Ryder squeezed his eyes shut, probably wishing I’d gone with a more diplomatic approach.
Hockey players responded to yelling. That was why our coaches loved doing it. We were a bunch of guys who thrived on loud speeches and dressing downs.
Julian, with an ice pack pressed to his bruised chin, smirked at me. I didn’t even acknowledge him. Instead, I scanned the room, focusing on the rest of the team.
“I’m sorry. Okay? I shouldn’t have hit a teammate. You all know that’s not me. But seriously… he deserved it.”
A few guys chuckled, others nodded in agreement.
“Look, it’s out there now. I’m in love with Frankie. There. You’ve heard it from my fucking lips. But she’s still our coach. Don’t be those guys—the ones who reduce a woman to who she’s dating. Before you found out about us, you respected her, and you should still respect her. She’s a damn good coach. Not because she’s a woman, not in spite of it. She knows her shit. And she motivates us better than anyone else ever could.”
The locker room was silent, so I pushed forward.
“I know every one of you,” I started, voice firm. “You’re better than whispering behind her back or making snide comments. Yeah, even you, Julian. You might be a fuckwad, but you’re not a misogynist. And yeah, I know that’s a big word, and this is a pretty damn angry speech coming from the ‘nice guy’ Teddy Valentine, but here’s the deal—if you fuck with the people I care about, I’m not just gonna sit back and let it slide.”
The room stayed quiet, tension hanging thick in the air. Then, Theo cleared his throat, his small-town Canadian accent cutting through the silence. “Well, shit, man. You love her?”
Alexei stood, dramatic as ever. “Hug?” He wiped away an invisible tear, making a show of pulling me in for an embrace. I shoved him away and turned back to the team. Most of the guys were smiling now, getting to their feet.
“You’re right, Val,” Huet said, slapping me on the shoulder.
“She’s still the best coach I’ve ever had,” Gabe Bennett added.
A cough came from behind me, and I turned to see Julian rocking back on his heels, looking a little less cocky than usual. “So… what I said… wasn’t cool. You’re right. I don’t want to be that guy. What Coach does in her free time? That’s none of our business.”
“Damn right.” I gripped his hand and yanked him into a quick, one-armed hug, slapping his back.
That’s when it hit me. As the relief of the moment washed over me, the pain came rushing back. It started at my knee and rippled up my thigh, sending a jolt through me. I collapsed onto the bench, doing my best to hide the grimace from my face.
But I should’ve known better than to think I could hide anything from Ryder. He glanced down at me. “Knee?”
I nodded.
He nodded, his eyes narrowing.
We were a couple of fucking bobbleheads, knowing exactly what the other was thinking. Because we both understood this wasn’t going to get better on its own. Soon, I’d have to make the decision that terrified me.
I’d tapedan ice pack around my knee and hobbled down the hall at the top of the arena. After my shower, I’d seen a text from Mr. Mac—Ryder and I were expected in his office.
Ryder was coming in his captain role. Me? I wasn’t entirely sure.
Ryder knocked, and the door swung open to reveal Mr. Mac and a smiling dark-skinned woman with the brightest white teeth I’d ever seen. She wore an expensive maroon pantsuit, perfectly tailored to her tall frame. Corkscrew curls framed her face, adding to the polished, confident aura she exuded.
She bounced toward us, extending her hand. “Teddy Valentine,” she said with a wide smile, shaking my hand enthusiastically. “And Ryder Cassidy. Such a pleasure to meet you both. I’ve been a huge fan since that first video you posted on social media. As a public relations specialist, I’ve got to say, that was a brilliant PR campaign. I’m so glad it worked out for you.”
Her words came out in a rapid-fire stream, leaving my head spinning.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. You must both be exhausted after practice. Come in, come in. Let’s keep this quick.” She gestured to the two chairs across from Mr. Mac, who looked older, more worn down than I’d seen him before.
“I’m Yesenia,” she continued, gracefully taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other. “The Guardians have hired me to handle this latest PR snafu.”
I glanced at Mr. Mac, raising an eyebrow. He pressed his lips together, his silence telling me more than any words could. At Frankie’s house, he’d seemed unfazed by the whole mess, but now something was clearly bothering him.
Ryder, always in control, leaned back in his chair, hands on the armrests, feet firmly planted on the ground. “Are you sure we need this handled? It’ll probably just blow over, right?”
“Absolutely not,” she replied firmly, pulling a tablet from her bag and handing it to us. “This story’s been picked up by The Post, The Sun, every local news channel… even The Athletic.”
The weight of her words settled in, and I couldn’t shake the feeling this was just the beginning.
