Maddie:Gotcha Sent ??
Liam:Damon said ok about Ace ????
Maddie:Thk God ??????
Liam:Cool. Got it. What’s the name of the book? Gonna get an audio copy for when I run.
Maddie:r u sure? ??
Liam:yes ??
Maddie:K (Link to hockey romance book)
Liam:Thx Mads GN ??
Maddie:GN Thx for all your help! ????
I smile as I drift off to sleep, thinking about his reaction to that book during his run tomorrow.
Liam
Ace, it turns out, is as big a draw as Kenji, because every player joined. Even Damon stopped to say, “Hi.” Maddie’s relief was palpable, and Ace enjoyed every minute of the attention, tail wagging non-stop in delight.
She wasn’t as hands-on in today’s class, and she avoided Bell’s side of the room completely. I know she can take care of herself, but I can’t help but feel the need to shield her from his attentions. So, I’m glad she’s staying away from him. Besides, it’s never a bad day if I get to see Madison in yoga gear. I’ve become a huge fan of tight yoga pants.
I took Ace for his first run this morning, and he behaved beautifully. He had no problem keeping up and even pushed me near the end. I’m positive this wasn’t his first experience running with a human partner.
What did take me by surprise during my run was the audiobook that Madison recommended. I knew I was in for a ride just from her gleeful expression as she announced it was a hockey romance. She was far too smug. But the story was entertaining, and the banter had me laughing out loud. I’mstill not sure why anyone would eat baloney, especially before a game, but hey, I don’t want to yuck on anyone’s yum. I just can’t stomach the stuff myself.
The real shocker was the discussions the women in the book were having. Is this what women really discuss with each other? They’re so open. About everything. And I mean everything. It was eye-opening. I thought about asking Mads, but honestly, I’m a little scared of the answer. My face is on fire from more than my exertion. Thank goodness I’m wearing headphones.
The male main character’s story is hitting way too close to home, though. He’s captain of his hockey team, and he’s been in love with the female character for years, but she’s dating someone else. Sound familiar? Now, I can’t wait to see where this story goes. Who knows, maybe I’ll get some ideas? I’ll be paying attention since Maddie said this book was a favorite.
“She just ignored me. She’s probably a dyke anyway.” Karl’s gruff voice carries to the hall outside the locker room. Oh, for fuck’s sake. He’s such a fucking dick. It couldn’t possibly be because you’re a douchebag, could it, Karl? A married douchebag. I’ve met his wife, and she’s super sweet. No idea how she puts up with him. “Now that dog is gonna to be here too. What the hell is that all about?”
Wait... What? Is he talking about Madison? I storm through the locker room door. I’m across the room and ready to confront him when I see that Walker’s beaten me to it. He’s already shoving Bells against the locker. Walker is taller and fitter, but Karl’s a dirty fighter. I step up behind Walker, making my position clear.
“That’s my sister, dickbag. You’ve got two seconds to shut the fuck up or we’re gonna have a problem.” Crap. She didn’t want anyone to know. Oh well, the rookies knew already, so it’s not like it was a secret.
“You’re such a sexist prick. If a woman’s not into you, it’s because she’s smart enough to stay away. It’s got nothing to do with her sexuality. Besides, aren’t you fucking married?” Walker’s invading his personal space like it’s his job, fisting his shirt.
Karl puffs out his chest, red-faced, shifty eyes flashing with anger as he scans the room. If he’s looking for support, he won’t get it. His face is priceless as it occurs to him that no one is rushing to support him. I don’t hide my derision. The urge to punch him is so bad I have to hold my hands to my sides to stop myself. As captain, I’m not allowed this kind of behavior.
“Jeez, I’m just joking, man. Relax.” He holds his hands up in surrender. God, he’s such a dick. I notice that Karl never answers the marital question. I wonder what’s up there? Is it wrong that I hope his wife divorces him and finds someone better? Yeah, probably, but I don’t even feel bad about it.
Our assistant coach, Phil, opens the door and shouts that we have ten minutes left until practice. It breaks the tension, and Walker releases Karl’s practice jersey with a frustrated huff. I take a deep breath, searching for calm. I can’t carry this over into our practice. Walker gives Karl one last scathing look before returning to his locker to finish dressing for practice. He’s having a harder time letting go of his frustration. I don’t blame him.
Karl’s been a pain in everyone’s ass since training started. He tries to undermine me at every opportunity. In the past, I’ve held my temper, but it’s been a near thing sometimes, especially when he goes after the rookies, but not anymore. I’ve been on him daily about his shitty behavior because we don’t need a serious injury right before the season even begins. We’ve got some talented rookies thanks to Damon’s trading prowess. I won’t let Karl ruin a potentially successful season. If I didn’t know better, I’d think someone was pushing him into it. He’s afollower, so this kind of initiative is unusual for him. Whatever the case, I’m not letting him get away with his bullshit.
I’d much rather be working on improving my game than babysitting him every day. I’d be worried about my performance if Walker and I didn’t take some extra time to practice every day. We’ve always taken our competitiveness up a notch when we’re on the same team, but I’m a better player for it. Throughout college, he continually pushed me to up my game. I would never have made the draft without him. It was in the seventh round, but who cares? I was damn lucky it happened at all. It was, hands down, one of the best days of my life.
It used to bother me that I couldn’t do anything about the bullying and hazing. I tried talking to the previous coach about it, and he blew me off. Told me he wasn’t coaching a team full of pussies. So, I learned to deal with it, and I tried to shield the rookies as best I could. What else could I do? Well, fuck that. This is my team now, and I’m not having it. I’d like to see what the guys and I can do before I have to take it up the ladder to Coach and Damon. Walker and the other alternate captains are following my lead, but we can’t be everywhere all the time, so it’s hard to keep on top of it.
Karl seems to have gained a follower as well. Shane York’s a vet from the old guard, and he’s always flown under the radar, but it looks like he’s embraced his dark side with Karl there to encourage him. I’ve never interacted with Shane much.
He’s on the third line, so we’re rarely on the ice together. This year York’s struggling to stay there. It’s looking like the rookie, Colly, will easily grab the third line spot from him. He’s a wizard with the puck, especially on a breakaway, and he’s fast. At twenty-two, he’s already better than Shane. Colly spent his first year after college with our AHL affiliate, and he’s clearly benefited from the experience. He’s the guy we want to develop, especially if he’s willing to work for it. I’m sure that’s the reasonKarl was able to pull Shane into his nastiness. I have zero sympathy for Shane. He’s lazy and a puck hog. If he thinks he’ll keep his spot by harassing the rookies, he’s mistaken.
We spend most of the morning on drills. The bonus is that Karl can only chirp at the rookies during drills. Which leaves me free for skill work.
