I step into the room and then shut the door, not wanting the media to hear what I have to say. “Boys,” I start, clearing my throat as the room looks up at me. “We got the lines.” I hold up the paper. “Nothing changes from the last pre-season game,” I tell the room. “We are going to start with Knox, Lane, and Nick.” I look at the three of them. “With Kirby and Jaxon on the D.” I look at Kirby and Jaxon, who just nod at me. “Between the pipes,” I look over at our goalie, “we’ve got Sammy.”
I look over at Cam and Eric. “Listen, they are saying that all eyes are on me tonight.” I smirk and then chuckle. “I don’t know why, I’m not the one on the ice.” The joke makes them laugh. “I won’t be called out after the game if I don’t skate good; you guys are.” I point to them. “In all seriousness, there is a lot of noise out there.” I point to the door. “They are looking at us, wondering if we are going to go down. You look at the guy on the right, you look to the guy on the left, and you know that when you go out there, you play for him. You play for yourself. You can’t win a game with one person. This is a team. I might be biased,” I hold my head high and my shoulders back, “but I think this is the best fucking team on the ice. Now let’s go out there and fucking do it, so I don’t have to have a sad press conference after,” I say and they laugh. “Warriors on three.” It’s something I started at the first preseason game. “One, Two, Three.”
“Warriors!” they roar. I clap my hands and open the door, heading out and then going straight for the bench. I walk behind the bench with Cam right beside me, as the lights go down and they start introducing the staff members. I take a deep inhale when they start introducing the coaches. When they get to Eric and then Cam, I wait to hear my name.
“Your head coach for the season,” the announcer says, “Zane Gilmore.” The crowd cheers loudly and the only thing I do is give them a nod.
The team is introduced, one at a time taking the ice: Kirby, Knox, and Jaxon the last three. When it’s over, everyone comes to the bench and the first line takes their positions. “Here we go,” I say, watching center ice for the puck drop. I think I hold my breath the whole fucking game. The whole game. Until the last fucking second. I finally let it out when the siren goes off and I put my hand in a fist and hold it up.
“One down,” Eric states, “the whole season to go.” I shake his hand then go to Cam.
“Nice game,” I tell him, and he smiles at me.
We walk back to the dressing room as I stop at the beginning of the tunnel, Cam looks back at me. “What are you doing?” he asks.
“I’m the first guy who is going to be there to congratulate them or greet them when they lose,” I tell him as the guys start coming back through the tunnel. “Good game.” I hold up my hand and, one by one, I congratulate the boys.
Jaxon is the last one off the ice, doing his own thing with the boys and making his way to me. “You know what this means, Coach,” he reminds me, taking off his gloves. “See you at the bar.”
“A deal’s a deal,” I tell him and then walk into the room with him.
“Okay, let’s do this; a new thing we are starting this year.” I look over at Cam and Eric, who come in with a helmet and a hammer. “They call me Coach Viking.” I laugh at the nickname the press gave me. “Not sure if it’s my beard, but,” I run my hand over it, “we’re going to do Viking of the game, win or lose, there has to be someone chosen. I’m going to start it off. I really wish I could give it to each and every one of you because there was not a battle out there that you guys didn’t fight to win.” I look at the guys. “Whether it was in the corner or on the open ice, you guys fought hard. I have to give it to the C Man,” I tell Jaxon. “Two goals, one assist.” I walk over to him and hand him the hammer and the helmet.
He takes the helmet, putting it on his head and then shakes my hand and comes in for a hug. “Thanks, Coach.”
“Okay, the press is about to come in, and I have to go and do my own and take credit for all your hard work,” I tell them, turning and walking out of the room and heading straight for the media room where they are waiting to ask me questions.
Media lasts a full thirty minutes and I am finally free of them. I head to my office, Cam and Eric having already checked out and left. Jaxon comes out of the changing room, and I look at him. “Ready to go?”
“I’m not getting out of this, am I?” I ask him and he smirks.
“Nope, good news though, it’s not too far from here.”
“Oh good,” I reply.
“Can you give me a lift? My wife is going to meet me there with my ride.” I nod at him as we walk out.
Heading to my SUV, I pull open the door and get in. It takes under ten minutes to get to the bar and by the time I park and get out, I’m already dreading this. The music can be heard from the parking lot. “Ugh,” I groan, walking with him to the door and walking in after Jaxon.
He quickly goes off to the side as the rookies see me, and they all holler at me. I turn to walk toward them, but my vision catches on Victoria. She’s holding a glass of wine in her hand as she talks to one of the equipment managers – Robert. The smile she is giving him is fake and then she shakes her head. I swear, I only have eyes for her, and then I’m stupidly making my way to her. “No, I think I’m good,” I hear her say, “but thanks.”
He grasps her arm and I have to stop myself from grabbing the nape of his neck when she looks shocked that he’s touching her. “Come on, just give me your number.”
“Robert,” I snap out his name and his eyes come to me. “Leave Ms. Stevenson alone,” I demand, my voice tight. He nods his head and turns to walk to the other side. His eyes going big at her last name and he finally gets that she’s off-limits.
“Thanks for that,” she says as she steps toward me and I again, for the second time tonight, I mistakenly look at her up and down. She’s wearing black jeans that hug her every curve and a black shirt with a blue jean jacket. Her white sneakers make it sporty.
“No worries,” I reply, and then I get a whiff of her perfume. My cock again springs into fucking action. The minute I saw her, he was ready, but now knowing she’s close to me, knowing what she tastes like, what she feels like, he wants nothing more than to end this night with her. I nod at her and turn away, heading straight for the rookies, knowing whatever she wants or needs, I can’t give it to her.
seven
Victoria
I watch him walk away from me for the first time. The first couple of times it was me walking away from him, wishing he would chase me, but coming to the conclusion that it was never going to happen.
I should just tuck it away as the best night of my life and end it there. The whole game my eyes were on him behind the bench. Yelling at guys to skate harder or let’s fucking go we got this. Either way, my eyes could never leave him. Never.
Was I expecting to see him here tonight? No. I didn’t think he would come, to be honest. Did my breathing stop the minute he barked out that guy’s name? Yes, it did and then I was shaking from the inside out.
