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That was probably the one threat that could force me to listen to him and he knew it. I reluctantly unlocked my truck. He swung the door open and plopped in my passenger seat, then turned the heat up and rubbed his hands together.
The silence between us was unnerving. I covered my eyes and decided to just get this over with. If I explained myself, then maybe he’d deliver the message to Josie, and I wouldn’t have to break her heart.
“If I get attached, something bad always happens. I’m better off not ever getting involved with anyone. Ever. The other shoe looming over my head always drops and it explodes. I can’t be responsible for exploding anyone else. Josie…” My throat burned. “She deserves a better man. I can’t… I can’t be the one for her. Because I don’t want to hurt her. I shouldn’t have…” My voice was shaky and I hated it, but I needed to get this out. “I tried, okay? But I can’t save anyone.”
“Calm down, son. You’re not even making sense right now. Not sure you even know what you’re saying.”
“Idoknow! I fully know, Coach.” I regretted raising my voice at him before I even finished my sentence. I was fucking this all up.
He set his jaw and practically glared at me. “Let me set the fucking record straight for you. I swore I’d never say this, so I’m only gonna say it once, and you better fucking listen.” He sighed. “Why do you think I set her up in that specific apartment after she broke up with that selfish prick? Think about it– who else is single there? Hassik, Garcia, and you. And you think I trusted Hassik and Garcia, two guys I just met this year? No, dufus. You. I trust you.”
His words left me blinking at him. I shook my head. He was making this up to make me feel better, that had to be it. “No, you… You threatened me not to-”
He sucked in his upper lip and shrugged. “Y’all always do what I tell you not to. Plus, I wanted to see how much you wanted it. Kind of entertaining for me.”
I sat there shaking my head, feeling more confused than ever.
“Now you listen to me. Those girls in there? They’reyourgirls. They needyou. My daughters, they’re my girls too, but I’m not stupid enough to think I’ll be around forever. That’s why you,” he pushed a finger into my chest, “need to pull yourself together.”
“I can’t… I can’t–”
“Yes, you can,” he snapped. “Would you leave any of your teammates hanging if they needed you?”
He knew I wouldn’t, but this wasn’t that simple. “No, but I left Fiona, and–”
“No, you didn’t leave her. You two were not together. She had her life, you had yours. It’s horrible what happened to her, but that doesn’t reflect on you at all. It doesn’t reflect on her either. She was in an accident, son. I’m not sure how your thick-headed brain jumped to a conclusion that roped you up with blame.” He shook his head. “Grief is a tough thing.”
My throat burned. He was trying to let me off the hook, but I still wasn’t sure I deserved it.
“Listen, I know what kind of man you are, what kind of teammate you are, even if you don’t. You think I don’t know that you pushed your brother to be a better player? A better guy? You think I don’t know who pushed Duke to fix things with his wife? You’re probably still shocked I knew about you and my daughter. I knew you’d be walkin’ in my door tonight.”
I gulped. “How?”
He shrugged. “I had my suspicions for a while, but then you’re suddenly reading hockey romance novels? And then I knew for sure after you slugged Sanderson. You’re not a fighter, son. I know everything that’s talked about in my rink. And Itrust youwith my daughter. My wife and I have known you for years. Who do you think gave your brother updates back when you were in high school? You owe my wife for stolen art supplies by the way.”
I tipped my head up to my truck’s ceiling because my eyes burned. How the hell had I been so clueless?
“I know you’re an excellent teammate. And those girls in there? They’re your most precious teammates. They’re your teammates for life. Got it?”
I covered my eyes because I was determined not to let Coach see me cry.
“Let’s go. I’m hungry,” he gruffed.
I really wanted another minute alone in my car, but Coach wasn’t leaving until I followed him.
As soon as I was near him on the sidewalk, he pulled me into an awkward hug, then pulled me into a headlock quicker than Casey ever could.
“Jeez, you’re fast for an old man,” I huffed out.
He chuckled and pulled tighter. “Just don’t forget, I can make your life a living hell if you hurt my daughter.”
“I respect that, sir,” I answered truthfully. I understood the threat more now because of Stevie.
“Good.”
________
Inside, I found Josie and Stevie in the cozy foyer petting an old dog, and I was immensely thankful for Josie, for her holding it together for Stevie when I couldn’t. At that moment, I knew I was going to ask her to marry me one day. She truly was my teammate for life, I could feel it down to my bones.
