Page 90 of Playing to Win

“Well, yeah. I told you we were dating for real now.”

“Hmmm. She’s lucky to have someone who loves her that much. Hey, you want a drink?”

I blinked.Love her?Faith was taking this too far. Love was…fuck. She was probably right. I was in love with Jayna, and who knew if she could ever love me? Meanwhile, Faith was watching me.

“Mitchell?”

“Ah, sure. Water?”

Faith stood again and moved to the kitchen. “Come on over to the island.” She pulled a notepad and pen out of a drawer and set them on the counter. “We’ve got work to do.”

“Work?”

“I like you, Braydon. I like the way you understand Jayna and care about her. So yeah, let’s see if we can come up with a way to help her.”

Chapter27

Starting to believe

Jayna

Braydon didn’t askme to come to another game. I avoided even the Blaze games on TV. I could watch the other playoff series, but when I tried to embrace the idea of the Blaze and Braydon something rebelled inside. I was angry at the team for making me get involved with Braydon and then taking my job away because I did. But letting that anger out wouldn’t be productive, so I took deep breaths and broadened my job search to places outside Toronto.

I checked our women’s hockey league offices—they were in New York, but maybe we could work out something remote. They didn’t have any openings, but I sent in my CV anyway. Nothing ventured…

I wasn’t sure about trying other NHL teams. The Blaze had left a sour taste in my mouth. Anxiety over my dwindling bank balance made me twitchy. My absolute last resort plan was to go back to Brandon. My parents could get me some cushy job in their firm, or with some of their friends. But I’d rather sell burgers than that.

I expanded my job search to include any work I could remotely be considered qualified for, no matter what it was.

I was holed up in my room, calculating how many hours of overtime I’d have to work at minimum wage to pay for food and rent, when I heard voices in the apartment. Megan must have someone over. I tried to get back into the tax deductions on that minimum wage job but my door slammed open.

Megan and Faith were in the hallway.

“Good. You’re in sweats. Let’s go, Tempo.” Faith was in boss mode.

I frowned. “Go where?”

“We’re going to the gym.”

I hadn’t gone for days. I’d lost my motivation after I got the news about my knee. I looked down. Yeah, sweats, but they were pretty gross. I hadn’t showered since…well, since a couple of days ago when I’d been with Braydon.

“I don’t know—” I started.

Faith stepped in and closed my laptop. “We’re not asking. This is an intervention.”

* * *

At the gym,they dragged me over to the heavy bag.

“We don’t use this. Why now?”

Megan and Faith ignored me and instead grabbed my hands to put gloves on.

I flexed my knee—it was good, but I hadn’t warmed up yet. “Shouldn’t we stretch first?”

Faith crossed her arms. “The Blaze fucked you over.”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

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