“I’m glad Kennedy made it out of your apartment in one piece,” Volk says. As he walks by, he pats me on the top of my head like I’m a kid who ate his veggies. “For your sake.”
I love our camaraderie and the way we tease each other. Having great teammates to watch out for me helps since I’m so far from my family. Still, I can’t ignore the scrape against my chest at the reminder of how much of an idiot everyone in my life considers me. Most of the time, I roll my eyes, shake my head, and dish it back.
But not lately. It could be my sensitivity over this injury or the sister of the guy across the room making me want people to take me more seriously. I wantherto take me seriously. To consider me.
“Glad to hear it,” Matt confirms, rising to his feet. He cocks an eyebrow at me. “And how about we stay out of trouble until tonight?”
“Tonight?”
Boy-O leaps to his feet and twerks his ass in my direction. “Time to get down at the Harris house for Halloween, Briggsy.”
I hold a hand up to block Boy-O from my line of vision. “Dude, really? My brain can’t take any more trauma.”
With the conversation in the car and the strange distance between me and Finley, the party slipped my mind. Thankfully, I ordered a costume last month when Jennings told me to, otherwise I’d be going as a ninja (last year’s costume) or a pirate (my rookie year). Jennings and I are coordinating this year since we're both going solo, him as a vampire and me as a vampire hunter.
“Get ready for more trauma tonight then,” Boy-O says. He finally stops thrusting his ass in my face and heads to the tunnel leading to the ice. “I’m going to be dancing over all of ya!”
Jennings waits for me, slapping hands with everyone as they pass. “Looks like we might need you to stake Boy-O tonight. If this is his energy level now, he’s going to be unbearable later.”
“You mean you don’t want to turn him and live with him for eternity?” I joke back.
With hockey gear on my body again, adrenaline pumps through my veins. I can’t wait to skate, even if it’s by myself. When we reach the end of the tunnel, I breathe deeply, soaking in the crisp air of the arena.
Home.
“Briggs!” Coach beckons to me with a flick of his wrist from where he stands in the middle of the ice, clad in a dark tracksuit and skates. He’s chewing gum with a mildly frightening aggression.
I don’t hesitate, zipping over to the coach who intimidates me to this day.
“Coach,” I greet as I come to a stop in front of him.
“Good to have you back. You feel ready?”
“More than ready.”
He claps me on the shoulder pad. “You’ll work with Roy today on your own. If you have any symptoms, you need to tell us. You’re too important to this team’s future to rush.”
“I’m a terrible liar,” I blurt out when what I should say isI’ll tell you everything because I’m scared shitless of putting my hockey career in jeopardy.
Coach is used to me by now, so he’s not fazed by my answer. He half grimaces, which is the Erik Pomroy version of a smile. It vanishes quickly as he yanks the whistle dangling around his neck and blows.
The rest of the team skates to us. Every practice starts the same, with a breakdown of our play in the last game and how we’ll address issues. By the time he finishes his speech, every guy on the ice would run into the eye of a hurricane if he asked.
I rein in that instinct, the part of me I bring out only on the ice. The fierce competitor who would do anything to win, willing to follow instructions and absorb pain.
But I remind myself it won’t be long before I can let it loose again.
16
Zach
Laughter fills the airwhen Jennings and I arrive at the Palmer City Wolves Halloween party, together in our couples costume.
I’m wearing all black from my boots to a long black jacket, and I carry a crossbow in one hand. Jennings painted his face white with bright red blood dripping from his lips and sharp fangs. Every time he moves, his black cape shifts, revealing a flash of blood red.
“No fucking way.” Volk shakes his head, a small smile touching his lips. He smiles a lot more now that Kennedy lives with him. “You guys are something else.”
Volk’s costume matches Kennedy’s, a blue-and-white sailor getup that includes a hat with the word AHOY on each of their heads.
