Page 22 of Rebel Secrets
ChapterSeven
Rebel
As Erin passed by me,my jaw locked into place against the words that wanted to push past.
What the fuck was wrong with me?
Erin and I didn’t do heartfelt conversations, but for a few seconds there, I’d almost confessed something I hadn’t even talked to Rowdy or Rain or my parents about.
I wasn’t sure I was going back to the Redtails.
And it wasn’t because I’d played like shit.I hadn’t it was just…
Damn it, this was part of why I was here tonight.To get out of my head.I spent way too much time in it lately.But the conversation in the bookstore was a lot louder than I’d been expecting.There were a lot more people here than I thought there’d be.
Silently following Erin across the room, I set the chairs next to the ones she’d brought in and when she turned her to smile at me, her gaze didn’t meet mine.
“Thanks.I’m just gonna…”
Then she turned and scurried in the opposite direction.Like she wanted to be far away from me.
Shit.
“Hey, Reb.It’s good to see you, man.The Redtails played a hell of a season.You guys should be proud.”
Bobby “Bonesaw” Brassard had come up behind me while I watched Erin walk away.I turned to see him stop at my side with a huge smile on his broad face.Towering over me, he grabbed my hand for a shake before he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me so tight, I swore I heard my bones creak.
He was one of the few people who wasn’t afraid to get into my personal space.His face only inches from mine, he put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a little shake.
Now thirty-three, Bobby had always said he wouldn’t quit playing hockey until he couldn’t bend over to tie his skates.He loved the game, but the game had been hard on him.He’d broken his nose more than a couple of times, had broken several bones in various parts of his body and had what could’ve been career-ending ligament surgery.It’s the last one that’d put the coffin nail in his NHL career, at least publicly.Privately, it’d been the cocaine.
Bobby had been with the Devils since the moment he stepped out of rehab.My pop made contact and signed him.And he’d never left.
“Thanks.That last one was a tough series.”
“Yeah, but you got there, and you kicked ass.You made us all proud, man.”
That knot in my gut got tighter with every word, but I kept the smile on my face.
“Thanks.Appreciate it.”
“The Redtails went on a really good run.Too damn bad they didn’t make is all the way to the end,” goalie Kaden Felix added.
I was surprised to see Kaden, but the shocker was Reid Wellar.The young hothead didn’t strike me as a reader, but then some people would say the same about me.I know Erin had been surprised to see me, though she’d tried to hide it.
While the guys discussed hockey and the upcoming Stanley Cup finals, my gaze kept being drawn to Erin.The woman never seemed to stop.
After we’d brought the chairs in, she’d hightailed it over to Rain’s side, probably giving her an earful about not warning her I was coming.Hell, I hadn’t known until about an hour ago, when Rebel had shown up at my door with a couple six packs of beer.I’d thought we would spend a couple hours shooting the shit and drinking, but he’d told me to get the hell in the car, we were going to book club.I’d thought he was kidding at first.
Now I was wondering if he’d given me that book just for this reason.So he could drag me here.
I’d only gotten home a few days ago.Our season had ended about a week and a half ago, but I’d taken my time coming home.It’d only taken two days to pack up, but I’d spent an extra few days with Ian, who hadn’t seemed in a hurry to leave.He didn’t really talk about his family much, and I hadn’t been able to figure out if there was a problem there or what.
But when I’d told him to give me a call when he got home and maybe he could come spend some time with me before the season started, he’d been all for that.Which led me to believe the kid didn’t want to go home.
When I had gotten home, I’d spent the first two days putting my home on my parents’ property into shape.It was still a work in progress, unlike Rowdy’s place, which was built for a family.And now he had one.
As the guys talked around me, my attention wandered to my brother, who was standing with Tressy, Rain and Erin on the other side of the circle of chairs.I couldn’t hear their conversation, but everyone had a smile and Rowdy laughed a few times, making Tressy smack her hand on his chest.
