“Simmons.” I walk over to our goalie and pull him away from the other defensemen on the team. “How are you feeling?”
He beams bright and happy at me. “Honestly? Fucking amazing.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
“I’ve never done anything like this with another team before,” he tells me.
“I’ve never done anything like this in my life.” I laugh.
Simmons eyes me warily, like he’s weighing if he can trust me with what he’s about to say.
“I’m really trying, Coach. I think my glove skills are getting better. Coach Alfie is helping me a lot.”
“Good, I’m glad he is. You’re improving, and sometimes it might not feel like you’re doing it as fast as you want to, but we’re all seeing it.”
He nods. “I’m going to keep working hard to show you I can do it.”
“I know you’ll keep it up.” I clap him on the shoulder. “Now, go grab something to eat before these guys eat it all.”
He smiles at me before joining the rest of the team.
I never envied the goalie on our team. Much like Simmons, we were one of the most scored upon teams in the league.
We sucked. Plain and simple. I never wanted to be the one to carry the loss for letting the goals in. It’s something every goalie carries with them, Simmons included. It’s like every goal scored on them is a dent in their pads they wear.
“Guess you were right,” Alfie tells me, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I knew he’d be okay. Credited you for his turnaround.”
“Really?”
Alfie looks shocked at this news, his face turning the color of a tomato.
“Said it’s because he’s been training with you. Just what we like to hear about our coaches.”
“It’s not me.” Alfie shies away from the praise. “He’s got skill. Just needs someone to help him harness it out on the ice.”
“Doesn’t hurt that he has a good coach.”
His blush darkens as he walks away from me to the safety of Jack and starts chatting with him.
Looking around the room, it seems I achieved my goal. We’ll see if it translates to the ice before our first game next week. With only one more practice to go, I hope it does.
Now that Liv and I are dating, I’m liking my new home here in London. Not that I wasn’t going to do a good job before, but I want to stick around.
Because I like Liv and want to see where this thing goes.
Chapter Thirteen
OLIVIA
Checking the time again, I try not to worry that Tag is running late. Having wanted to show him another one of my favourite places in the city, I planned it when we could be alone. But with a late practise in the afternoon for him, we’re cutting it close.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. Half expecting it to be Tag cancelling, I’m shocked at the name that pops up.
Mum.
Not wasting a second, I slide my thumb across the screen to answer the call. “Hello, Mum.”
