Page 65 of On Ice

I laugh gruffly. “I’m a little thrown by this, if I’m honest, Coach. None of you even knew about my… relationship… with Barone until this thing with my mom.” I hate pretending that what Luca and I have is a real relationship, but Coach needs to back off. “That fact alone should prove I haven’t been getting any special treatment. The guys would have noticed if I was. Nothing has changed about my skating or anything else related to my job.”

“You were definitely distracted today.”

“Yeah, I was. That’s because I’m worried about my mom, not because of anything to do with Barone.” Obviously that’s a huge lie, but it’s necessary. “I earned my position as captain of this team. I’m not looking for any special anything. I didn’t even know Barone before he bought the team. I got where I got with hard work before I ever met the guy.”

“I know that, Evan.” Coach rubs the back of his neck. “I’m not trying to imply you don’t deserve your position. I’m just concerned for you. I don’t mean to undermine the hard work you’ve put into your career.”

“I appreciate that.” I really do appreciate that he cares. But it’s best if he doesn’t look too closely at this situation. I’m trying hard to keep myself alive and I don’t need Coach and his good intentions to make things harder on me. “But there’s no reason to be worried. I know what I’m doing. Barone and I are just having some fun.”

“Fun, huh?” He sighs and glances around uneasily. “Do you know who he is, kid? I only ask because I didn’t at first. I just thought he was a business man. He’s a lot more than that. He’s… he’s a dangerous man, Evan.”

You have no idea, Coach.

I pray none of Luca’s men are hovering in the arena listening to our conversation. I can see Luca sending spies to make sure I behave. I don’t want anything to happen to Coach just because he’s trying to protect me. I meet his worried gaze. “I do know who he is, yeah.”

“And that’s okay with you?” Coach looks shocked. Maybe even a little disappointed in me.

I swallow hard. “Look, there’s a good side to him too. You can’t believe everything you hear about him.” I practically choke on those words, but they’re designed solely to keep coach safe.

His gray eyes flicker and I’m sure he thinks I’m a naïve fool. “I suppose that’s true,” he says agreeably although he’s still watching me like I’m a lamb about to be slaughtered. “Everyone has some good in them.”

“I don’t plan on marrying the guy.” I try to laugh but it’s more of a croak. “We might not even keep seeing each other much longer. It’s casual. I’m not envisioning anything long-term with him.” I have no idea how long I’ll be stuck with Luca in my life. If it were up to me he’d already be a distant memory. My goal here is to reassure Coach, keep my head down, and get through this nightmare by playing great hockey.

“I’m glad to hear it’s nothing serious.” He looks slightly relieved. “You deserve a better man than Barone. I’m sure deep down, you know that.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, sir. I mean it.” I force a smile. It’s hard to be mad at this impromptu lecture because Coach reminds me a lot of my dad. “Family excluded, all I really care about is hockey. You know that.”

He nods, giving a wry smile. “Good. Because I think we have a real shot at getting in the playoffs this year. We don’t need any distractions. The eighth-place team, Providence Admirals, lost their last game. That means we moved into eighth place. We have real momentum and I don’t want anything to interfere with that.”

“Amen.” It’s a relief that Luca no longer needs me to throw games. That’s one small victory I got out of this mess. And while I dislike Luca, with him pumping his money into our organization, we truly do have a shot at the playoffs this year. “We’re just going to keep moving up.”

“From your lips to God’s ears.” He smiles.

“So, are we good?” I ask.

“We’re good.” He sighs. “The other guys don’t know who Barone is. I think we should keep it that way, don’t you?” Coach rubs his jaw. “If they know about Barone, it might underminetheir enthusiasm, and right now they’re excited at all the stuff he’s promised us. Hopefully, he’ll come through.”

“So far he’s kept his word.” I’m not thrilled about defending Luca, but to be fair, he has already begun doing many of the things he promised. The game on Saturday is an away game and flights have already been booked because it’s over four hours away by car.

He slaps my back, giving me a sheepish smile. “Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now. You’re a big boy and I’ll just have to trust your judgement. I’m glad your mom is doing better. See you tomorrow at practice.”

“You bet.” I head into the locker room, relieved Coach seemed reassured by my lies. I hate having to lie, but it’s a necessary evil.

The guys are showering, changing, and heading out. Normal post-practice routine. Nobody seems that curious about what the coach wanted to talk to me about. I’m thankful for their disinterest, and hope maybe I can let my guard down a little, but then I find Noah waiting by my stall. He’s already showered and dressed, and it’s obvious he’s planted himself near my spot so I can’t sneak out.

“Hey, Noah,” I say gruffly.

“Hey,” he responds, watching me as I sit and begin unlacing my skates. “I was really worried about you, man. You just vanished without a word.”

“I know.” Guilt and anxiety twist in my gut. “Sorry I didn’t call you.” I keep my eyes down, pretending to be focused on my skates. “I was so stressed out about Mom, I just forgot.”

Noah is quiet for a few moments, then he squats down on his haunches beside me. His gaze is earnest as he studies me. “I’ve tried giving you space, hoping you’d tell me what’s happening with you, but it’s not working. I need to know what the hell is really going on.”

“You know what’s going on,” I say lamely. “Mom had a health scare.”

“Really dude? It’s me. You think I’m going to buy that weak-ass story you’re telling everyone else?”

I tense and meet his worried gaze. It’s on the tip of my tongue to lie, but then I swallow those words. Noah and I are too tight for me to lie straight to his face. I let out a long, tired sigh. “I can’t tell you everything that’s going on, and that’s for your safety.”

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