

He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Real good of you to step in and help like that.”

I eye him and know he’s got a lot more on his mind. Hell, Brady warned me about getting into trouble when I had dinner at his place, but then again, it wasn’t a warning, was it? He said he thought it could help my image. I think Coach might see things differently.

I shrug. “Gina was in a bind. She had too many kids on her hands when her staff was off sick, during a snowstorm. Two of those kids were your kids. I did it for you, bud.”

“Oh, you did it for me, did you?”

Tanner Bang, who knitted us all mitts for Christmas one year—he even knits on the buses and the planes when we head to away games—comes along. “Hey, heard you’re Gina’s manny.”

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