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“What if he plays like shit?” I asked as we walked out of the locker room together.
My father glanced over at me with a smirk. “Well, then I guess you might not want to date him after that.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re horrible.”
My father wrapped his arm around the tops of my shoulders. “I’m trying to work on that… after I bust your new boyfriend’s balls a bit.”
I missed this camaraderie with my father. It felt good, like how things used to be between us. We were getting a second chance with our relationship and at the same time, he was going to give Mac a chance to show him that his daughter’s heart was safe with him.
I smiled as we walked out into the parking lot together.
Life finally felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MAC
Istared down at my skates, the defeat hanging heavily over my shoulders. A deep breath escaped me and I leaned forward, grabbing the laces as I began to tighten them before tying them. This was it. This was going to end up being my last game with the Vipers and there was nothing I could do about it. Coach Anderson hadn’t said anything to me, but I was sure he was probably looking for a way to get me off the active roster.
He hadn’t spoken a single word to me earlier at practice and I was too much of a chicken shit to approach him before the game. If this was going to potentially be my last time playing with the guys, I didn’t need to piss him off ahead of time and earn myself a spot on the bench for the entire game. I was going to try to enjoy this last moment with them.
And then after the game I was going to talk to him.
I needed to be upfront and straight with him. He needed to know how I felt about his daughter and how she was someone I was actually serious about. A future with her was appealing to me and something I had thought about frequently.
After leaving the rink last night, I kept my distance from Juliette. I was waiting to hear from her after she had talked with her father, but when I didn’t get a message or a call from her, my mind began to question everything. I couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on. I thought if things were good, she would have said something. It was driving me insane, yet I couldn’t bring myself to be the first one to reach out.
I told myself if I didn’t hear from her by the time this game was over, I’d have to be the one to say something.
There were so many things I needed to tell her, but also things I needed to tell Juliette’s father. I hadn’t told her yet, but he deserved to know that I loved his daughter and I would protect her with my own life. When it came to priorities, Juliette Anderson was at the top. If it came down to it, she would never make me choose her over hockey, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t.
“Hey, you’ve been pretty quiet all day,” Lincoln said as he kicked at my shin. “Are you good?”
No, actually, I’m not. Coach Anderson walked in on me and his daughter and now I am going to end up getting traded because of it.
Nodding, I straightened my shoulders and exhaled. “I’m all right. Just ready to get on the ice.”
This whole situation had me all fucked up. With how jittery I was, I wasn’t sure I was actually ready to get on the ice. I wasn’t able to take my pregame nap earlier. I laid there and tossed and turned until it was time for me to get up. The anxiety and anticipation were ruling my life at that point. Shaking my head to myself, I tried to push the unwanted feelings away. The last thing I needed was to get out there and end up fucking up the game too.
Lincoln tilted his head to the side, looking unconvinced. “If there’s anything you want to talk about, you know I’m here, right? You know I won’t judge you for anything?” He paused for a moment, his voice dropping lower as he stepped closer. “I know I wasn’t always the most understanding about you and Juliette, but none of that matters now. I’ll always have your back.”
“Thanks, man,” I told him, nodding. I could feel the weight of my reality hanging heavily in the air. Inhaling deeply, I exhaled and admitted the truth to him. “I’m pretty sure this is going to be my last game with the Vipers.”
His eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“Coach Anderson. He’s going to get rid of me.”
Lincoln still looked confused, like he wasn’t following me. “What happened, Mac?”
A deep sigh left my lips. “He saw Juliette and I. My career here is over.”
“Hold the fuck on—did he threaten you or say that he’s going to kick you off the team?”
I shook my head. “It just happened last night. I haven’t spoken with him about it yet.”
Lincoln leveled his gaze with mine. His eyes pierced through my own. “Wait. So, he saw the two of you but didn’t say anything to you? You can’t possibly know how he’s going to react or what he’s going to do about it.”
I stared back at him, dread filling the pit of my stomach. “Bro, there’s no way he’ll let me stay. He’s been giving me the silent treatment.”
