Page 37 of Wild Love
“I knew you saw them that night!”
“I didn’t seemuch.” I saw everything.
Her eyes narrow, but she’s still smiling at me. I know she was flashing me behind that construction plastic back in Valley. When the light flickered, I could make out just enough to get a semi. To be fair, looking at Dakota fully clothed could do that to a guy. Okay, fine, it does it to me. I’m the guy.
She’s a rocket. I dig her red hair and fair complexion and the way she rolls her eyes but smiles when I flirt with her, which is often. She thinks I’m joking. I’m not serious about much. But I’ve never said anything to her that I wasn’t prepared to follow through on.
12
Johnny
Tuesday late morning,I head over to the arena. Jack mentioned the guys still in town are working out, and truth be told, I need an excuse to get out. I don’t like being alone. In Valley, it was the best of both worlds. I had my own apartment, but I was only a flight of stairs from Heath, Adam, and Rhett. Fuck, I miss those guys.
I pause in front of the arena doors and take a selfie, then send it to the group. Heath is the first to respond as I walk down the hall toward the weight room.
Payne: Sweet new digs, bro. Ice isn’t the same without you.
He attacheda picture of the Valley rink, and I have to admit, even being in this fancy-ass arena, I’m hit with a bittersweet feeling that I won’t ever play there again.
Scott: You left a giant box of glow-in-the-dark condoms in the apartment. Want me to mail them?
Rauthruss: We’re in the same state again! Let me know when you’re free, and me and Sienna will come down for dinner.
Maverick: That was a parting gift, Scott. Enjoy. Payne, love you, bro. FaceTime later? Rauthruss, yeah, man, let’s make plans as soon as camp is over.
Damn, this is weird. I was only at Valley for two years, but it was more my home than any other place I’ve lived. I glance around. This isn’t too bad, though. Not bad at all.
Jack, Declan, and Leo are lifting weights, music blasting. I stop in the doorway and take it all in. Goosebumps climb my arms as I glance around the weight room. It’s fucking huge. So many machines, top-of-the-line shit. No expense was spared in here.
“Johnny Maverick.” Jack checks the clock on the wall. “Nice of you to finally join us.”
“Your text said you’d be here from nine to two.”
The captain of the Wildcats drops the dumbbells in his hands and steps forward. “Just messing with you. You’re in time for weights.”
“Nice of you to conveniently miss the five-mile run.” Leo smirks as he mops the sweat off his forehead with a towel.
Dec finishes guzzling from his water bottle and uses the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. “And the hour mobility session.”
Five miles? Mobility? Already? Fuuuck. I ate a bowl of Lucky Charms and chased it with a dozen donuts while I watchedThe Price is Right. I know. I know. The healthy food was supposed to start today, but I couldn’t let the junk food go to waste.
I step to the only guy I don’t know in the room and offer him my hand. “Hey, I’m Johnny Maverick.”
He’s a big guy, several inches taller than me and like twice as wide. His grip on my hand is painful. “Hercules.”
“No shit?”
Hercules drops my hand and walks over to the squat rack. He proceeds to put forty-five plates on either side until I’m not sure the bar can take any more.
“He doesn’t talk much.” Jack picks up his weights and goes back to curling the forties while chatting. “Ready to get to work?”
“Yeah.” I nod and take a seat on an empty bench. We don’t have to report for camp for another two weeks, but I am anxious to get started.
“Well, don’t just sit there. Grab some weights, rookie.” Declan smiles at me in the mirror. “Let Hercules have a little new blood.”
The trainer in question grins.
“Don’t worry.” His voice is thick with an accent—Austrian, I think. He sounds like Arnold. Just about as big as him back in the Mr. Olympia days, too. He tips his head, indicating I should come closer. “Let’s get some meat on those legs, huh?”
