Page 13 of Breakaway to You

Any resistance I had seeped out of me. She made a good point.

“How did you become so wise?” I teased.

She shrugged. “It comes naturally to me.”

We laughed and my heart felt happy.

See? I didn’t need anything or anyone else in my life. I was happy being single, working my dream job, and living with my sister.

And though I could understand that my sister wanted me to be open minded to a future relationship one day, I wasn’t ready for that. I didn’t know if I’d ever be. If life had taught me anything it was that relationships were tumultuous things that always left you broken-hearted and full of regrets. And it wasn’t just my relationship with Jordan that proved my theory was true. My dad had had to watch my mom walk away from him and his two daughters. I might have been too young to remember her leaving us, but that experience had clung to him like a shadow all his life.

Love was a powerful emotion, and I wouldn’t let it take control of me again. Not even for an attractive, flirty, hockey player who made me smile and made my heart race.

Chapter6

Zeke

Iheld a half empty drink in my hand, swishing the amber liquid around. The golden color was hypnotizing as I watched it go around in circles, and I wondered why I was even sitting here. If I wasn’t going to go out with the team to celebrate our win, I should have headed on up to my room to go to bed.

Back in my heyday, I had always partied with the team, especially after an away game. The win at an away game always tasted a little sweeter. Tonight’s win had been a sweet victory as well, but my days of hanging out with the team were in the past. I’d had to learn the hard way that when you got too close to your teammates it had made it that much harder when you got traded. My contract with the Wolves was only for a year—what was the point of working on team camaraderie? I’d be lucky to be on this team next season. Heck, I’d be lucky if I got on any team next season.

I lifted the glass to my lips, letting the liquid burn down my throat. If only it could burn away the loneliness that settled around me like a cloak. Knowing that more lonely days were waiting ahead of me, once I didn’t have hockey to fill my time, had me tossing back my drink until there was nothing left.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, figuring it was probably a spam call since not many people called me these days.

To my surprise, Crew’s name appeared on the screen.

I answered the call. “Crew Freaking Anderson.”

His low chuckle came through the line. “How’s The Zeke Man?”

See? People really did call me that.

“Oh, you know me,” I answered, trying to put more enthusiasm in my voice than I felt. “Just living the dream.”

“I watched your game tonight. You guys looked great,” he said. “Are you sure I’m not interrupting your celebration?”

Of course he would assume I was out with the team.

“No. I stepped away,” I lied. “You’re good.”

For some reason, I didn’t want to tell him I was sitting by myself in the hotel lobby.

“Just wanted to see how you were holding up. New season, new team.”

Crew had been calling me more recently, but I figured it was because he had more time on his hands now that he was retired. That and now that he was acting like a father figure for Addie’s son, Tyler, maybe he felt the need to watch out for me. But I didn’t need him worrying about me. I was good. Just like always.

“Doing good,” I said. “The team is great. I like the coaches. Happy to still be playing.” Short answers let me keep my real feelings hidden.

Crew and I had been best friends growing up, and he knew me better than anyone else. Which wasn’t hard when I didn’t really have anyone else in my life.

“C’mon, Zeke. I know you’re holding out on me. You sound like a robot.”

I let out a sigh and raked my fingers through my hair. So much for hiding my feelings.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” I let myself sound tired, no longer pretending. “I’m an older man trying to play a younger man’s sport. Things are different than they used to be. Back then, everything was easy. Now, nothing is.”

“I know,” he said, and he really did. “But you’re still getting lots of ice time, so that’s a good thing. But you have to realize you can’t play hockey forever.”

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