Page 14 of Puck it Off

I'm still not sure how Maggie got the goats from the goat yoga class to head butt us in the junk, but they do. We've had to be careful when we attend the goat yoga class. It's been entertainment for our teammates as more and more of them have started attending Maggie's classes for the show.

Which is fine with us. It makes Maggie happy to have a full class, and seeing Maggie happy is all we want.

The puck bunnies still line up after every game, waiting to bag themselves a hockey player. I wish they would get it through their heads—we're not interested. As most of the players on our team feel, puck bunnies have lost their appeal.

During the last three months, we've lost our head coach and his two assistant coaches, to the Minnesota Norse hockey team and gained a new female head coach, who we're waiting to talk to for our weekly small group meeting.

I glance at Zander and Owen sitting in our new coach's office as we wait for Coach Wynn. We're a sorry bunch with our long faces and somber demeanor. "Maybe it's time to leave Maggie alone." I break the silence, saying what I know we're all thinking. "We've played like shit for the last few months because Maggie has us tied in knots. It's not fair to her or us to continue like this."

"I was thinking the same thing." Owen grips the back of his neck in frustration. A look I've come to know well over the last few weeks.

"We can't give up on her!" Zander jumps out of his chair like a man possessed. "She's ours. But fuck you both if you don't want to fight for her."

"Gentlemen. Calm down." Coach Wynn strolls into the office, closing the door behind her. "Whatever is bothering you, we can work it out. Because whatever it is, it's affecting your play on the ice." She takes a seat behind her desk, clasping her hands in front of her on the desk. "Now, who wants to begin?" She motions for Zander to take his seat, which he does, crossing his arms over his chest.

I glance from Owen to Zander. They both nod, giving me their approval to tell the coach about Maggie. I spill my guts to her, telling her every little detail as Zander and Owen jump in with details of their own.

"Okay. Wow, that's a lot of information in a short amount of time. So, let's unpack it one at a time." She dissects each conversation inch by inch, but it still doesn't make sense.

Finally, after we think there is zero hope of understanding Maggie's issue with us, Coach Wynn pieces something together we never thought of. "Could Maggie have overheard you saying one and done about the game with Chicago and thought you were talking about her?"

That's it!

Maggie had to have overheard that conversation and thought we were talking about her. "Coach, you're a genius." I push myself out of the chair and head for the door. "Come on, guys. Let's go get our woman." Owen and Zander follow me to the door, but before we can leave, Coach Wynn calls out to us.

"Now wait a minute gentleman. She might not want the three of you, so be prepared to let her go if that's her choice. But it has to be that—her choice. Plus, the team needs you to be at the top of your game, especially with our goalie issues."

Coach Wynn's right—we have a dick for a starting goalie. Rumor has it, he's being replaced soon by a female goalie from the minor league.

Hey if the Minnesota Norse can have a female hockey player, so can we. Beside it shouldn't matter if it's a guy or a girl as long as they're a good player who's not a dick.

"We know Coach." Owen glances at Zander before continuing. "We won't do anything to force her into something she doesn't want." Zander opens his mouth like he wants to argue only to have Owen grab his arm. "We're going to let her go and move on with our lives if she doesn't want us." Zander begins to struggle, trying to free his arm from Owen's grip. "But if she gives any indication, she wants us, nothing in Heaven or Hell will stop us from claiming her. Understood?" Owen shifts his gaze between Zander and me as we nod in agreement. "Good. Now, that that's settled, we'll see you on the ice later, Coach."

fourteen

Maggie

"Maggie!"Adeepfamiliarvoice calls from the front of my yoga studio.

Damn, I left the door unlocked again. It's Friday night—the night I always close early since most people are going out on dates instead of doing yoga.

Now because of my lack of securing the door properly, I'll have to deal with Owen, Zander, and Reece.

It's the first time since that first night, we've been alone in my studio. My nipples tighten and my panties dampen at the thought of that night.

I wonder if it's too late to hide in my apartment.

"There you are." Three handsome faces pop into my office doorway. "We need to talk." Owen steps in first as the other two conveniently block my escape route. "We never meant to hurt you." Owen begins. "When we said one and done, we were talking about the hockey game with the Chicago Kraken, not you. We love you, Maggie May. We want to spend the rest of our lives with you—if you'll have us."

This can't be real. I must be dreaming. "You don't mean that." I push away from my desk moving farther away from their temptation.

"We do mean it. Maggie." Reece pushes past Owen.

"Every word of it." Zander adds, popping around Reece's shoulder.

"You love me?" The reality of what they're saying sets in, and I can't believe I've been a fool for so long.

"Of course we love you." Owen's says as they each take turns kissing my lips.

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