Brooks frowns. “You might not be. But you can’t run from that.”
“Who gives a shit what other people think?” Aiden says. “Every single one of us dealt with shit talk. We were handed our positions because of the last name. Brought in to work for the team because of connections. We were losing our touch on the ice. Brooks was getting slow?—”
“Fuck you very much,” Brooks says with a soft laugh.
Aiden grins. “My point is, that guy is the best damn goalie we ever had. Arguably the best to ever play.”
Brooks huffs, “Now you’re just sucking up.”
“He’s not wrong,” I tell my biggest, gentlest uncle.
“And this one,” Gavin says, squeezing Aiden’s shoulder, “is a hall-of-famer. But the pundits said I should have moved him down so Keegan could play more.”
I roll my eyes. The damn media put so much stress on my Uncle Aiden. It got so bad that one season he had a panic attack on the ice.
“And everyone said he was just a rich boy who took a job meant for a real coach,” Brooks says, thumbing toward Gavin.
Our head coach nods and leans forward. “Our point is, people are always going to talk shit. You just have to learn to tune them out.”
“And if you can’t, use it. Work harder, practice longer, prove them fucking wrong,” Aiden says, lighting up.
“So you want to be goalie?” Gavin leans back in his chair like he’s really considering it.
Could he be? Could this actually happen?
I dip my head once. “Yes.”
“We’d still need to call Dirk up until Sidney hits IR.”
I figured he’d say that. We’re at cap, so we can’t add another player to our roster until Sidney is out for seven days. But after that, he’s considered injured reserve and that opens up a spot to either bring a player up on waiver or sign a free agent. Me, hopefully. In the meantime, we’ll have to bring someone up from our AHL team, since they’re under our cap.
Could I handle coaching Dirk for a week? Yes. Obviously. I handled him during preseason just fine. Mostly.
But since JJ and I have grown closer over the last few weeks, memories from that time have resurfaced more and more, and now I can’t look at Dirk without thinking of that night. Of the way I felt when I woke up and couldn’t remember what had happened.
I felt helpless. Used.
I never want to feel that way again.
“About that,” I start.
All eyes turn to me again.
“What if we bring up the rookie? It’s only seven days. And I think it might be worth bringing him up and keeping him on the bench after the week is up. He should be practicing with us in case anything happens to JJ or me.”
“Why not Dirk?” Gavin asks, his tone one of genuine curiosity.
“Honestly,” I say, going with part of the truth, “because I don’t like him.”
Brooks nods. “Me neither. He’s an ass with a bone to pick when it comes to Addie. And while I wouldn’t normally put too much stock in shit like that, it’s not good for the team. And right now, at the beginning of the season, after losing our other goaltender, it’s best if we stick with team players.”
I breathe a huge sigh of relief and meet my uncle’s eye. “Thank you.”
Gavin frowns thoughtfully. “We’d need you to take over for her.”
Brooks nods. “I’m aware.”
Tongue pressed to his cheek, Gavin sits back. “I actually have someone who might be able to help you,” he says to Brooks.
