Page 43 of Learn Your Lesson

The Tampa Bay Ospreys were cruising toward bye week, which meant between games and practice, I barely had time to sleep, let alone anything else. I spent what little time I did manage to have with Ava, including finding a local girls hockey league that she could join once she turned six.

Ava’s birthday was July twentieth, and for the first time in her life, she was counting down the days.

As a team, we were finding our rhythm, a playoff run well within reach as we clenched another win at home.Tonight, we would play our last game before the bye week — and we’d play it in New York.

This was a big one.

New York was on a hot streak, having won their last fourteen games in a row. Their goalie’s stats rivaled mine, their defensemen like a brick wall you had to get through just tomakeit to the goal, and they made scoring look easy.

We hoped to end their streak tonight — but it was going to take focus. And a near perfect fucking game.

“Suter,” I called at the end of our morning skate, nodding toward the bench. Sweat dripped off my hair and down my neck, my body sore from days of practice and games. I never felt this sore in my twenties — but then again, I never felt asstrong, either.

Aleks flattened his lips with an eye roll before following me over, spitting on the ice like whatever I had to say wasn’t worth his time.

But the truth was he’d been decent over the last week — as decent as he could be, anyway. And after reading an autobiography by one of my favorite coaches over the weekend, I was curious to see if a different approach would strike with our hellcat of a winger.

“What?” Aleks asked, plopping down on the bench and sitting spread eagle with his murderous glare on me.

“Look, even thinking about the words I’m about to say makes me want to kick myself in the balls. I don’t do compliments, oratta boys, so don’t get used to it.”

I paused to assess his reaction, and when I noticed his eyebrow ticcing up a bit, when he cracked his neck and lifted his chin, I internally smiled.

I had his attention.

“You’ve always been great on the ice. I don’t have to tell you that, nor do I fucking want to, to be honest.But,” I added, sucking in a breath like it pained me to say the words. “Your wrist shots lately have been fucking immaculate. You haven’t been afraid to get dirty for us this season, and while sometimes those penalties cost us,” I said with a glare. “More times than not, they swing the momentum in our favor.”

Suter’s brows were furrowed, his jaw tight — and I wasn’t sure if he was pissed or absolutely fucking floored that I was saying something nice.

“The truth of the matter is that you’ve been instrumental in our winning season, and if you keep playing your best, you’re going to take us to the playoffs. Maybe even to the Cup. So, keep it up.”

Aleks blinked a few times, and then opened his mouth, shut it again, and stood. He pulled his glove off and reached his hand out for mine.

“Appreciate that, man.”

Hope flickered in my chest as I shook his hand hard. Maybe this was what he responded to. Maybe having everyone raining down on his ass all the time made him not give a fuck, but a little positive reinforcement got through.

“Don’t expect this shit ever again,” I said. “And also, just know I think you can do better. I think you canbebetter. I know you have a reputation. I know you probably like it. But you can be rough around the edges and a scary motherfucker while also being a good teammate.”

I gave him a pointed look, fully expecting him to suck his teeth and skate off pissed like usual.

But for the first time, he nodded, sniffing and looking away from me like he was indifferent to what I’d said.

But I knew I’d gotten through. He’d heard me.

Halle-fucking-lujah.

“Holy shit! Look what the cat dragged in!”

Aleks and I turned toward the commotion, and I almost cracked a smile when I saw Carter Fabri walking through the tunnel. He traipsed in with all the swagger of a fourteen-year-old, practically bouncing on his heels.

Suter was unimpressed by the arrival, and he made his way back on the ice as I wobbled on my skates toward Fabio. A half-dozen of my teammates shoved past me in an effort to get to our teammate first. They tackled him in hugs and ruffled his dark hair, hitting him with joke after joke as he smiled and hugged every one of them.

Thiswas what made me feel like he could be a leader — a captain, even.

Everyone loved him. Everyone was fired up by his presence. He made his teammates feel good. He made them feel confident.

If only he could match this energy with talent on the ice.