“Great game,” I grunt, following my teammates off the ice.
“Were you nice to the people we just pummeled into the ice?” Richards teases me.
“I’ll never tell,” I smirk, pulling off my helmet. “Ugh, I hope no one needs me after this. My parents are here tonight.”
“Edna,” Richards drawls as we walk toward the locker room.
She twists around from her seat, working at a table and a phone at her ear as my dog chills at her feet. I think Princess Sunny really likes the chaos around her.
“Don’t put Jeffries, Franz, or Reynolds on the media list,” he says. “Koen’s family is here.”
Edna mouths, “I know,” and then goes back to her call.
“See? She’s on it,” Richards says, pushing me into the locker.
Rolling my eyes, I hurry inside to undress.
“Do we have reservations for dinner?” Rhodes asks, pulling off padding as he strips.
“Shit,” I groan. “I didn’t think of that.”
“I got it,” Skylar says, already pulling out his phone. “The Italian place off 3rd is supposed to be really good.”
“They make their pasta,” Olsson says. “Ugh, now I’m jealous.”
“We’ll take your grandmother there,” Richards says, shaking his head. “He won’t stop talking about it otherwise.”
“Rude,” Olsson mutters, but there’s a smile on his face now. I’m pretty sure those two are just friends, however, I’m also not one to be nosy.
Olsson is the nosy one in our friendship.
Content knowing Skylar has the reservation sorted out, I walk into the shower once my gear is off, making a face once I turn on the water. My anxiety about tonight is riding me hard, and I take a deep breath to try to relax.
Rhodes is next to me, his body soothing as he blocks me from the rest of the room.
“Nervous?” he asks, scrubbing his hair as he shampoos it.
“Very,” I growl. “I love my family, I just always feel awkward when they’re here. They tend to ask me questions I don’t know the answer to.”
“Skylar and I can help field questions for you,” he says. “They seem awesome. Also, if they’re not nice, we’ll bounce. You don’t have to remain in spaces that don’t appreciate you.”
“Okay,” I say, blowing out a breath. “That helps. Again, I’m my own worst enemy. I tend to build shit up in my head.”
The hot water helps the stiffness of my muscles, and by the time I’m done with my shower, I have to remind myself I can’t take a nap.
“We’ll pick up coffee on the way,” Skylar says, glancing at me as he finishes at the showers. He is rushing through his usual routine, and my lips twitch as I nod.
I listen to my teammates as they laugh and talk as I dry off and get dressed. Some of them are going out, others are ready for a night in.
“I overheard that Coach is considering wooing Galen over to us after the season is over,” Olsson says, leaning toward me as I zip up my pants.
“I think he’s got some growing to do,” I offer. I don’t want to talk out of turn, so I pretend to know less than I do. “There were mistakes he shouldn’t have made.”
“That’s what I thought too, but Boston won’t be able to help him do that,” Olsson says. “We’ll see where the puck falls. Have fun with your parents.”
“Thanks,” I say with a smile.
Skylar turns me around to begin to fix the buttons on my shirt, and I can’t help but chuckle.
