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“The only thing slipping through the cracks will be my foot up your ass.” I call out, and my teammates laugh, including Jay. He gives me a friendly bump and we start the drills, forming a tight circle, as we pass the puck back and forth.
“Speaking of slipping through the cracks…” Tyler Peterson, our top defenseman, and captain, says to me on the other side. “I met up with one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen last weekend…”
I roll my eyes, but Ashton and Jay listen on with interest.
“Yeah, and what?” Jay presses.
“She’s so freaking fine, she’s gonna be wearing my jersey.”
“You finally got a chick to sleep with you more than once?” Ashton cajoles.
“Yeah… apuck bunny,” I add in, knowing it’s a cheap shot, but I have to take it.
We all erupt in laughter… except Ty. He doesn’t look happy at our jibes. “I’m just shitting you, man,” I add, wondering when he got so damn sensitive.
He points his stick at me. “Watch it, James… We’ll see how the puck bunnies like you when you’re missing your front teeth.”
I laugh my ass off because we both know I can take him, and a fight on the ice at practice isn’t below me. It’s a rite of passage. I hold my hands up in surrender… “I’ll heed that as my first warning.”
“You do that…”
“Who’s the lucky girl?” Ashton asks, his interest piqued.
“Cindy Carter,” he whispers.
We all erupt with laughter again. Coach’s daughter… yeah, um, okay.
“You’re a dreamer,” I tell him, holding my sides from splitting. His dribbling monologue is sure on fire tonight.
“That’s a good one!” Jay’s clearly having as hard of a time believing it as me.
Ashton just shakes his head. “You can’t be for real.”
“Shhh.” Ty places his finger over his lips. “It’s a new thing, and a big fucking secret.”
“Then why the fuck are you telling us?” I laugh even harder because I don’t believe one word of it. Internally, though, I wince. Cindy Carter is one of Emmerson Daley’s best friends from school… I see Cindy at just about every game. We’ve shared glances, which have often spelled:I wanna ask about Emmerson, but I’m too much of a chicken shitto do it.
She has mentioned her a few times over the years… but obviously, I’ve never delved into it with any of her friends. That would be awkward.
“Because she’s coming to the game on Friday with a bunch of friends. Some chicks from Florida too.”
My heart plummets, and I feel pressure all the way from my head, down to my toes.
He must be talking about Emmerson and Maddison. She moved down there after everything that happened with us and eventually hooked up with fucking Doug Allbright a few years ago.
Doug Allbright!I knew that fucker always had the hots for her. He never took the hint back then that Emmerson wasn’t interested, but I guess he got his chance in the end.
“Which chicks from Florida?” I prompt, trying to keep my eye on the passes so Coach Carter doesn’t yell at me.
Ashton and I share a look. He knows I never got over Emmerson.
After she left me six years ago, I was in two minds whether or not to hightail it to Florida to convince her to come back… but the letter she left me was very clear. She needed space, wanted me to get on with my career, yadda yadda. I know people got to her, and the pressure was a lot, but we made love that night, and the day before in the car by the lake at our favorite spot.
Things had become strained between us in the weeks leading up to her leaving, but I never believed she would pack up and leave in the middle of the night, leaving me with a fucking letter.
It’s not something I can or will ever forget. I guess I’m still bitter about it.
That bitterness stopped me from chasing her down.
