Page 36 of Want You

They wanted to know how he managed to get better after thirty. How a guy who’d had so many surgeries on his knees managed to still skate as well as he did. They asked how he felt about the responsibilities he had as not only an assistant captain, but as one of the veterans. No doubt he’d be asked, yet again, what it was like having a captain a decade younger than him. And he’d give the answers he was trained to give.

He’d tell them it was all about adaptability and hard work. That listening to the doctors and professionals tasked with keeping his body working was the secret. Leadership was important to him, he’d had great leaders when he’d come into the league and he saw firsthand how that had helped shape him. He wanted to spread that through the ranks of the team. And yet again, Cory Mitchell may only be twenty-four, but he led with passion, talent, and the ability to inspire his teammates despite his age. Nathan would insist, yet again, that he’d follow the kid anywhere.

Half of that was true. He’d joined the league under one of the most toxic leadership groups hockey had ever seen. His first captain was a big believer in belittling rather than building people up. It was the horrible leadership style that inspired him to take a different approach.

The interviewer shocked him at the end when he asked what they were each looking forward to when they got home. After his teammates both mentioned their wives and kids, Nathan smiled at the camera and said he was looking forward to seeing his girlfriend. Then he quickly added that he couldn’t wait to sleep in his own bed again. The minute the camera stopped rolling, he requested they cut out the girlfriend part. Scottie may see the interview and Nathan preferred he not find out about Octavia from The Sports Channel.

CHAPTER 18

OCTAVIA

Octavia got home from babysitting her nephew and was ready to crawl into bed and sleep until Monday. She didn’t know how her sister worked and had the energy to be a present parent who was always posting about some social outing or other with Tyler. She was giving him the childhood they didn’t get and she did it on a tiny fraction of the income their parents had.

Octavia changed into her pyjamas and poured a glass of wine, then settled in front of the TV to watch the pregame panel. Nathan’s face filled the screen immediately and she relaxed further into the couch, a bashful smile hijacking her lips. Fuck he was hot, his brown hair was styled in perfect waves, he had a day’s worth of scruff, and the polo he was wearing left absolutely nothing to the imagination. No one would be wondering what kind of body he had under that thing as it hugged his chest and biceps.

He answered all the questions thoughtfully despite a couple sounding like canned responses. She didn’t blame him, it must get exhausting being asked the same stupid shit over and over again. When he looked directly in the camera, it felt like he was looking at her, butterflies spread south immediately while a few detoured north, fluttering annoyingly around her heart. That’s how he’d looked through the screen last night when he’d told her to keep her fucking eyes on him as she came. It was how he always looked at her, intense, like he could see every thought passing through her mind.

Lost in thought she didn’t hear the last question, but she figured it was about missing something at home by the answers from Nathan’s teammates. Wives and children.

“I’m looking forward to seeing my girlfriend,” Nathan said, his eyes still on her, and then he laughed and shook his head, his gaze snapping to the interviewer. “And sleeping in my own bed again.”

Girlfriend?

She leaned back as that word sunk in. A month ago, she had expected to have a boyfriend. She just thought he’d be someone else. She never saw Nathan coming. Now you see him coming constantly, she thought, making her wish he was coming home to her straight after the game.

By the first intermission, Toronto was up two nothing. Nathan had scored the first and assisted on the second. He celebrated both the exact same way, as happy for himself as he was for his teammate. She loved that about him.

There he was again with a microphone in front of him. This time his hair stuck out at random angles before he slid his hand through it, his tattoos peeking out under the wrist wrap he had on. Why is that so hot? she wondered.

“Seven goals in the last five games. You don’t seem to be slowing down. Do you think you can maintain this pace going into the playoffs?”

“I’d like to. I feel like I’ve found my game again and it feels great. We’re going to try and keep this momentum going for as long as possible, it’s only February, so there’s still loads of hockey left.”

“Had you been playing like this in the last couple of months, you would have no doubt been picked to go to your first All-Star game. Does it bug you a bit that your game exploded after the teams were announced.”

Nathan laughed and shook his head. “Steve, I’m old, I could use the break to rest my body.” If Octavia hadn’t had her eyes glued to the TV she would have missed the cheeky glance paired with a sly grin at the camera.

“Well, good luck in the second.”

“Thanks,” he said before glancing up once more and turning to walk to the dressing room.

Octavia grabbed her phone and googled the All-Star game. The break was in two weeks, which meant he’d have a week off of playing.

Next she googled, What do players do during the NHL All-Star break?

Apparently, those who are not playing in the NHL All-Star game usually spend time with their family. Some go on mini-holidays somewhere warm. A few players have been known to attend the All-Star weekend as spectators.

Next, she sent an email to her boss to see if it was possible to take that week off. February wasn’t usually a popular month to take off since most of the people on her team had kids, which meant they waited until the spring holiday when their kids were off school.

For all she knew, Nathan would already have plans. If he did she’d cancel her time off, but at least this way she was prepared. Or did it make her look desperate? He wanted this, he practically told you to commit to more or he was walking, she reminded herself.

If taking off a week for him this early in their relationship didn’t show she was trying, she didn’t know what else would.

She caught herself yawning more times than she could count throughout the rest of the game. Going to bed would be so easy right now, but she was desperate to see him.

“Hey, babe,” he murmured serenely when she answered his call. She watched as he took his bottom lip between his teeth as his gaze searched her face. A flirty smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.

“Great game.” She purred, leaning back against her headboard.