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Of course, I’d love to have sponsors, but I won’t give up Andie for it. I have plenty of money saved up to retire someday. I might not be able to live the same way I do now, but I’ll be okay.
“You trying to steal my position, Anderson?”
I look up to find Remy skating toward me. He’s usually the first one here on practice days, being the team captain and all. “You and I both know I'd make a horrible team captain.”
He huffs out a laugh. “You know, exhausting yourself isn’t a great way to get ready for a game.”
“Just dusting off the cobwebs.”
“How’s Andie?” He abruptly changes the subject.
I think for a second, not one to talk about my personal life. But I respect Remy, and it’s just the two of us. “Funny you should ask. I just got a lecture from my agent about her.”
His eyebrows raise in surprise. “Really?”
“Apparently, hooking up with the legal guardian of a kid I was coaching is bad for my image.”
He laughs out loud. “Wow. Well, as team captain, I’m all for players having a good image and helping the team. But Andie is good for you. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, exactly, but you come out of your shell around her and act like a real human.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mutter, but he just laughs again. “So, you don’t think it’s an issue?”
“Nah, I like this new Mitch who’s not such a grumpy old man.”
I shake my head. “She’s too good for me. I don’t deserve her,” I tell him honestly. Saying it out loud feels even worse than thinking it. The knowledge that I’ll never be good enough for her and Noah reverberating around my brain and my body like the words are a real, living thing.
“In my experience, men are seldom deserving of the women they’re with,” he says, a flash of something like grief or regret passing over his face.
Our conversation is rudely interrupted when the rest of our team appears, skating onto the ice with a ridiculous amount of energy and commotion. West and Colby are chatting about something but skate over toward me and Remy. Bruce changes direction from the net to our group when he spots the four of us.
“My boys!” he yells as he flies toward us in all of his giant goalie gear. “How’s my girl, by the way?” He directs the question at me. “Or is she your girl yet?”
“She’s mine,” I practically growl the words at him.
The guys erupt into laughter and West gives me a hard smack on the back. “Welcome to the smitten kitten club, man.”
Coach Young whistles from the box and glares in our direction. “Get your giggling asses over here, we have work to do.”
* * *
I’m sitting in Dr. Curtis’s now familiar office after practice. I feel calm as I wait for him, no feelings of dread coursing through me. Me and Doc have a rapport now, he knows when not to push me to talk and I feel more comfortable actually talking… a little.
“Alright, so how’d the homework go?” he asks, typing a few notes on his tablet, then meeting my gaze.
“I took a bubble bath.”
His eyebrows raise and his mouth quirks. “Good, good. Was it relaxing?”
I shrug. “The bath wasn’t really my thing, but I listened to an audiobook during the bath, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I’m on my second book now.”
“Wonderful,” he says, placing his tablet on the table beside him and crossing his ankle over his knee. “I love audiobooks as well. What gave you the idea… for the bath and audiobook?”
I hesitate. “Remember the boy I told you about, Noah?”
He nods.
“He said his big sister enjoys baths and books, and I like her… so I gave it a try.” Once again, words bubble out of my mouth about Andie Downsby. I can’t seem to not talk about her.
Dr. Curtis smiles. “Are you and Andie seeing each other?”
