Page 22 of For the Love of Skating

Thirty-five minutes later, half my team is lying on the ice, gripping their stomachs and groaning in agony. Someone starts gagging, and I slowly stand up from my kneeling position, hyperventilating. My whole body feels like one big bruise, and my sweat has sweat. Jacob almost faceplants when he starts moving towards the locker room, so I throw his arm over my shoulders and help him along the way. Coach is blocking the door to the locker room and stands with his hands on his hips as he stares at all of us.

“What did you learn today?” Silence meets his question, and I look around at my teammates to see confusion gathered on their sweaty faces.

“That no man gets left behind,” someone yells from the back.

“Pain is gain, and you work hard to get to that end goal,” Jacob mumbles next to me with another groan as rippling pain passes through his body again.

“Our team is a fucking mess, and I’m going to put it back together,” my voice rings out gruffly, echoing in the silence until I’m getting another round of slaps on the back as everyone cheers like a bunch of wild animals.

“That’s what I’m talking about. Hit the showers,” Coach says with pride in his voice, and he pats me on my shoulder on his way out.

Jeff plows into Jacobs and I on his way in while throwing a glare over his shoulder. God, I hate that asshole with a fierce passion.

I said I’m going to try to put this team back together while grinding my teeth and bearing it. Princess is already changing me…into a better man. Someone worthy of her.