Page 17 of Play Dirty

“And you’re the easiest answer.”

The words struck me like a blow. I’d already suspected, of course. But to hear it from a player’s mouth. To actually know why the others were treating me the way they were…

It was almost sort of a relief.

“Look, we’re not wrong about everything,” he said quietly. “We just… don’t play like a team when it matters.”

I nodded. “Working on that.”

Still looking down his nose at me, he almost nodded back.

“Figured.”

A new silence settled in, making things even more uncomfortable. I seized the opportunity, and slid my cart to one side for him.

“I should probably get out of your way,” I told him.

“Yeah.”

“Have a good—”

“Maxwell?”

He was already stepping away when he dropped my name. He also dropped his voice, almost to the point of a whisper.

“They’ll get over it,” he advised me, his eyes darting around for witnesses. “Eventually.”

With that he was gone, leaving me all alone with carrots and cauliflower. A merry little song played, and the automatic misters came on. They sprayed the produce until it glistened, and the string beans looked like they were crying.

I got a few more things I needed, then headed to checkout. The cashier rang me up without looking up, at first.

Then she did, and her expression shifted.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “You’re with the Reavers.”

She said the words while looking downward. Once again, it wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” I told her. “I am.”

She froze for a moment, then nodded as she continued scanning.

“Shame what happened to Coach Trees.”

There was no accusation. No edge. Just some quiet disappointment, with a side order of judgment.

“Yeah,” I told her, not knowing what to say. “It is a shame.”

I paid quickly and loaded the car. All of a sudden, I didn’t feel the cold anymore. I was too numb. Too blown away by the idea that I wouldn’t even be able to escape persecution by leaving the house. Not in a hockey town this small, this dedicated to their team.

If the Reavers were going to blame me for the firing of their last coach, so be it. It really wasn’t up to me to convince them otherwise.

But I’d be damned if I wasn’t going back to a house full of people who hated me without mac and cheese.

~ 8 ~

HAVEN

I stayed out the whole day. That was one of the advantages to being a loner, much less one on a rare day off. I walked the town for a bit. Got lunch. Saw a two-dollar movie. I ended up drinking more coffee than I probably should have, all while procrastinating the analytical work that awaited me back in my icebox at the top of the house.