Page 111 of Brace and Chase

It’s not looking great. They have good enough synergybetween them, but when they defend in front of Bear they don’t workwithhim, mostly they just get in the way.

It’s only been half an hour, and I can see dread start to take over the mood. But then the assistant coach calls Laney over to the bench, and instead of keeping the drills going, everybody stops when he walks down the tunnel and out of sight.

“Get back to work,” I snap at the babies.

All of them are acting like babies, and I won’t have that. I haven’t broken my back for more than a decade to see this team fail now that we have the best team in the league. These guys are the best of the best in their age range, and they’re acting like they don’t know shit.

“What is wrong with you Jacobs?” I shout at him. “I saw you pass better when you were in the Juniors, come on!”

I feel bad for the kid because he only fumbles harder with his stick then.

I sigh and look around.

Am I the problem? Still?

After getting the team’s mood back to what it was last year I thought I was done fucking things up, but now...

I see Laney come back out and someone is with him. When the shadows get clearer I see it’s someone dressed in full gear.

“Who’s that?” I hear Spiderman grumble next to me.

“I do not know,” I tell him. “But you go play withJacobs and Wills. Make sure they learn your rhythm better this time.”

“Timmy?” comes a screech from the other side of the ice. As one we all turn to Benny, and see him start to fly down the ice at full speed to the opening of the tunnel. “Timmy Daniels,” he shouts again, more gleeful than surprised.

My mouth drops open.

He’s wearing a Pirates sweater, all decked out like he’s...

“Gab traded for him?” Milkman says in wonder on Spiderman’s other side. “I hope she didn’t trade me,” he grumbles.

My mind was already going there.

I don’t think she would’ve traded Milkman, but if the day’s events—and really her attitude all season—are anything to go by, I’m the one who’s on the cutting board.

With that thought, all the blood drains from my face.

The only reason I don’t fall on my face is because Spiderman grabs my arm.

THIRTY-THREE

SWEETHEART

I think longand hard about what Gab benching Nik means.

Then if I add what she asked of me before the season started, it gets even more complicated.

Even an hour after he left, I still can’t make sense of it.

Itdoesn’tmake sense.

That’s what’s so confusing.

If I know anything about Gab Darnell it’s that the woman is logical and way more intelligent than I am. But what reason could she possibly have to bench Nik when the league didn’t demand it?

Because the league wouldn’t demand it of her.

It was a brutal beating, yes, but that happens every second game in this league. It’s nothing new.

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