No. Not the vibe, Steele. Forget about the Ice Queen.
I’m going to do my time, then get back to living my same old lifestyle. Hockey, party, rinse and repeat. It’s not complicated. Just how I like it.
At least, doesn’t have to be.
Circling back to the line, I swipe at my brow, chest heaving. Tori’s still tracking my every move. And her phone’s nowhere in sight now.
She’s definitely watching.
Waiting for me to screw up.
Fine. I won’t give her anything to work with.
“Same lines — catch and shoot. No dust.” Coach motions at Weston and an assistant coach feeds him a puck. He skates toward the net and sends the disc flying.
“Callum says no, Cap. Better luck next time,” Ford chirps as the puck lands squarely in Callum’s glove.
Weston shakes his head, looping back toward us as Morrison connects with the puck. Callum saves his shot too, and now I’m up.
I focus on the puck, firing the shot immediately, trying to beat Callum far side.
“Not today, Benny.” Callum tips his chin at me and I grimace.
“We’ll see about that.” I set my jaw and skate back to the line.
“Next! Same pace!” Coach barks. “And how about we make some goals today, huh?”
I shift my weight from skate to skate, staying loose. The assistant feeds Weston another puck and he releases it so quick it’s a black blur.
“Score!” Weston pumps his fist in the air, victorious. Callum taps the ice with his stick, resetting before Morrison takes his turn at the net.
He misses.
Thank fuck.
“Must be distracted, huh?” I rib, digging my blade into the line, ready.
“Not half as bad as you, Benny Boy,” Morrison chirps as the assistant slides a puck in my direction.
Slicing across the ice, I change angles and backhand in off the catch. The puck sinks into the goal and I spin around to face Morrison, beaming.
“Yeah, talk now.”
Morrison’s stick stills, his smug grin melting off his face. He shrugs.
“Lucky shot.”
Ignoring Morrison, I peel off and skate toward the boards.
Toward Tori.
As I coast past her seat, I tap my stick on the glass once.
You’re welcome.
She locks her dark espresso eyes on mine, her hands coming together in one slow clap. Her face stays neutral, unreadable.
She’s fucking maddening.
