Page 93 of Heartbreak Hockey

Damned if I don’t die for that kinda shit.

I’m half-naked when a man in a suit strides into the locker room. His gaze lands on me. “Jack, can I talk to you a minute?”

“You gonna kiss him too, Leslie?” Bers, our goaltender says. I heat with the fire of the sun and punch him in the arm.

The man in the suit smiles. “Meet me outside.”

With my heart racing wildly, I towel off my face and walk out of the locker room, skates still on, to chat with suit guy.

“Hey Jack, I’m Bryan Edin a scout for Vancouver.”

“Vancouver?” Does he mean AHL Vancouver or NHL? Has to be the latter. If I were getting traded, I’d just be traded.

“Yep. I was told to come watch you. Rumor has it, your old spark has returned.”

My eyebrows knit together. “People talk about me?” I barely know what to say. This has never happened before. I’m excited as fuck and have no clue as to how to be chill in this scenario.

I’ll bet Rhett was. He was so cool he convinced five teams to fight over him and pay him millions without the help of his agent. Meanwhile, he was never gonna go with anyone but New York.

Bryan chuckles. “I know they wanted you a couple of seasons ago. Not sure what happened. Anyway, you played a great game. Keep going like this and we might pull you up for a few games.”

He leaves and I’m nothing short of stunned. I don’t feel premature calling this the best night of my life. It’s all over my face when I trounce into the locker room.

“So?” Dash says.

“Vancouver,” is all I say while I fend off bubbles popping everywhere inside me. It’s making me high. What’s left of the team jumps me like I scored a goal. There’s a huge ruckus. They make a huge deal when I tell them all about it, which is disproportionate to the extent of the two-minute conversation.

I decide to tell Mercy in person. Maybe he’ll give me a you’re-probably-gonna-get-drafted-to-Vancouver blow job. Hell, maybe we should do the boyfriend thing. We’re exclusive anyway and tonight feels like the night for new adventures.

After throwing my shit in the condo, I race barefoot up to the penthouse and jump on Mercy when he opens the door. “Guess what happened to me after you left?”

“Someone locked you out of the showers? Jesus Christ, Jack. Go. That way. You smell like the inside of a hockey bag.”

“My news is too important for showering,” I say as I undress and leave a trail of clothing all the way to his shower. He turns on the water and I shout over the spray. “Bryan Edin from Vancouver approached me tonight. He’s watching me!” Okay, that sounds wrong, but Merc’ll know what I mean.

Mercy’s face transforms into a sly smile. “I know.”

“You knew? How did you know?”

He opens the shower door and pushes me inside, then he unbuttons his jeans. “I’m your coach, bonehead. Scouts talk to me.”

I frown. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have played better.”

“First, I knew you’d play fine. Second, I thought the news should be yours to tell me.” He steps into the shower, his clothing now a pile on the floor behind him.

I don’t have any more words, just a goofy smile.

“Congratulations, Leslie.” He kisses me softly as his luxury rainfall showerhead soaks us.

His wet lashes blink at me and I realize we’re staring again. I’m convinced there isn’t a more mesmerizing gaze. “Want to become official? I mean, we’re already exclusive and—”

“Yes.”

“Like, sex could be better because we’d know we were just ours.” Yeah, play the sex angle. “And also—”

His hand covers my mouth. “I said, yes, Leslie.”

I nod slowly. He uncovers my mouth. “Just like that?”