Page 29 of Heartbreak Hockey

“You’re mine, Jack. I’m coming to get you at the end of the season. Be ready.”

Chapter5

Leslie

MERCY

In the end, I turned down the nicer building to stay in the same one as my team. Yes, so I can keep an eye on them. Everyone is given the opportunity to rent a condo in the building at a fraction of the usual rent and with two to three men sharing an apartment, it’s very affordable.

Call me paranoid, but I don’t trust hockey players of any age. Mostly because I was one. We liked to drink, and party to extremes. There will be none of that on my team. There will be rules and if they don’t follow them, there will be consequences.

I have a lot riding on this and in addition to everything, I don’t want to let Eddie’s parents down. They’re giving me so much more than money with this opportunity.

I’ve called a team meeting before our first practice tomorrow. The building has a large community space that can be reserved by other tenants in the building, but the team has special access to it at certain times of the day.

I arrive when my assistant coach, Elias does. He’s young with wavy, shoulder-length hair, wearing a polo and khaki pants. His tan says he must have spent a lot of time in the sun over the summer.

“Hey man,” he says, shaking my hand. “Glad to have you with us. Eddie said good things about you.”

He’s broad-shouldered too. I like that. “Likewise.”

The men trickle in, and I introduce myself to each one. Then there’s a lull with no newcomers for fifteen minutes and I know we’re missing five. After checking in with my roster on my iPad, I realize it’s the same five I’d wondered about.

At this level of hockey, trades are the natural way of things. A player could be shipped off to a new team tomorrow with no warning or notice. Yet these five have managed to play American League Hockey on the same team for several consecutive years. Together.

I didn’t miss that one of them is called Jack, but Jack is a common name.

I rub the middle of my forehead, attempting to erase the irritation etching itself there. Maybe they have a good reason for being late and they damn well better.

Something pokes at my memory. There was a Casey on the roster too. A Jackanda Casey, both players that aren’t here … no, can’t be.

I’m crazy—going crazy. I just want it to be Jack.

My Jack.

Fuck. Stop it, Meyer. He’s not yours.

The door busts open. In walks the first latecomer. Broad and thick, I recognize him as the bartender from The Wicklow. Or I think I do until his replica strides in behind him—there are two of him. They’re wearing white Kelowna Wildcats ball caps with the brim spun backward, and a bounty of curls pokes out from the bottom.

“Hey, Coach,” the first one says. There’s a healthy dose of mischief in his eyes.

I scowl.

“Heya, Coach,” the second one says, his eyes gleaming, his smile saying he knows something I don’t … though I’m pretty sure I do.

The third missing hockey player’s next and thank fuck he’s a “new” person. I get a salute from him. He could be another one of Jack’s pals from The Wicklow, but my memory of anything other than him is hazy. “Hey, Coach.” He laughs.

That laugh sets off tingles and I know.I know.

Missing hockey player number four has the same amusement playing on his face as the first three and it’s the amusement of a guy who can’t wait to see his buddy's reaction to the prank that’s about to go down.

Except it’s not a prank. Just an unfortunate series of events. I know the last event will be Jack. Does it matter? I’ve fucked a lot of men and have never given them a second thought. I’ve fucked a lot of men in between the night with Jack and leaving Vancouver. If any of them walked through that door, I wouldn’t give a fuck. I’ve probably just been working myself up because I actually felt something for the guy.

I bet it was just the caretaker in me. He needed a bit of care, but he doesn’t need me to take care of him.

Despite my self-pep-talk, the nerves are buzzing through me. I harden my body and my gaze in preparation so that no one else notices that I’m already affected by someone who is not yet in the room.

In walks Jack.