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Stone gives a sarcastic laugh. “But Keller’s already kicked him off the team. There’s no saving him now.”
His mockery of Keller’s actions is on point. Then he adds, “But we have to try. I’ll go with you.”
CHAPTER 13
Gage
Standing in the lounge of the private hangar where the team plane is parked, I call Jenna. Stone’s currently off to the side with Baden as he logs into the employment files from his phone to look up Coen’s home address. None of us know where he lives because none of us have ever been invited to his place.
I know it’s late—or rather early, going on almost two a.m.—and I wince slightly when she answers groggily, “Hello?”
Players walk by so I lower my voice. “Hey, sorry I woke you.”
Jenna gives a slight cough to clear her throat, and I envision her sitting up in bed, hair tousled and eyes sleepy. I’m hoping one day I’ll get to see that look in person.
“It’s okay,” she says softly. “I’m glad you called. Are you back?”
I rub my neck, trying to work out the tension. “Yeah. Stone and I are going over to Coen’s to talk to him. He left as soon as we got off the plane.”
“Moral support?” she guesses because she likely saw what happened on the ice on TV.
“More like an intervention,” I reply. And then I explain what happened in the locker room after the game.
Jenna gasps. “He quit? He can’t do that. He’s an integral part of the team.”
“I know that. You know that. The rest of the team knows it. But Coach Keller told him to get out and that he didn’t want him on the team.”
Jenna clucks her disapproval. “Well, he can’t do that either.”
I chuckle. “We both know that as well, but I think Coen was going to quit after that incident on the ice, regardless. There’s something more than just the plane crash driving his actions.”
Jenna is silent for a moment before saying, “You’re a good friend and teammate, Gage. You’re doing the right thing by going there now. Don’t let him get too settled into the proclamation he made. Give him a quick way to reverse his decision.”
“That’s the plan. I just wanted to hear your voice to fill my bucket before I go.”
Jenna sighs, and I smile at her reaction. “You filled my bucket tonight, too, just by calling.”
I have to bite back a sigh of my own because knowing I do that for her gives me a satisfaction that’s hard to describe. It feels almost primitive and from a place so deep, I didn’t know it existed.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at the arena for my interview, correct?” I ask. Although it’s the last thing I want to do, it has to be done. The documentary is important to Brienne, so I’ll be supportive.
“Yes. I’ll be there,” Jenna says. “And you know they’re going to ask about Coen. Brienne’s already texted me that they have the PR team working on talking points.”
“I’ll handle it however the organization wants me to.”
“Listen,” Jenna says slowly, “I hope this isn’t too forward—”
“If you’re about to say you’re going to kiss me as soon as you see me at the arena tomorrow, no matter who’s looking, I don’t think that’s too forward at all.”
Jenna laughs, and I hear the admonition in her voice. “Quit interrupting. I was going to ask if you would like to come to my place tomorrow night for dinner. I’d like to cook for you.”
It says more to the fact that I’m a man who’s incredibly attracted to Jenna that my first thought upon said invitation is a make-out session on her couch instead of eating. But that will only happen if she’s comfortable with it. I’m truly more than satisfied to spend whatever time I can with her.
“Not too forward at all,” I assure her. “I would love to come over tomorrow night.”
“Good. Bring a nice wine since I don’t have any. I drank the last of what I had tonight as I watched the game.”
“Lush.”
In a prim, almost Mary Poppins voice, she scoffs, “I most certainly am not.”
There’s no stopping my smile from our teasing exchange. Bucket is brimming. “I can’t wait to see you. I’ll take any opportunity in our hectic schedules to spend time with you.”
“Well,” Jenna drawls mischievously as if she has a secret, “you might be happy to learn that Brienne told me she wants me traveling with the documentary crew to whatever away games they’re going to film. They’re still ironing out the production schedule, but you’ll probably be seeing me a lot more than you bargained for.”
Jenna on road trips? Perhaps sneaking her into my hotel room, or me sneaking into hers?
I shake my head to force myself to get a grip and quit letting my thoughts go there. “I like it. A lot.”
