Page 41 of Breakaway Heart
“Well, hey.” He said as he turned his attention to me.
Hayden Raynor wasn’t just big. He was gigantic. His frame was only part of it, too. The shadow that fell from him seemed to cover everything in its path and made him even more imposing. My heart almost froze as he stood in front of me.So this is what it feels like to face off against the man they called the ‘Hellraiser’.Despite his overwhelming presence, there was something oddly soft in his features. A kindness behind that cold, steely stare.
“Wait…TheLucy? From Mexico?”
Ugh… Did everyone know?I felt awkward and embarrassed to find that I was a topic of gossip.What had Randall been telling them?
“Um, I guess.” I squeaked back at Hayden.
A big paw came up and scratched thoughtfully at his thick and dark stubbled chin. “Huh. Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Me? I mean, okay.”
The gaggle behind us seemed to delight in this, as if I’d been pulled aside by the teacher in front of the whole class. I could feel them all watching as I sheepishly followed Hayden down to the tunnel leading out into the entrance.
Once we were out of the sight of prying eyes, Hayden turned and considered me for a moment.
“So, look. I don’t know what you’ve done to Randy…”
I crossed my arms defensively. After everything, I didn’t feel like taking the blame for him as well.
“Hey, I haven’t done anything to him! You know Randy. Everything that happens, he does all to himself.”
Hayden looked at me and grimaced.
“Yeah, I know Randy. ButthisRandy. He’s different.”
“So,what? I need to leave him alone? Because, trust me, I know.”
Hayden looked at me with a strange expression.
“That’s… Not what I meant.”
“Okay, so what is it?”
“Since he turned up to pre-season, he’s the first to training, the last to leave. He skates harder than anyone on the team. He’s stopped chirping and show-boating. He doesn’t do interviews, doesn’t stay out the night before games. Doesn’t call me at two in the morning to tell me, well, weird stuff... It’s like he’s still Randy, butbetter.”
“So… That’s good, right?”
“Yeah, it is. And I know by the way. About that whole Mexico thing.”
“What is it you know, exactly?” I asked suspiciously, blushing as images of peaches rudely interrupted my thoughts.
“All I know is when I asked him what was going on, he said he met some kind of guru out there that made him realize some things about himself. Like, that he could actually care about someone other than himself for a moment. That it’s not all about him, and he wanted to try and give a damn about the people around him. That it can be about what he can give, not just what he can take.”
“Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?”
“Yeah. I nearly fell off my chair when he said it!”
“Maybe there’s hope for him yet.”
“I don’t know if I should say this, Lucy. And it’s none of my business. But, I’ve been going through something myself, about trying to be better. And I found someone who makes me want to be that every day. I was always working to be a good dad and a strong captain. I think I forgot that sometimes you have to show weakness to show real strength. That love is stronger than anger. Now I want to be a good partner, a better person. So, it got me thinking.”
“I’m listening.”
“Love can change you, is all.”
“Pah!” I half spat back at him. “This isn’tlove,Hayden.”
