Page 56 of Cross-Checked

I lead by example, not just in the locker room, but when we take the ice. It’s a textbook-perfect game on my part, and after my hat trick—the one that AJ had said it’d been too long since she’d seen—I look for her in the stands and find her standing right behind the bench like she so often is.

She’s not celebrating like she was when I scored in the last game. Instead, she’s narrowing her eyes on me, like she’s trying to figure out why I’m on fire tonight.

I raise both eyebrows at her and think:Maybe I just found my good luck charm.

Chapter Twenty-Two

McCabe

I’m nursing my third and final beer of the night, when AJ finally responds to the text I sent her an hour ago.

McCabe

You doing okay? Need anything?

Sunshine

I’m fucking fantastic.

I tap on the photo that comes through. It appears to be a glass bottle, shattered in a puddle of liquid on a tile floor.

Sunshine

How about you?

McCabe

What happened?

Sunshine

I was trying to open this bottle of makeup remover one-handed, and it slipped and broke. Now I’m cleaning it up with a towel.

McCabe

Need help?

Sunshine

No, I’ve got it. I’m just frustrated that I STILL can’t use my damn hand.

McCabe

It’s been three days. You heard the doctor, you need to give it time to heal.

Sunshine

Easy for you to say. You’re not the one trying to do everything one-handed.

I glance up then, and the entire table of my teammates are staring back at me.

“What?”

“Dude,” Zach laughs. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

He and Drew exchange a glance. “You were just so lost in whatever message you were sending that when the waitress came up and asked if you wanted another beer”—he nods toward my almost empty pint glass on the table—“you didn’t even acknowledge her.”

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