He kisses my chest. “Don’t I know it.”
Beck decides to blow off the Ice Cats practice this morning, so we can order room service. “And the egg sandwiches will taste extra if we eat them in these,” he says, tossing me a plush bathrobe.
I can’t find it in me to argue. My ten hour stay at this five-star hotel is the closest thing I’ve had to a vacation in years. Besides, I don’t have to pick up Charlie from school for another couple hours.
We’re only two bites into our sandwiches when Beck’s phone rings. He doesn’t even glance at it.
“Aren’t you going to get that?” I prod. “What if it’s your agent?”
“My agent barely remembers my name.”
I get up and grab the phone anyway, because a man doesn’t unlearn all his clenched-up habits overnight.
It says, Coach Powers Calling.
Forty-Four
Need a New Tie
Beck
Here I stand naked except for a bathrobe, feet sinking into the plush carpet, as Coach Powers says, “Hey, Beck. Don’t make any dinner plans for the next eight weeks or so. After last night’s performance, I’m calling you up to travel with us as one of our Black Aces.”
Suddenly, I’m having an-out-of-body experience. I’m not even sure what I say to Coach. Hopefully, it’s a stammered thanks and a promise to work hard. But I also might have said, “Cool. Yeah. I love poker metaphors, too. Always wanted to be a grim omen of playoff injuries. Total bucket-list moment.”
Then I walk into a door. Not hard, but noticeably.
Forest, wincing, grabs me by the waist and turns me around again so I can pace the room unscathed while Coach spools out a bunch of details. They’re putting me up in a residence hotel in Boulder. I’ll be practicing with the Cougars every day and traveling with them for the duration of the playoffs.
“Which, hopefully, is all the way to the finals.” Coach Powers chuckles. “We’ve done it before.”
“Yessir,” I say, my mind whirling.
When the call ends, Forest has to remove the phone from my hand, because all I can do is stand there, openmouthed.
He slaps me on the back. “Breathe, Beck. This is fantastic, and I’m not even surprised. I wondered if last night was sort of a tryout.”
I sink into my chair and take a gulp of coffee. “They must be worried about Volkov.”
Forest nods. “Or just cautious. Makes sense that Powers would choose a goalie as a Black Ace if they’re rolling into the playoffs with, like, fewer than two healthy puck eaters.”
“So I’m like…their new favorite spare tire. I love this for me.”
Forest circles behind me, puts both hands on my shoulders, and squeezes. “You earned this. Ten bucks says you’ll start another game before the playoffs, too. If I were Powers, I’d use you for one of the last couple games.”
I take a deep breath and lean into Forest’s firm grip. “This is going to be intense. You’ll talk me down when I get rattled, right?”
Another sturdy squeeze from behind. “Yeah, I will. Promise.”
My shoulders relax by a fraction. “Good. Because I so don’t want to do this alone.”
He runs a hand through my hair. “You don’t have to. Now finish your breakfast. When do they want you in Boulder?”
“Tonight. Practice tomorrow morning, then we fly out to San Jose.”
“Got it. So what errands do you need to knock out? Equipment? Laundry? New suit?”
I look over at where my Ice Cats tie is still tied to one of the bedposts. “A suit is a good idea. And I need a tie in Cougar blue.”
