Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Thank you, sir, it was a real honor to learn from you last week.”
“You can just call me Roman.” He winks at Fee. “And honestly, it was my pleasure. The summer program at the Hockey Academy could be a good bridge for you. Have you considered submitting an application?”
“Yes, yeah.” I try to keep my voice steady. “I’m proofing my essay this week.”
“Great. Happy to hear that.”
Roman introduces me, Chase, Gage, and Brody to the scouts. They show interest in all of us, but it’s no surprise when they have the most questions for Brody. I don’t know what I feel more for him: empathy or envy. He’s wildly talented with Kodiak Bowman-level skills. But his brother has such an illustrious career, and a past that doesn’t always stay where it should. It would be impossible not to feel like he’s in his brother’s shadow all the time, or face the pressure people might put on him to be as good, or better.
We head back to the house with the rest of our teammates to celebrate. I get pulled into a conversation with a few of the older guys on the team, and Fee kisses me on the cheek and tells me she’s going to check on Enid and Tally, and she’ll find me in a bit.
“Dude, how cool that your girlfriend’s stepdad came to our game.” Beans is the fourth person to mention this.
“Roman is her brother-in-law, but yeah, it’s nice that he came out to spend some time with her,” I say pointedly.
“Right. Yeah. It must be nice for you and Brody to have an in with these guys.” His jealousy is written all over his face. I don’t blame Fee for making a quick exit. Getting dragged into hockey conversations about future prospects, especially when her sister is a coach, must get annoying. And it’s wildly transparent when one of the guys who barely talks to me off the ice is suddenly my best friend.
Eventually I extract myself from the conversation and go in search of Fee. I find her in the kitchen—it’s often where she hangs out at these parties, standing with our friends. Brody is tucked into the corner with Cammie and Chase on one side and Tally and Enid on the other, like his bodyguards. Fee’s back is to me, but she extends her hand toward me without turning around, like she already knows I’m there.
I slip an arm around her waist and burrow through her hair to kiss her neck. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Her hand covers mine.
Brody dips his chin. “Finally managed to escape Beans, huh?”
“It must be irritating when they glom on after Tristan shows up at a game or practice,” I reply.
Brody shrugs. “No more than it is for Fee and Tally.”
“At least until I started dating one of my dad’s players,” Tally replies cheekily.
“Your patience paid off.” Fee shifts so she’s tucked into my side, under my arm.
“I’m not dating you for your connections,” I blurt.
“We all know you’re dating Fee because you’ve been low-key crushing on her since you met her,” Gage interjects.
“You mean we’ve been low-key crushing on each other,” Fee corrects. She kisses the edge of my jaw and pats my chest. “And I know. You’ve always been cool about who my sister is and who she’s married to.”
“It makes sense in a way, though.” Gage runs a hand through his hair. “That you’d hang out with a bunch of people who have similar experiences and understand the position you’re always in. And these parties, while sometimes annoying for the three of you, also make it easy to suss out when people aren’t genuine. It kind of feels like training for the future, and like it creates tighter friendship bonds.”
We all stare at him like he’s suddenly sprouted two heads.
“That was very insightful, Gage,” Enid says.
Gage nods, like he knows this. “We’re all pushing towards the same goal: do the thing we love the most as a career, but not all of us will make it. Might as well be surrounded by like-minded people who will have your back when it gets hard and understand the challenges that come with this.”
Gage slides his phone out of his pocket. “Shit. I gotta take this. My sister is going through it right now with her boyfriend.” He holds the phone in front of him and signs as he heads for the stairs.
“Is it just me or did party Gage just leave the building and become introspective, protective older-brother Gage?” Cammie asks.
“That’s how it appears,” Brody confirms.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Enid says.
“How do you mean?” I ask.
“He picks up lunch from the café for his sister at least once a week.”
Tally presses her hand to her heart. “I knew Gage was a secret softie. He has that golden retriever energy.”
Brody leans forward, brow quirked. “Don’t let Flip hear you, or Gage will end up in a shallow grave.”