Grady kind of laughs.“I mean, according to her, it’s not a boyfriend.But the flowers and chocolates and late-night phone calls say otherwise.”
“Why is she breaking up with a guy who sounds like a textbook perfect boyfriend?”I ask as we make our way to the front door.I stop at the giant front hall closet where I store my skates and hockey gear.
Grady gives me a wry smile.“Lola isn’t into textbook.She’s a total wildcard.She’s the you of the Casco family.”
I meet his eye, and he’s grinning, and I just nod and smile and toss my gear bag over my good shoulder.
Being like me isnotsomething anyone should aspire to.
Chapter4
Theo
“God damn,” Grady says.“You still have the hardest shot in the league.”
He pulls off his blocker glove and shakes out his hand, and I feel guilty.“Sorry!Got carried away.”
“Don’t apologize.I’m fine.”He lifts his mask, grinning.“It’s still a rush to stop you.”
“Then you should do it more often,” I smirk and skate by his crease, scooping up a wayward puck on the flat of my stick and flipping it in the air on repeat.My shoulder smarts a little, but I don’t care.This is awesome.God, I miss hockey so fucking much.
I let the puck drop and spin to face the net Grady isn’t standing in.I’m at the face-off circle to the left of Grady, almost as far from the opposing net as you can get.I narrow my eyes and haul off with a slap shot.The puck careens through the air, hits the ice just over the blue line, and bounces, but only slightly, before sliding into the net with enough force to make the mesh ripple.
I hear clapping from the tunnel.Coach Alex Larue is standing there in a Riptide track suit with a whistle around his neck.My cheeks heat.“Hi Co— Mr.Larue.”
“Quite the aim.Still got it, I see.”
“Trying to hold onto it, yeah,” I say, and he motions for Grady and I to come closer.I glide that way slowly.I really didn’t want an audience.I’ve been avoiding hockey people since I lost my spot in the league.
“Seems like you’re doing a fine job.I’ve been spying for a while,” Mr.Larue admits.“How’s your conditioning?”
“I work out every day and skate a couple times a week.”
“Where?”
“I rent out a rink about forty minutes out of town.It’s a small, local thing, but it’s affordable,” I say.“I’m not poor, but with the endorsements and the salary gone… I’m trying to budget.”
He nods.“Thanks for bringing him by, Grady.”
My eyebrows pinch, and I look up at my cousin, who gives me a sheepish smile.“He asked me to get you here.He wanted to see you on the ice.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to strengthen our defense.”
I stare at him, not putting the pieces together fast enough.I feel like everyone is waiting for me to figure out what he’s saying.“So you wanted to ask me how to strengthen your defense?”
He laughs, and Grady rolls his eyes.“I wanted to see ifyouare how I strengthen the defense, Richard.”
“Me?”I blink.A lot.
Alex Larue’s blue eyes widen.“Is that off the table?Have you intentionally retired?Because I got the impression you would play again if you could.”
“Professionally?”I ask.“In the NHL?”
“I mean, yeah, last time I checked the Riptide were in the NHL,” he replies and smiles again, all the scars on his face deepening.Alex Larue had played for more NHL teams than I could count.Like me, he was a defenseman.He was a pest and an enforcer, and also highly skilled.I’d like to think my game was—is—a mix of his style and my dad’s.“I’m not exactly offering a spot, yet.But I’d like to offer you a tryout.Come on board for training camp and see if it’s a good fit for both of us.”
I stare at him.He can’t be serious.I look up at Grady again, and he smiles reassuringly.“Dude, this is the part where you say yes.”
