Page 19 of Brace and Chase

I open my mouth to apologize for our weirdness—not the first time and it won’t be the last—but he looks over and smiles instantly.

“Oh, hey. Wow, you’re a big group.”

“Hey,” I hear my youngest cousin Travis say weakly.

“Uh, this is my family,” I say, pretty uselessly, and even sweep a hand around. His piercing dark eyes swing over to me with that same relaxed smile still in place, and I have to swallow hard to get over the nerves. “And I’m Cha?—”

“Charlie Heart,” he says, nodding. “I know.” He chuckles lightly and looks down to the baby in his arms. I see then that he or she has their eyes closed and I pray that no one wakes them. “I’m so pumped that you came to play for the Pirates,” he tells me. His voice wants to be a whisper but doesn’t quite manage it.

“Me too,” I tell him, because I have no idea what else I’m supposed to say right now.

The door swings open again, and Mater comes in, followed closely by Jules. My new captain’s face lights up like a sold-out arena when he sees his husband and it clicks then. In my brain.

It’s because of them.

I look back at my uncle Enzo and his husband of twelve years. I can see the impact Jules and Sterling had on them as plain as day. I can see how lives can be changed when people stand up and say who they are loudly and proudly.

And suddenly I forget my worries over Brotnik.

It doesn’t matter.

I’m still going to do my best to mend things there, but I’m not going to jeopardize my shot to be part of such an historic group of men for one surly bastard. There are more important things in the world.

I enjoythe hell out of my family for the two daysthey spend in the city I’ll call home for the next year, and then I get back to work with blinders on.

I did manage to carve out thirty minutes with my brothers during that time, to tell them about theincidentwith Brotnik. To say they were livid would be an understatement, but I made it clear I only needed to talk to someone about it. I don’t need them to do anything, just support me silently.

After they leave, I have a second conversation with Gab that goes eerily similar to our previous conversation. She assures me she’s got a handle on things and I shouldn’t push Brotnik for now even though I want to. I want to know what the fuck his problem is, but keeping the peace, making sure no one outside the facility finds out about it, and winning games is more important.

We go on a nine-day roadie basically all over, starting in Dallas and ending in Edmonton. We lose half the games, and the vibe all around isn’t too great. I get the feeling that everyone’s feeling the tension pulsing from Brotnik, and I can’t be sure of course, but I feel like he’s usually different when on the road and hanging out with the team.

Every time I catch one of the guys looking at him, it’s with concern.

It’s a good thing, I suppose, that I don’t detect any kind of anger or resentment. I think everyone truly cares for him, which is why I can’t really feel any resentment for the distance everybody keeps from me. Just enough to be noticable, but again, nothing new for me.

I practice hard, work out harder, and play like it’s a duel to the death every game so no one can really complain about me, but I’m still not really welcome.

I’m not invited to any outings after the games while we’re on the road, and the only time someone talks to me is on the ice or when Laney is giving out instructions.

I have enough things to fill my time, though.

Getting into shape is one of those. It doesn’t matter if I’ve been able to hold my own on the ice, that’s never been enough for me.

I prefer to dominate. The rush of it is unlike anything else and the only true glory I’ve known as a professional hockey player.

In order to be the best defenseman on the ice again I have to put in the work.

All those months where I was retired I barely went to the gym, I barely watched what I ate, and I sure as fuck didn’t skate every day until I felt my lungs would collapse at any second.

So yeah, there’s been an adjustment period for sure. I spend more time than anyone on the ice at the practice rink, in the gym, or with our PT making sure everything’s in order.

It’s impossible not to notice, though, how out of his way Brotnik goes to ignore my existence. He turns to give me his back, and whenever I enter a room he leaves it if he can. And don’t even get me started on the way he treats me whenwe’re practicing. As far as he’s shown, I’m actually invisible to him.

I prefer that to being attacked for asking him if he’s okay, but I also know that something’s gonna give eventually.

When we get back to Vegas I even start to appreciate my house and how it feels close enough to a home thanks to all the little touches from my mom. Having a few memories of my family in the house also helps, sincehome is where a Heart is, as Yoyo, my grandfather always says.

Two days after getting back, I invite Michelle and Kelly over for dinner. To thank them for the heavenly fucking apple pie they made me, I make them Lala’s lasagna, and I can’t deny I preened at their praise. Of course I called my grandmother to tell her of my victory in the kitchen and she was as happy as I was.

---