While my agent’s starting to ask what I want to do when my contract is up with the Thrusters at the end of this coming season.
The contract I signed when I was hooking up with Addie.
The contract I signed when I thought it would be my last because I thought I’d be leaving my own hockey career to spend more time with my badass wife and our kids.
“He stripped her in a dress shop last week,” Paisley tells Zeus.
I slam my glass down too hard. “Not what happened.”
“Gonna have to tell us whatdidhappen then,” Zeus says.
Joey, his wife, who owns a flight adventure company giving people a chance to experience zero gravity like they’re in space, gives me a sternspill it nowlook.
And since it’s fucking awesome to fly in her jet as a floating passenger, I oblige the order in a way I’m sure she’ll appreciate. “I did a good deed with unintended consequences. The end.”
“Up next for your bidding pleasure, we have one Ms. Addie Bloom, representing the Fireballs coaching staff,” Levi Wilson, emcee for the evening, announces.
Levi’s a former boy bander who’s on hiatus from his solo musical career while he, too, focuses on his wife and family. I like playing his music when I’m jamming on my guitar. His brother, also his former bandmate in that boy band and majority shareowner of the Fireballs, roped him into running the show tonight. If the Thrusters had been in charge, Zeus and Ares would have been the emcees.
Maybe next year.
I look back at Addie and Waverly again.
They’re whispering furiously.
Addie snatches Waverly’s paddle.
Waverly’s security agent takes it back and hands it to Waverly, who laughs and uses it to shoo Addie.
“All good there, Coach Addie?” Levi says.
“Can we disqualify pop stars from the bidding this round?” Addie’s voice carries naturally through the room.
She can be so soft and quiet and delicate, and she can also command a room.
I always liked that about her. You can’t put her in a box. She knows when she needs to shine, and she knows when to step back. She’s bold where she has to be, and she’s quiet and vulnerable when she’s home.
I fucked up.
I fucked up so bad with how I left her.
I had regrets immediately, but I blamed her. By the time I realized it was my own fuckup, it was too late.
The regrets are resurfacing, but they’re coming with something else.
Determination.
I thought I had closure.
I don’t.
Levi puts a hand to his heart. “I can’t bid on an evening of playingCroaking Creatureswith you at a tea shop?”
Fuuuuuck me. That wasn’t what was listed on the auction website yesterday.
But I suppose throwing axes won’t work for her now.
And instead?—
