Page 71 of Overtime
Not really. But I’m trying to do the right thing, even though it makes me use words, and that alone grates on my nerves.
Sighing, I say, “I’ve been thinking.”
“Uh-oh.”
“And I don’t think I’m cut out to be the captain.”
TheCstitched on my jersey over my heart represents a vow I’ve struggled to keep. A vow I never asked to make. The team voted me captain during boot camp last summer after all the seniors were gone. I said it was a mistake then, and I’m saying it again now.
Coach Green takes off his cap and scratches his head. “Why?”
“Someone like Bracken can give the guys all the encouragement they need easily.”
“Son.” He snorts. “You do that without even opening your mouth. You look at one guy, then at the goal, and he goes and scores. You give another the same look you have on your face right now, and he shuts up.”
“Not Edwards, though,” I mumble.
“No, but that’s because he’s jealous of you. Where is this coming from? I thought you had taken to the role well enough.”
I wipe my face with the sleeve of my jersey and grunt. “You saw me last week. I crumbled and brought the whole team down with me. But maybe if I’m not captain?—”
“And you crumble again, the team will follow. Again. You’re a natural leader that way, Rodriguez.”
I frown.
Coach isn’t cowed and plows through. “Listen, I seriously hope you pull your shit together and play like an all-star during every game. But you’re still just a kid. You need to learn to deal with failure. Both what that means for you as an individual player and how it affects your team. Because guess what?”
He waits so long to continue that I grumble, “What?”
“It will happen again,” he says. “You won’t have perfect games every time. Something will happen in your life or during the game itself that will get in your head. And if you want to be in the pros, you have to learn to suck it up, buttercup.”
“And you’re okay with letting me learn that while being the worst captain this team has ever had?” I ask, grasping at straws.
“I’ll deny this if you tell anyone I said this, but you’re one of the best captains the Thunder Bolts has ever had.”
I frown. “Are you sure?”
“You can think whatever the hell you want.” He jerks a thumb toward the walkway. “Are we gonna stand here talking about our feelings forever, or are you gonna hit the showers and let me wrap up for the day?”
“Fine, but don’t blow my eardrums off if I screw up again.”
“Oh, I will. That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”
I shake my head and almost smile. I can only admit to myself that I’m relieved he didn’t agree to stripping me of theC, even though it’s what I’d have done in his place. Being the captain helps me pad up my résumé for the league, especially since I’ll have to start as a free agent.
“Dude, you were on fire today,” Archie chirps as I drop onto the bench beside him. “Did you get laid or something while you were away?”
I drop my mitts onto the floor and run my hand over my head. The longer hair bristles against the palm of my hand. I wonder if Strawberry liked it.
And just like that, my temperature goes higher than when I was on the receiving end of an hour-long shootout practice. I grunt as I grab the back of my jersey and pull.
“I’ll be honest,” he keeps saying as if we’re having an actual conversation. “I did wonder if what had your panties in a wad was lack of action off the ice.”
“Me too,” Mark says from a few stalls down. “I haven’t seen you with a new girl since Kelsey.”
Shit, they’re getting too close to the truth.
“Burgers at O’Malley’s tonight?” I ask.
