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I snorted and shook my head. “No fuckin’ way, Sis. I like being a dog dad just fine.”
In an effort to brighten her spirits, Griff had gifted Sav a puppy named Beau while she was pregnant with her first son, Johnny. I moved in with them for a while right after the baby came so I could help out. During those weeks, I mostly took care of Beau so they could focus on baby things, and I ended up bonding with the furry guy– even took him to practice at the rink with me sometimes. When I started living on my own again, it became pretty obvious that I’d gotten too used to living in a full house, because the silence of an empty apartment was daunting. I think Sav and Griff sensed that I was lonely, and apparently Beau seemed pretty down in the dumps without me too, so they gifted Beau to me. I was damn appreciative of the pup. There was no other dog like Beau. He was a spitfire when he was young, but now, he just chilled by my side all the time. I didn’t even need a leash anymore because he loved just walking next to me.
“I don’t know, you’re looking awfully comfy,” she mused.
I rolled my eyes, but… looking down at her baby’s tiny lips, and tiny nosey, and little eyes, my heart softened.
“What do we call her?” I asked, brushing her pink, chubby cheek.
“We’re thinking about Indie May Griffiths. What do you think?”
“Oh man,” I chuckled. “Griff got to you with his Tyler Childer’s playlist, huh?” Dude was constantly humming ‘Lady May.’
She laughed, and I loved hearing it. I loved my older sister more than anyone on the planet. She practically raised me after all. But there was a time when I thought I’d never hear her laugh ever again. I watched her completely unravel after she lost her first husband, Nick Johns, about five years ago. Nick was Sav’s first love, Griff’s best friend, and a stand-in older brother to me. We all grew up together at the Ice League. Speaking of which…
“Well, Sis, I’m thinking about heading back home to the Ice League while I recoup,” I told her. “That’s what TJ did when he injured his knee. I already called up Max. He said I could have full reign over one of their summer clinics.” Max was one of the older guys at the rink when I was a kid. He was now the hockey club’s director.
“Really?” She looked at me surprised.
I guess it was an unexpected move. I hadn’t been back home to Minnesota since I left for junior hockey at seventeen.
“Yeah, I miss the old rink,” I said with a chuckle. “Give me some of your guys’ charity stuff for when I head back, yeah?”
After Sav’s first kid, Johnny, was born, she wanted to do more to keep Nick’s memory alive. That’s when she started up Griffin’s Wings. The charity raised money to give all kids safe and organized places to eat and play, and they even sponsored billeting expenses for teens. She thought up the whole initiative because when we first met Nick and Griff, they were teenagers living on their own and surviving off concession stand food so they could play hockey together on the Ice League’s junior team.
“Actually, I think we’re coming to spend a bit of summer with Mom and Dad after…” She stopped herself and grimaced.
I knew she was about to say after the playoffs, which I unfortunately would not get to play in anymore.
I nodded. “It’s alright. I’ll see ya at home then.” I forced a smile despite my absolute shit mood.
3.Duke - Ice League - June 1st
“You said I’d have full reign of a summer clinic!”
“That’s before I knew you were on crutches, ya dope!” Max threw back at me with wide eyes. “You probably should’ve disclosed that you didn't meet the physical standards required for the job,” he deadpanned. He glanced at Beau walking by my side and looked pained. “And I love Beau, but you can’t bring your dog in here, man.”
I felt my frustration rising. Why was everyone treating me like I broke my fucking brain along with my foot? I guess I did have a concussion, and I unfortunately was still suffering through the after-effects of it, but it’s not like I was completely useless now. I blew off the comment about Beau, because I knew he didn’t mean it. Beau made everyone happy. There’s no way he’d send him away.
“C’mon Max, I still know hockey better than anyone in this rink,” I argued. “Doesn’t that count for something?”
He just put his hands on his hips and dropped his head down.
“At least I have on-ice experience with offenseanddefense,” I pointed out. I knew that comment would piss him off because he technically didn’t. He grew up playing goalie here at the League. He only briefly left to play college hockey followed by a short stint in the ECHL before coming back here to manage all the youth teams.
He took a deep breath like it was taking all his effort not to blow a gasket on me. He looked at my foot, then Beau, then rubbed his scruffy jaw. He muttered something under his breath about being “too old for this shit” before turning on his heel and walking away from me. I crutched after him through the lobby, trying to keep up with his fast pace. Beau trotted slowly next to me.
“Maxie boy, please, I’m going to go out of my mind if I have to just sit around all summer. Give me something, anything,” I begged.
He finally paused and looked over his shoulder at me. “You can have anassistantcoaching job. Little kids need coaches on the ice helping them. You can assist Grey’s clinic.”
I slowed to a stop and slumped over my crutches. My armpits were fucking killing me from crutching around all day.
“Greyson Scott?” That did not sound fun. He was a fucking grump. I was just a kid when he first went pro. He spent his first few offseasons training here and he was never very pleasant to be around. Last time I saw him he almost chewed my head off for not spotting him correctly in the weight room above the rink. Hopefully he’d mellowed out over the years.
“Yeah. He’s stopping by in a couple hours if you wanna stick around. Either help him or you can work in the front office.”
I felt my eyebrows pinch together. “Where’s Craig?” He’d worked the front office ever since I could remember. Things couldn’t have changedthatmuch around here.
