Page 78 of Puck You Very Much
I was in love!
Yeah, my boyfriend had forced the words out of me, and I’d resented him for it, but I couldn’t deny how I felt. Once I admitted it to myself, a warm, toasty feeling greeted me each time I returned to the topic.
Maybe I could explain it that way to Jax, especially the part about being in love with a player from the rival team. Yeah, nothing could go wrong.
“Whatever’s going on with you, bro, you’d better clear up in a big fucking hurry,” he said.
“Why? Have you heard something I haven’t?”
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about, bro.”
“So, you haven’t heard anything about me coming from Coach Mack?”
He shook his head. “Not Coach Mack, but people are talking. The guys have had plenty to say lately. If you ask me, that’s even worse than getting on the coach’s bad side.”
“How do you figure?”
He half-smiled like I should’ve had no trouble at all figuring this out. The ultra-obnoxious look made Jax Echlin who he was. I hadn’t realized how potent and annoying it was because I’d never been subjected to it before.
“Your teammates are the ones that know when something’s going on, not the coach,” he said. “The coach comes onto the ice, sure, and he steps into the locker room, but he spends most of his time in an office and meeting rooms. He doesn’t know what’s really going on with the team like we do.”
And what’s going on?I thought to ask but understood that it would invite Jax to answer. Since I hated listening to him, I started toward the opposite end of the rink. Jax followed. Big surprise, huh?
“You’ve changed,” my teammate said. “It used to be that hockey, and the Remington Riptides, were your whole world. Now… I don’t know what it is, but I know you’re not the same Zane Hirst you were even a couple of months ago.”
I would’ve given Jax credit for being at least marginally smarter than I’d thought but understood the danger. I didn’t play for a team of Rhodes scholars anyway. If I really had changed, I wanted to think it was for the better. Jakob had made me re-evaluate a few things and question that man I really am. Not that I would expect a blockhead like Jax to understand that in a million years.
“So, when do you think this supposed change took place?” I asked.
“The closest I can figure is it came the moment Jakob Martin’s fist connected with your face at the Colter Bay Grill.”
“You really think so?”
“That’s when you really started spiraling out of control. What, did the dude give you brain damage or something?”
“How the hell would you know one way or another? You were laid out unconscious on the floor.”
Jax bit his lip but actually lunged forth a little before stopping himself. I’d struck a soft point. That’s how it goes with guys like Jax. Still, I couldn’t deny my teammate had a point. I really had changed a lot, and you could trace its origins back to the lucky punch (nay, cheap shot) Jakob had scored on me that night.
Again, some things were best kept to myself, even if it would’ve felt great to wallop my teammate with the truth.
“You’ve got a chick, is that it?” Jax asked.
I turned my head to face him but didn’t answer. If I gave him any kind of answer, or way or another, I would entangle myself in my own lies. Dig my own grave, if you will.
“How come you haven’t brought her around?” he asked.
Again, I wouldn’t answer. Jax seemed determined to think whatever he wanted one way or another.
“Come on, Zane, you don’t have to be such a pussy. I know you’re normally the love-em-and-leave-em type but shit changes when you’ve got some crazy idea about settling down with someone.”
“And how would you know, big boy? Last I knew, you were in a long-term relationship with your right hand.”
Jax wore at least a partial smile up until that moment. Then it flatlined, which brought me no small amount of pleasure.”
“Joke all you want,” he said.
“I’m not joking. You spank your monkey nonstop. I heard you got caught choking your chicken when you were alone in the locker room.”
