Page 18 of Game Misconduct

I glanced to Derek, who wasn’t paying attention, before looking back at her. “Like hobbies?”

She nodded. “Yeah, what do you do outside of practice?”

“And games and travel and promos and photoshoots?” I expected a question like this from a fan but not a team employee, especially not one that’s so immersed with the private lives of the players. She had to know we had so very little time outside of the team for anything else.

She waited, but I didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t time growing up for other interests. It was school, homework, practice, and traveling. I didn’t learn to play an instrument or draw or even get into video games. I liked music as much as the next person, but I wasn’t really dedicated to any single artist or even genre. I watched movies as a way to pass time on planes, and the last book I read was during my senior year of high school.

The last thing I expected tonight was to have an existential crisis in the middle of some near-strangers’ living room.

“Did you hang out with your teammates a lot?” she tried.

I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

My Anaheim team was younger than the Fury, so most of us were single, but that didn’t mean we took weekend trips together or went to Disneyland on a free afternoon.

She tilted her head. “Hockey’s your whole life, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t meant to be an insult. I could see her genuine curiosity, but I suddenly felt self-conscious.

Wasn’t that how it was meant to be for us? Our jobs were playing. We didn’t have regular nine-to-five hours and weekends off. During the offseason, we had the chance to travel and head home, but I generally stuck around and trained. I wasn’t enough of a superstar to think I could take three months off. I had to stay on top of my game. Be my very best in order to hold my position in the NHL and not drop into the American League.

“That’s okay.” She offered a smile. “We, the Pride, try to plan things to get you guys out of your heads and to give you the chance to take a break. Even if it’s just for a night. You’re always invited.”

Derek huffed. “Don’t think that’s something everyone gets offered either.”

She nudged him. “Don’t listen to him. He had a rough patch too, but you get the energy you put out. He was prickly and arrogant, so it’s not hard to imagine why the guys weren’t so interested in spending time together away from the arena.”

I nearly coughed out the food in my mouth. That was shocking to hear from her.

“It’s all in the past now.” She patted his knee. “Ultimately, it’s up to you. If you want to be included, you’re welcome, but if you prefer to have a separation between work and your personal life, that’s fine too.”

She stood, walking toward the kitchen. I let out a sigh, thinking I was done with this conversation, but Derek leaned closer.

“That’s not entirely true. Remember what I said before. Those women will take one look at you and see a project to work on. They don’t think anyone can be happy alone.” He huffed, “Some of the guys are just as bad. They don’t take you seriously unless you’re in a committed relationship.”

I didn’t like the sound of that, but if Derek and Mikey both had negative experiences in the past while they were single, maybe that’s what the team thought was the problem. A woman in your life made you stable or something.

It was too soon to know for sure if his theory was right. I’d only been on the team for a few days, but I could tell that there was a tight group of the core guys. Legends, actually. One of the major reasons I was so unaffected by the trade was that I was going to one of the best teams in the league. The repeat champions. I wanted to be a part of this elite group.

But did I want in further? Was being their teammate enough?

I watched the couples and thought of the women that appeared at each practice. Was I ready for that? For commitment and settling down? I wasn’t anything close to a partier or player or womanizer. The reason I’d lasted this long was by keeping my head down and working hard. That didn’t seem to be enough for this team. They wanted a family. They wanted me to be more than an asset on the ice.

If Derek’s advice could be trusted, I didn’t want to ask for their help finding someone. That would grow out of my control too quickly, and I didn’t want anyone thinking my mind was on dating instead of playing. But it wasn’t like I could pull a girlfriend out of thin air. I didn’t know anyone in the city except the people in this room.

A laugh hit my ears, and I searched for the source. There, Viv had her head tossed back and her hand on Taylor’s arm. Jason was grinning, and Taylor was wiping her eyes. Why was she always at the center of the entertainment? From what I gathered, she was an outsider. Not truly a part of the Pride, but they still seemed to include her. Lance and Mikey talked about her like they were all friends.

Maybe she could help me. Everyone liked her, and she was close enough to the inner circle without actually being one of the obsessive Pride women. She could help me find my place here and with the Fury.

Mitch walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders. She tilted her head up and smiled. Was he interested in her? Did she like him? They seemed to hit it off the other night. I’d have to bring it up with him later or find a different option. But why did that suddenly sound terrible? I didn’t really know her, but watching her interact with Mitch, how easily they spoke and teased and laughed, made me feel … jealous? No that couldn’t be right. Excluded.

Maybe I was jealous they formed a bond so quickly, and I tend to struggle to make friends that quickly with anyone. It didn’t mean I was necessarily jealous of him because it was Viv. Right?

Seven

Vivian

“Hey, how was your weekend?” Kerry bumped my shoulder while I stared at the coffee maker, willing it to go faster. Jonathan was already in his office and had a meeting starting in less than ten minutes I had to attend to take notes. I needed to get this caffeine in my system and get the agenda pulled up on my tablet with the comments Jonathan added the night before.