I burst out laughing, drawing the eyes of a few people around us. “Thank God I’m not the captain and have to keep him in check.”
“I’ll just assign him to you to keep an eye on then.”
“Okay, Marcus.” I hold my beer bottle out to him in a toast. “If we win it all in a few years, I will gladly keep Bode’s ass out of jail.”
“I’ll drink to that.” He downs the remainder of his drink before pulling out his wallet. “Now, I have to go pick up some tutus for school tomorrow.”
“Tutus?”
He nods. “Dance recital. I’ll see you at practice.”
I wave after him before finishing my own drink and heading out as well. Not wanting to go back to my dreary hotel room by myself, I stuff my hands in my pockets and walk around my new city.
This is one of those times it would be nice to have someone to go home to. Hell, not even a someone, but an anyone. At least in Denver, I had Nick.
Even the guy I was kind of with has someone new. That was strictly a friends-with-benefits situation, but after my injury, I saw him less and less until he started dating someone else.
If I was really desperate, I’d download a hookup app to find someone. But I’m not. I wander around Nashville, taking in allthe people going in and out of the bars. Neon lights are bright even in the early evening.
The hotel where I’m staying is a few blocks from the arena. This close, posters of the team hang on the street poles.
It’s weird seeing my face up there in a red jersey. Just one of the many things I have to get used to.
That and playing with Graham Fisher. I don’t know when things soured between us, but it seems like he has it out for me.
All I want to do is play hockey. That’s it. I know I’m in the second half of my career. So sue me if I want to play hard and hopefully win another cup or two.
I only hope he can get on board. Because if not, it’s going to be a long season. One that I won’t be looking forward to.
Chapter Three
NOAH
Ithink that water spot is new. The one over by the wall? That’s been there. But this one? It has to be new.
Christ. This is bad. My new place still isn’t ready, and the only long-term hotel I could find near the rink is not the best of the best.
The worst of the worst is more like it. But with my condo being ready “any day now”—their words, not mine—no one wants to take on someone with an unknown end date.
Throwing the thin, flimsy excuse for a comforter off my legs, I head to the small bathroom to take a quick shower before practice.
The banging from the pipes tells me the water isn’t going to get hot anytime soon, so it’s going to be a fast one.
Jesus. This is not how I thought the start of this season would be going. I was hoping to be more settled here at this point. The bright side is that most of the team has welcomed me here.
Well, mostly everyone.
I still can’t get a read on what crawled up Graham’s ass. Everyone, Marcus especially, has been more than welcoming to me.
All except Graham.
Shutting off the water, I run the sorry excuse for a towel over me before brushing my teeth and finding a clean set of clothes to put on.
The one plus side of living here is that I’m only a five-minute walk to the arena. No sense in driving when I don’t have to.
Getting to see the arena like this, smack-dab in the middle of downtown Nashville, always lights me up. Fans always stop outside to take pictures on their way to the bars and I love it. Even though Nashville isn’t the best of teams—yet—their fans still show up.
I guess things could be worse. At least I’m here and playing hockey. I could be done playing entirely. That’s not something I’m ready to think about.
