Page 143 of Finding the Forward: Part One
“Fuck, but it’s probably Derva or Freddie,” Dean replied. “I looked up what they said about her back when they were stirring up shit. Though they were all talk. She’ll be okay. Should we go workout, Grif?”
“Yeah, let’s workout. You’re right. It’s probably them.” For all our sakes, I hoped so.
Chapter Forty-Four
Dean
Holiday music played over the training center’s speakers. The rink employees had been busily decorating the past few days. Last night was the Knight’s holiday party, which was always a fun time. I’d gotten a subscription to a gourmet bread box from a local bakery in the gift exchange.
It was like my teammates knew me.
Right now, us goalies were practicing on the small rink while everyone else was on the larger one. The Maimers were on the third.
Coach Kirov’s phone rang. She looked at it. “I’m sorry, I have to take it.”
She was a giant blonde alpha who always wore her hair in a bun-braid. Coach Kirov had played for Russia, then moved toNew York with her pack, started coaching high school, and now was our goalie coach.
Today it was me, JP, and Gwen, one of our EBUGs.Ladybug,as we called her. Gwen wore leggings and a tank top that saidEBUGs do it when no one else can. Her pink hair was up in a bun. We had two other EBUGs, but they weren’t here.
We stopped and grabbed some water.
“You okay, Ladybug?” I took a drink from my water bottle. Last night at the party, I’d seen her arguing with her boyfriend.
I had a soft spot for our EBUGs. But then I’d been in the goalie development program for the Boston Royals back when I was at BosTec.
“I’m fine. Working the late shift tonight at Tito’s. Nervous about our upcoming game. We need to win,” she replied. She was goalie for NYIT, and they were having a killer season. Classes might not be in session, but hockey was.
Coach Kirov joined us, looking flustered. “Sorry, but I’ve got to retrieve my sick kid from daycare.”
“It’s fine,” Jean-Paul replied in his strong French-Canadian accent. “Do you want us to keep going?”
“Go home, get some rest.” With a wave, Coach Kirov left.
“Would you like me to stay and run drills with you? So you’re in shape for the game? Celine left again today for work, so I have the time,” JP offered.
“I’d like that. There’s this one forward I worry about. I have videos.” She got out her phone. Gwen hoped to go pro. At five-foot-eight, she was short for a goalie, though on the tall side for a beta girl. Few people had more hustle than her. I looked forward to the day she got signed.
“You staying?” Jean-Paul asked me.
The guys were probably still in practice. Verity walked by. Oooh. Maybe I could take her to lunch? It would be nice to spendtime with just her. With our schedules, the only alone time I ever got with her was a little snuggling in the stands or a coffee date.
“I’m going to head out. Keep up the good work, Ladybug. Your game will be great. I think NYIT has a shot at the division finals,” I told her.
Her face brightened. “You think?”
I nodded. She played in the same division that we had. It was tough, but Gwen was better than most people gave her credit for.
“It’s dollar tacos this afternoon over at Taco Hut if you want to join us later,” Gwen added. “We’re going over before I head to work.”
“Have fun,” I told her. Gwen was friends with Carlos and some of the younger players. Yeah, I couldn’t out-eat them in a taco-eating contest.
I didn’t see Verity. But I checked on Grif and Jonas, who were in practice with the rest of the team. Someone had pissed off Coach Atkins, and they were doing sprints something fierce in the main rink.Thank goodness we got out of that.
The familiar scent of driftwood tickled my nose. There she was. Even though it was winter vacation for her, she didn’t seem to be taking much of a break. She did hang around a little longer in the mornings and she’d grabbed lunch or dinner with us a couple of times. We’d even watched a movie at her place with Mercy and a bunch of the Maimers, which had been chaotic good fun.
“I was thinking I’d take this afternoon off from the lab. Maybe we can do something just me and you?” Verity told Mercy as they stood in the hall. Mercy had her bag slung over the shoulder like she was leaving for the day.
“You’re taking the afternoon off? I’m so proud of you. Even though Dr. Winters probably yelled at you.” Mercy held up her hand. “I know, I know, they’re plants, and you need to check on them even with the watering thingies and monitors you cancheck on your phone. You don’t need to spend all day, every day, there if your professor’s telling you not to.”
