We don’t have a minute to breathe before they descend.
“Cash, how do you feel about this team win?” The reporter shoves his mic in my face. Guys all over the locker room are talking to the various reporters. The locker room is as bare bones as you can get. Every visiting locker room is this way.
Hard metal benches. Basic lockers. No frills. They do it to psych you out. They don’t want to replicate the coziness of your own locker room. The more you settle in, the easier it is for you to get an edge on the home team.
“I don’t know if you saw how well our captain was playing, but he dominated the ice tonight. It’s lucky I get to be on the same team as him.”
“Troy Hollins has made quite the name for himself these first few years in the league. What’s it like playing with him?”
This kind of question would have annoyed me in the past. Not tonight. Tonight? Tonight, I’m smiling thinking of Piper and how I would answer this question if she were the one asking me.
“He’s a great teammate. Someone who is always learning and always teaching you more about the game. Troy is the kind of player who elevates your own game so you’re not disappointing him.”
The reporter is practically beaming at me. I wish I couldsnap a picture and send it to Cassie to tell her how well I’m doing. But I can’t. Instead, I smile back at him as he moves on down the row of lockers to talk to Strawberry about his play.
I make quick work of my shower and changing because the last thing I want is to hang around here. There’s an itchiness to me tonight. I had two goals and two assists tonight. It was one of my best games. The one person I want to share it with isn’t here.
I grab my bag before heading out to the tunnel to get on the bus.
“Cash, wait up!”
I recognize the voice as they close the distance between us.
“Cassie. How are you?”
Cassie comes to a dead stop, a look of shock on her face. Cassie doesn’t come to every away game, but on these long stretches, she pops in every now and then.
“I don’t think you’ve ever asked me how I was doing before.”
“Get outta here. Of course I have.”
“You haven’t. And I have to say, if this is Piper’s doing, I’m okay with it.”
I roll my eyes before walking down the tunnel to the bus. We’ll be staying here tonight in Nashville before leaving for New Jersey tomorrow.
“What can I say? I’m a changed man.”
Cassie doesn’t know what to do with herself. “I just ran into Weber and he gave me a preview of tomorrow’s article. He is positively shitting rainbows about you.”
“No he’s not.”
There’s not a chance in hell that he is that effusive about me.
“Would you like me to tell you what he said?” Cassiequirks a perfectly manicured brow at me. I have a feeling whether I say yes or no, she’s going to do it regardless.
“Might as well since it seems like you want to.”
She’s beaming at me. “He said you had one of your best games, statistically speaking, and how you passed off all the praise onto your teammates. Even said that Troy is the kind of player who elevates your own game so you don’t disappoint him. Said how far we’re going to go with you at the helm.”
“Shit. He said that?”
No one has ever been that nice about me. Especially a reporter that I have been an asshole to. I realize that now. Well, Piper helped me realize that.
“I don’t know what Piper has done for you, but keep it up, Cash. The press are loving you and it’s making my life easy.”
I give Cassie my easiest smile. “For you, Cassie? I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Give yourself a pat on the back.”
“Does that mean you think I was right? I never thought I would see the day.”
