"I know a guy in Ibiza. And another in Barcelona. Come on, mate. When's the next time you'll have this much time off?"
He was right. So, we went. Monaco turned into Ibiza. Ibiza turned into Barcelona. Then the Greek islands. Mykonos. Santorini. Places I'd never thought I'd go. Parties. Beaches. Clubs. Women. So many women.None of them were her.By the end of summer, Lincoln had dragged me out of my shell completely. I'd loosened up. Had fun. Remembered what it was like to just exist without overthinking everything.
"Look at you," he said the night before we flew back. "Actual human being. I'm proud."
"Fuck off."
"Seriously. When you showed up in Monaco, you were miserable. Now look at you."
He wasn't wrong.I felt lighter. Ready.And when I landed back in New York, I left Europe behind.Including her.
Things had changed with my team during the summer. Felix St. Pierre was joining our team. It made headlines because of the LA star’s messy breakup. He’s a solid player. Talented. A bit of baggage with the ex-girlfriend screwing his teammate situation, but that won't be a problem here. I don't let that shit fly on my team.
The rules are simple, partners, exes, and sisters are off-limits. That only causes issues and fucks up team dynamics. It was a fucked up thing for his teammate to do. From what I've read online, research any captain would do, Felix is now dating Harper Rose. As in the Rose Hotels heiress. One of our major sponsors and her dad is on the board. Seems like he's gone from one complicated situation to another. But that's his business.
Training camp starts soon, and I'm looking forward to meeting him to see how he fits with the team. It's my job as captain to make him feel welcome. But also, to make sure he knows how to play the Mavericks way.
Then I heard about what happened to his brother, Pierre. The runaway groom. What a social media drama that was. Leaving your fiancée at the altar, the entire world turning on you, and then dropping receipts that she was the one cheating, and then the internet turned on her instead. Those St. Pierre guys are unlucky with the ladies. I hope that kind of drama never finds me. I'm happy being single. Less complicated.
I get a call from management asking me to come in for a meeting, which is never good. I have no idea what it could be about.
"Emmett, thanks for coming in," Coach Anderson says, shaking my hand, he looks tense.
I sit. "Not a problem. What's up?" Please don't tell me I'm getting traded.
"Just wanted to give you a heads up ..." he says.
My heart hammers in my chest.
"You know how we've signed Felix St. Pierre ..." I nod. "Well, his brother was released onto the free agent market." My brow rises.
A player like that on the free market? That's insane. "I thought he was locked in for life in South Dakota. Wasn't he building that team?"
"That's what I thought, but ..." His brows pull together as he leans forward. "I think something happened at the club. Might have something to do with this runaway groom saga," he whispers.
"Do you know something?"
He shakes his head. "No. All I know is he was let go from the Devils. His contract was paid out, and he is a free agent."
"Why would the Devils let go of a player like him?" I ask.
He's the top scorer in the league. One of the best wingers in hockey. He was on track to take South Dakota to their first cup. As a new team, that's unheard of.
"Exactly," Coach Anderson says pointedly.
"You don't think ...?"
He nods. "Not my place to speculate.”
"What does his drama have to do with us?"
"It has everything to do with us. Because the Mavericks just signed Pierre St. Pierre," Coach Anderson states.
No fucking way. "You're serious."
"Dead serious. He signed yesterday. Two-year deal with an option to extend."
I lean back and process this. Felix St. Pierre was one thing. A young player with a bad breakup. That happens. But Pierre? Pierre comes with a circus, media, drama, and scandal. And now we have both brothers.
