Well, damn. I think back to what Drax said about losing control in Club Knotty. That guy’s a thorn in my fucking side right now, but I have to give him some props for teaching Zach a lesson.
“What’s taking so long?!” Coach’s voice booms. “Ice! Now!”
NINETEEN
Sabs
“Is it always so…?” I watch, a mix of awed and mesmerized as Adler zips around on his skates. He rams into another player, the collision echoing around the rink with a thud. “Aggressive?”
“Yep.” Luca grins. “Not like volleyball, huh?”
I rub my arms, glad I put on a jacket. “I prefer to play on the beach where it’s warm.”
“Sand and ice. Opposites attract, huh?” He laughs to himself. “How long have you been playing volleyball?”
“From as soon as I could walk, pretty much,” I say. “I used to spend days on the beach close to our house when my brothers went surfing.” While my eyes follow the puck, I can practically hear the waves crashing on the beach over the sound of Coach Tanner’s voice.
“It sounds like a great way to grow up.”
“It was.” I sigh wistfully, my chest tightening when I think about my family and the nearing inevitability of telling them that I bonded. Thankfully, Adler provides a distraction as the puck flies into the back of the net. “Hell yeah!”
Adler looks up at me, putting a hand to his helmeted face as he blows me a kiss.
“We’ll make a hockey fan of you yet,” Luca insists.
“Do you miss playing?” I ask him.
“Yes.” His smile grows taut. “But it’s easier now that I’ve accepted my limitations.”
“What happened?” I blurt, then instantly recall Delilah telling me that I should try to be more mindful before saying the first thing that springs to my mind. “I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“It’s okay.” He looks across the rink. “While Adler and I were waiting to come to SVU, we played for a good local team. That’s how we got noticed to come here. We were playing against the Florida Flamingos.”
I can’t help but snort, imagining a group of guys dressed in pink with wings, skating around.
“They’re tougher than their name sounds.” Luca must read my mind. “I collided with another player and slammed into the boards. I got a concussion—which isn’t career ending—but the way I hit it caused AC-joint separation along with labral tears. Most cases are treated quickly, but the damage was so severe that I still have a bump and ongoing pain. Full rehabilitation took months, and by that time, I’d already lost my scholarship, so I decided to pursue something else.”
“Luca…” I take his hand. “I… I’m so sorry.”
“I was in a dark place for a while.” His gaze drops to where our hands are entwined. “But Adler and Orin got me through it. Then I started studying here and loved it. Knowing exactly how people feel going through physical therapy, especially the mental side, is something I bring to my work. Plus, with more time on my hands, I found a new passion outside of the rink.”
“Oh?”
“The outdoors.” His eyes seem to sparkle more. I only glance at him for a few seconds before he points at the ice. After abandoning my school work, we moved down closer to watch the action. He told me that rule number one of watching hockeyis to always follow the puck, even though we’re still so high in the stands that I’m sure it wouldn’t hit us. “There are so many amazing trails around here. So many students don’t even know what’s out there.”
“Guilty as charged,” I confess. “I only leave campus to go to Forestville, and that’s only to visit my friend Delilah’s bakery or to go to The Pleasure Pages.”
“The Pleasure Pages?”
“A romance bookstore that also sells sex toys,” I say, making him splutter in surprise. “You should check it out sometime. It’s a lot of fun.”
“I’ll consider it.” He nods, pink tongue darting out to moisten his lips. “If you come hiking with me sometime.”
“I usually only do my workouts at the gym, but I’m open to the great outdoors. As long as we have bug spray.” I shudder, remembering the camping trip I went on with my family years before. “Mosquitoes love to devour me.”
“I don’t blame them. You smell pretty delicious.”
My stomach does backflips, knowing he likes my scent. “Luca, are you flirting with me?”
