Coach Henderson walks out of the locker room, his presence causing Gigi to clamp her mouth shut.Thank God.Not even her nepo status will win her Coach’s approval, and I can’t imagine he’s happy about her impromptu visit. Her attention lingers on me for a beat longer before she says, “We’ll talk later” and struts in the other direction.
The farther she gets, the more the tightness in my chest eases. But I don’t move until she’s out of sight. Once she’s gone, I trudge over to my friends and drop into one of the chairs in the lobby.
They stare at me with varying degrees of worry, as if one wrong word will turn me into the Hulk.
“I’m not playing nice with her,” Logan finally declares, breaking the ice. “And considering she makes me sick to my stomach, she shouldn’t think it’s unlikely that I have a sore throat whenever she’s around.”
I snort. Why am I not surprised that he heard our conversation? The man loves gossip.
“Your contract may not specify that you’re required to be nice to the owner’s granddaughter,” Cole says with a sigh, “but stonewalling her won’t do you or Cameron any good, man.”
I don’t bother adding to the conversation. Logan’s going to do what he wants to do, regardless of what any of us say about it.
“How do you plan on handlingthat?” Jake inquires, lifting a brow.
I shrug, avoiding eye contact like he’s Medusa. “Nothing to handle, man.”
“She’s not going to stop cornering you, Davies,” he presses. “You should stop it before it even starts.”
Cole runs a hand through his hair. “Agreed. You need to put yourself out there again.”
Logan gasps and clutches his chest like he’s been shot. Then he smacks Cole. “You think he should put himself out there with Gigi the Gaslighter? The woman who broke his heart into a million pieces? Who shattered it so completely it can never be put back together again?”
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter.
Cole turns to Logan, who immediately crosses his arms over his chest in an X. Rather than berate him for his dramatic outburst, Cole frowns. “What the hell are you doing? I wasn’t going to hit you.”
Logan doesn’t lower his arms. “I thought you were going to titty-twist me.”
Jake, who’s got a plastic bottle tipped to his lips, sprays the water like a geyser.
I bury my head in my hands, body shaking with laughter. I mean, what else can I do with an answer like that?
“Why would I want to do that?” Cole’s lips twist in confusion and horror. “Why would that even be an option?”
Logan fixes his blue gaze on me, suddenly serious. “You definitely shouldn’t put yourself back out there with Gigi.”
“I meant with other women, dumbass,” Cole mutters. “It’s been two years and?—”
“And I’m fine.” I cut him off, adjusting the shoulder strap of my bag. “Drop it.”
“You’re not fine. You’re?—”
“What? I’m what?” Hackles rising, I face him head-on.
He only searches my face. For what, I don’t know.
“I’m focused on hockey,” I tell him. “I’m having a great start to the season. I’m not causing problems or drama. What exactly is the issue here? I’m good, Cole. I don’t need you trying to fix me.”
He holds up his hands in surrender. “All right, man. Just think about it. That’s all I’m saying.” Despite the way he shuts down the conversation, knowing him, it’s far from over.
Logan finally drops his defensive stance, his shoulders lowering. “I don’t want to pick sides or anything, but I’m with Cole on this one.”
We all shoot him matching looks of disdain. Logan starts fights simply so hecanchoose a side.
He ignores the other guys, eyes never leaving mine. “You need to get back on the market, Davies.”
Still wiping water from his chest, Jake adds, “Agreed.”
