Page 1

CHAPTER 1

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Climbing into my SUV, I leave the hospital parking garage and head toward home. It’s been a long day, but the results were worth it. I’m confident the student will play hockey again once he’s healed and completed rehab. There’s been a lot of headway in medicine since I had my injury.

The dash lights up with an inbound call and I hit the accept button on the steering wheel. “Hey Clark, what’s up?”

“You still working?”

“Nah. Headed home.”

“I need to talk to you about something. Can I come over?”

“Give me a few, I need a shower.”

“Have you eaten today?”

I think back over the day. “Nope. Busy day.”

“I’ll pick something up on my way over. See you in an hour.”

My condo buzzer goes off as I pull on my sweatpants. Checking my phone, I see Clark waving a six-pack at the security camera. After letting him into the building, I tug on a T-shirt and meet him at my door.

Holding up the beer and a thermal bag from my favorite steak house he pushes past me and heads to the table. Dread fills my gut as I follow him “Shit, this is going to be serious, isn’t it?”

“Eat first, talk later,” he replies.

Clark and I have been friends since preschool. We tried every sport together until we found the one . Hockey. It didn’t hurt that his dad had played professionally for fifteen years before retiring and coaching a bunch of kids. Even then, Clark and I had planned to go pro together. Fate had other plans for both of us.

We eat in silence, another indication that whatever this is, it’s weighing heavy on Clark. Pushing my plate aside I take a pull from my beer before asking, “Okay, what’s going on?”

“I did it.”

“Did what?”

“I bought the Buffalo Sirens.”

“My sister’s team?”

“Yeah. And maybe my little sister’s team, if she makes the cut.”

“Wa—how?”

“I started hearing rumors that the asshole who bought them last year was going broke fast due to some bad investments. He had no idea what he was doing from the beginning. He needed to sell asap. I pretty much made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. It went down fast.

“I should qualify, Dad and I bought the team together. He will be more of a silent, behind the scenes partner. He’s going over the roster and making suggestions for potential player changes. Don’t worry, your sister is solid. But I do need a couple things from you.

“I’d like you to be team doctor. Just the first year. You don’t have to travel with us. Just check out the players, give advice and treat any injuries. No one knows the toll the game takes on the body like you.”

I chuff. Yeah, my career was ended by a cheap shot delivered by a showboat teammate.

“One year?”

“That will give us time to find someone you could recommend and to evaluate the players we have. Then you can decide if you want to stay. The team has talent, and I’d love to win this year or at least make the playoffs.”

I laugh. “Lofty goals. You said a couple of things.”

He puts his beer bottle to his lips and frowns when it’s empty. Standing he glances at me. “Want another?”

I nod and watch him go to the kitchen. After downing half his bottle, he looks at me. “There is one other thing you need to know. Part of the purchase contract was that we’d keep on the current coach and assistant coach for this season. It was negotiated somehow into their contract. My lawyers are trying to see if we can break it.

“I like coach Parley. He’s been with the team three seasons and is a decent guy. He took over as head coach last year and there seems to be some solid improvement. The assistant is… new.”

I frown. “My sister hasn’t said anything. When did this happen?”

“He just officially came on a couple weeks ago. But I think he may have been there in a different capacity before.”

“Do I know him?”

He studies his beer. “It’s Cory Baylor.”

After all these years, the name still causes my chest to tighten. “I thought that asshole was out of the league. I don’t want him anywhere near my sister.”

“He was let go about three or four years ago. No one picked him up. Tried to coach in the minors, then men’s college. After that didn’t last, he somehow landed this gig in the women’s league.”

“You trust your sister’s career with that jerk?”

“Hell no. He’s not ‘the coach’. I’ll be watching him closely and I’ll have some serious discussions with Parley as to what type of play I will tolerate from my players. It’s only this season. Or until Baylor does something that gives me legitimate reason to fire him. There will be a morals clause in the new contract.”

“Knowing him, it shouldn’t take long.” I give my head a shake. Do I really have time to do this and make it work? At best I’m a control freak. It’s why I chose to go into private practice with one other doctor. He and I partner well, with the same goals. We both just want to help people make the best of their lives and dreams after unexpected injuries. Our reputation is growing. My medical career is taking off. Even if it’s a no travel position with the team it could impact my schedule, my patients.

But Cory Baylor is like a jock itch that will never go away. I can’t, won’t, trust him around my sister.

“We’ll figure out a way to make it work. Get me the game and practice schedule as soon as you can.” I pause. “Why the hell didn’t Tatum tell me?”

“I asked her not to.”

“When did this all go down?”

“Last weekend. But I haven’t met with the team yet. Practice went as normal this week and tomorrow we have a more in-depth meeting. I’ll be overseeing the full practice tomorrow. I thought since it’s Saturday you might want to attend, maybe give your spiel about eating, sleeping and exercise.” He gives me his over the top, wide-eyed look for what he calls my obsessive health rules. “We have our first home game after the ownership change on Monday night.”

He finishes his beer and puts the empty bottle on the counter. “I asked Tatum not to tell you because with Baylor in the picture, this needed to come from me. I won’t tolerate his kind of play or attitude. It’s not just your sister, I hope it’s mine, too. Leslie is going to try out to see if she can make the cut, as well.

“What happened to you…” He holds my gaze. “I won’t let it happen again.”

I nod.

He pulls his phone from his pocket and hits some buttons. “I just sent you everyone’s file, the schedule, and your team pass.”

Arching a brow, I study him. “Pretty sure of yourself, weren’t you? You know I have my own career just like you have one as a financial advisor.”

“Yeah, I know. When I couldn’t play anymore, I wanted to make money so I could buy a team. You became an orthopedic doc so that what happened to you never happened to anyone else. Both of those decisions were because of hockey. I’d say this brings us full circle.”