Page 7

Didn’t people well

Remy

Was this some kind of joke? The team was putting me up with Otts’s ex? The guy had it in for me already, and this could only make it worse. How long had they been together and how long since they broke up?

“So, you and Otts?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that so hard to believe?”

Shit. Everything I said was wrong. “No, I don’t mean that. I don’t know his personal life, just hadn’t heard about him getting married.”

“Am I supposed to apologize for that?”

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. “How long were you married?” Otts was going to be on my ass as it was. How upset would he be to know that I was living near his ex-wife? Could I keep it secret from him?

“Three years,” she answered.

I tried to do the math in my head. Would he have been playing when they got married?

When did Otts have to quit playing? “Did you break up after he got injured?” As soon as the words slipped out, I realized they could sound pretty bad.

My ex had split after I was injured and we found living together 24/7 when I wasn’t playing didn’t work, but I didn’t mean to imply this woman had only been with Otts because of him being a top goalie.

Her face went rigid, and before I could apologize, again, she spoke in icy words. “We married after his injury. I didn’t dump him because he was hurt.”

Fuck. That would mean they hadn’t been divorced for long.

I needed to smooth things over before she told Otts.

Damn it, I didn’t people well after a summer on my own at the cottage.

“Sorry, that wasn’t what I meant. I was just trying to work out how pissed he’s going to be when he finds out I’m your neighbor. Or maybe he already knows?”

She stared at me, like she wasn’t sure if I either wasn’t smart enough to play hockey, or was just a shithead.

Probably both, though in this case it was the idiot part that was coming out.

Something about her threw me off-balance.

Not that I was in any condition to walk a tightrope anyway, after these past couple of days.

Dealing with Otts was going to be a high-wire act for sure.

“I have no idea. This happened so quickly, I don’t think even my brother knows who he’s letting stay in the place. He and Ollie— Oliver are good friends, so if he doesn’t already, he will soon.”

I really should have asked more questions of Benny. If Otts didn’t know, he was going to flip. This was a disaster in the making and I had no one to blame but me. And Benny. And maybe Oliver Trent.

“He already hates me. What more can he do, huh?”

Finally there was an expression on her face that wasn’t disdain or anger or get the fuck out of my way. It was sympathy, maybe pity.

Otts had an issue with me ever since World Juniors together. I’d been on a hot streak—the longest one of my career—and Canada had beaten the US in the gold medal game, where I’d been in net for Canada, and Otts for the US. I’d shut the US out, in the single best game I’d played in my life.

That led to a second-round draft pick for me. I’d played in the AHL for a few years, and that was the second time Otts and I went head-to-head for a championship.

After that, my story headed downhill. I’d been an athletic goalie, and in my first season in the NHL I’d torn my groin. I’d been out for a bit, and came back, but had to adapt my playing style. And I’d never been that good again.

Otts had been drafted after me as a result of that World Junior loss, but he had a stellar career.

Still, any time we met it was like he was on a mission to prove he was better than me.

He won every encounter. I wasn’t the player I’d been.

So I peaked at twenty, and he’d passed me—only for a knee injury to force him into early retirement.

Maybe he resented me for that. Were we still competing? Was that why I’d been brought to the Aces? I’d been hoping for a chance to show what I could do and prolong my career for another year or two. Was there even a chance of that with Otts as my coach?

I didn’t have to do this. Hockey players weren’t indentured servants. I could announce my retirement, and head back to…

There was the kicker. I didn’t know. The only base I had was the cottage, and it wasn’t winterized.

Every year I’d stayed there in the summer but left during the season for wherever I’d been playing.

If I wasn’t playing, I’d have to figure out what I was doing with the rest of my life.

Where I was living. How to fill my days.

Otts’s revenge, versus playing hockey.

I’d always choose hockey first. “Would it be okay if I just went up to the apartment and got out of your way? I’ll keep Beast on a leash when I take him out so that the animals don’t fight.”

“That’s probably for the best. Goober is used to having the run of the place. She was a rescue, and doesn’t believe she’s an indoor cat.”

I looked down at my dog, still snarling and letting out occasional growls. “This guy is a rescue too. But he’s better than when I got him.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“I’ll talk to Elsa about working out those other details.”

“I’ll try to get a hold of my brother to let him know he has landlord responsibilities. When he’s in the studio, he forgets everything else.”

I wanted to ask what kind of studio and what he did, but Beast and I had worn out our welcome a while ago.

I used my foot, jeans and boots protecting my ankles, and nudged him back into the crate.

When he resisted, because of course he did, I pulled a treat out of my pocket and tossed it inside, closing the door behind him when he chased after it.

“Thanks for your help. And uh, keep working—I’ll be okay up there.” It was the least I could do after the cock-up I’d made of this whole encounter.

A smile flickered across her face, lighting up her features and making me smile too. “Not sure I was much help. Good luck and I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”

Yeah, if I was living over her workshop, it would be hard to miss her. Which Otts would realize too.

I took Beast on a short trip to empty his bladder, then up the stairs, using the combination I’d been sent by Elsa to open the door. Elsa, who worked for the Aces GM, and somehow they connected to Sophie’s father who was friends with the owner. And all of them tied in with Otts. Crazy.

I put out water and food for Beast. Tomorrow I’d have to get a car and stock up for him and me. Right now, he could explore the apartment all he wanted. I needed rest. And then to figure out how the fuck this season was going to work.

A goalie coach who hated me. My closest neighbor, the coach’s ex, not liking me much either. My landlord, best friends with my coach.

But at least I had hockey.

Sophie

My brother finally called me back the next morning.

“Soph!” He sounded exhausted, but relaxed. Things must be going well now.

“What the hell have you done, Cash?” He sighed and I heard sounds in the background, like he was getting settled. “Where are you anyway?”

“Just back at the hotel room. Long night, but a good one.”

I felt a twinge of guilt. He was tired and working hard. But still, he’d dropped me in the middle of something and that was not okay. “So, you have a tenant.”

“Yeah. Dad said Spencer Cotton, the Aces owner, had a problem and asked if I could help. New hockey player with a dog, couldn’t stay in a hotel, figured I could give him a place for the season.

I’m happy to help out the team, and those guys travel all the time anyway so I didn’t think he’d be around much. ”

I was grateful that my brother, despite his success, wasn’t an asshole.

Maybe it was because he never became quite as famous with his band as our dad.

Maybe because he was a producer and not a performer now and didn’t get recognized as often.

Possibly, he was just a better person. But his helpfulness in this case was causing problems for me.

“Did you ask who the guy was?”

“No. I was heading into a session, so I was distracted.” He’d been in a rush to get Dad off the phone, which was fair enough.

“It’s Daniel Rempel.”

“No shit!” My brother sounded a lot more alert suddenly. “Ollie’s nemesis? He’s been signed to the Aces?”

“Exactly. Ollie is going to freak when he hears Remy is staying with us.”

“Technically he’s not—but no, you’re right. Ollie’s always been a little weird over Rempel.”

“Warning you right now, I’m putting all the blame on you.”

“What about sibling solidarity?”

“It’s in the same place as your brain. You do remember that you have a cat?” Goober was technically my brother’s, left by a previous woman he’d dated for all of a week.

“Right. Keep her inside or make the hockey player keep his dog on a leash. Is Goober in danger?”

“I’m not completely sure. Remy’s dog is smaller but has BDE.”

“BDE?”

“Big dog energy. He arrived with warning labels all over his crate. He bites and he runs.”

“Fuck. Do I need to kick the guy out?”

I paused. Getting Remy out of here would solve the problem for me.

I’d have the carriage house to myself. But there’d been something about the way he worried about his little terror of a dog that tugged at me.

The dark circles under his eyes. He’d been traveling from…

somewhere in Canada, presumably. He had to deal with Ollie for who knew how long.

He had enough on his plate. I didn’t need to add to it.

I could always work at Diane’s if I needed to. “No, that wouldn’t be fair.”

“Okay, but if he doesn’t clean up after his dog or keep him under control, then he can go.”

I agreed, but I didn’t think Remy would be a problem that way. “Hey, did you promise dog care?”

“No! I don’t think…no. I wouldn’t have done that.”

“Then maybe it was Dad. Someone seems to have told him his dog would be taken care of when he was traveling, and I’m not doing that.”

“Fuck no. You sure you’re gonna be okay with him around?”

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Hopefully I’m back in a few weeks. This project’s going on a little long, and there’s a big film festival up here that they keep dragging me out to.”

“Poor baby.”

“Maybe I’ll meet up with a film star.”

I rolled my eyes, but honestly it wouldn’t surprise me. My brother was good-looking, charming and insanely talented. “Think a film star might last more than a couple of weeks?”

“Shut up. But seriously, send me a message if this situation with the hockey player is a problem. We don’t have to kick him onto the street, but there must be other places he can stay. With his dog.”

“Thanks.”

I felt better after the call, even though nothing had changed. I was still in the middle of a soap opera, and the promise of more drama to come. But life had been a little dull, and with Diane’s offer and Remy upstairs, it was getting much more interesting.