Icanfeelamigraineforming behind my eyes as I listen to all of my teammates bitch around me.
Well, notallof my teammates. Seeing as we’re in the men’s locker room, it’s just the guys in here.
If the girls are anything like we are right now, Zhuri probably has the same headache coming in.
Zhuri.
How thefuckam I supposed to work alongside Zhuri Hart? She’s been awful to me since her ex, Jack Ledger, poisoned her view of me before we even met.
It would be easier if she were just my teammate, but no. She’s my goddamn co-captain.
We have to lead this teamtogetherwithout acting like we want to murder each other.
Piece of cake… as long as that cake is made up of things thataren’teasy, like Sudoku puzzles or Rubik’s Cubes.
Or pretending you have your shit together and don’t feel absolutely defeated knowing what your dad is going to think of this new league, so you dread talking to him…
I feel the darkness starting to creep in, but Sid pulls me out of it before I can completely sink. “Cam, you good?” he whispers.
“Hm?” My head snaps to his. “Uh, yeah… I’m good.”
“Good, because your teammates have been complaining for the last twenty minutes, and I don’t think you’ve heard a damn word.”
I sigh, put on my best captain face, and stare at the guys in front of me. They don’t all look furious, more so just annoyed than anything. Wes, Nico, and Sid are my best friends, so I know there won’t be an ounce of misogyny from them. I don’t know them as well, but I think Asher, Theo, and Lev will be fine as well. It’s Bruno, Reggie, and Michael that I’m not sure of.
Of course, Michael immediately proves me right.
“I’m not playing with fucking girls,” he snaps. “I didn’t work my ass off to get to the pro level to have that diminished by playing with women who can’t keep up with us.”
It takes everything in me to keep from laughing. Michael was our third-line center. It’s honestly hysterical that he thinks some of our new teammates aren’t actually better than he is. I’ve watched the Dragons play for years; I’m from Boulder. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Isla Morin on a better line than Michael.
I keep my tone in check so I’m not completely disparaging my teammate. “The women who made the team earned their spots the same way you did, Michael. The same wayallof us did. You can think what you want, but there will be repercussions for anyone mistreating their teammates.”
“This is just a really massive change,” Asher sighs. “We haven’t played with the women yet. We might not find our rhythm as a team before the season starts.”
“We might not,” I shrug, “but we have to try. The women will all be thinking the exact same thing. They haven’t played with us, either. We’ll have to spend this summer getting to work together as a team so we can start the season off strong.”
“I won’t take orders from Zhuri Hart,” Michael scoffs.
I cross my arms. “Yes, you will.” My tone is low and harsh as I lose my patience with his bullshit. “You’re a Comet now, and Zhuri Hart is a co-captain for the Comets. Youwillrespect her and treat her as a valuable member of this team.”
Nico looks at me in surprise. “I thought you didn’t like Zhuri, Cam?”
“I don’t,” I admit. “That’s not a secret. I won’t deny, though, that she’s an absolutely incredible left winger and could probably kick every guy in here’s ass if she wanted to.”
Shedefinitelycould. Sure, I don’t like her, but I’ve still seen her over the years since college. That initial attraction to her didn’t fade; she’s still hot as hell. Honestly, she’s even more fit now than she was then.
I fuckinghatehow attractive she is.
“So what do we do for now?” Wes asks, rubbing the back of his neck as the light overhead catches on all the freckles across his face.
“For now,” I assert, “you all get your heads out of your asses and figure out how to be good teammates.”
“How are you feeling, Cam?” Sidney asks as we trudge down the hallway.
“Fucking wonderful,” I groan. “And I just can’t wait to hear from my dad after this.”
As if on cue, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out of my black slacks and hit reject as soon as I see my dad’s contact lighting up my screen.
