“They helped Mum when she was preggers with me,” he whispered.
Jax put a protective arm around Alex. “Jsi v pořádku? Je dítě takže budete nemocný?”
“Budu v pořádku. Ranní nevolnost je normální v této fázi těhotenství.”
“Vy buďte opatrní. Nepoužívejte zdůraznit příliš mnoho.”
“Budu v pořádku, Jax.”
546
“Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” Troy teased them.
“Not today,” Jax answered with a grin. “Quit being so damn nosy.”
“I only wanted to check on Al.”
“What, you don’t trust me? You are one paranoid soul, Talmadge.”
“I’m okay, Troy,” Alex said. “Jax is doing a good job. You don’t have hover over me.”
“Talmadge gives new meaning to the term ‘helicopter parent’,” Marty cracked. “Or helicopter team captain in this case.”
“Someone has to help Coach keep you all in line,” Troy replied and returned to his seat beside Pierre.
“Yeah, but you sometimes go over the top.”
“You’ve become more of a smart ass for a guy whose contract is about to expire.”
Alex turned in her seat. “Are you returning next year?”
547
“Depends on the Rebels’ salary cap issues and whatever deal my agent works out,” Marty said. “He’s also fielding a couple other offers.”
“In other words, O’Freel’s agent is working hard to make him another team’s headache,” Brian joked.
“He’s following the money. Nobody’s interested in me just for my model good looks, you know.”
Alex laughed. “Don’t flatter yourself, Howdy Doody.”
“Admit it, Galloway; you’ll miss me if I leave. Who else will you heckle?”
“I doubt there will be a problem finding another victim.”
“Looks like you aren’t irreplaceable as you think, Marty,” Brian said.
“I love you too, Donahue.”
“Speaking of people who recently departed our fine organization, has anyone heard how Faust is doing?”
“He’ll be New York’s new starting goalie,” Lenny answered. “So I presume he’s adjusting well.”
548
“Poor guy; seems he’s kicked to a different team every year, but getting traded, released, or a better offer is all part of the game.”
“A $3.3 million starting goalie contract from New York played a role. I can’t blame Faust for accepting.”
“How about you, Hebert? Is your agent still considering the offer from Montreal?” Marty asked.
Reggie shrugged. “Probably, depends on what they have in mind.”
“I never leave,” Boris said. “This my team always.”
“Never say never, Furishnykov,” Lenny replied. “I spent five years in Carolina before getting traded to Pittsburgh.”
“Hey, guys.” Pierre held up a feather and gestured toward a now-sleeping Troy. “How about knocking off all the depressing trade and contract negotiation talk? Let’s have some fun.”
Lenny, Johann, Vince and Marty began snickering.
549
“Holy hell,” Reggie commented. “Captain’s snoring like a chain saw.”
“Try share room,” Boris said. “Troy snore all the time. Sometimes I no sleep unless use ear plugs. Then he have nerve to complain about me!”
Lenny pulled out his phone and caught video of the feather fluttering up and down near Troy’s lips. “I’m putting this on my blog. Talmadge’s fan girls and boys will love it.”
Troy awoke several minutes into the prank. “Huh? I must’ve dozed off…” He noticed the feather and grabbed it from Pierre. “Hilarious. You should think about finding another hobby.”
“I could’ve done worse and turned your face into an art canvas,” Pierre replied. “I brought Sharpies.”
“I swear to Christ if you much as place the tip of a Sharpie onto my skin, your ass will be kicked all the way back to Quebec.”
“Guys, leave the poor man alone,” Alex scolded. “The last few days have been exhausting for him.”
550
Byron looked up from his Bible with a quizzical expression. “Y’all need Jesus.”
“Welcome back to reality, Preacher,” Pierre said. “We almost thought you were left behind. You’ve been quiet since takeoff.”
“Flying to games is my devotion and meditation time, gentlemen.”
They were interrupted by an acrid odor filling the cabin, which silenced everyone else.
“Jesus!” Troy exclaimed and covered his nose with his shirt. “What the fuck crawled on board and died?”
Byron and Brian held their noses, ready to gag.
Davy fanned the air. “All right, which one of you blokes puffed?”
“Smells like one of Marty’s,” Reggie suggested.
Marty glared at him. “Oh hell no, Hebert; you are not blaming that nastiness on me.”
Vince cracked a smile. “Lenny’s the mad farter.”
“You dick!” Lenny cried. “I did no such thing.”
551
“Someone better claim what they aimed because the stink made Alex zvracet,” Jax barked.
“Do what?” Marty asked. “In English, Ivanka.”
“Barf! She had to use one of the barf bags.”
“Why not just say that in the first place?”
Johann confessed to the offensive aroma with a red face. “Sorry, everyone; the nutritionist put me on a new high-fiber diet and…well…never mind.”
“Damn, Baby Finn, you’re the last person we would’ve suspected,” Brian said. “That must be one hell of a diet if it makes your gas bad enough for Alex to lose her lunch.”
“It’s not fun for me either, dude.”
Alex wiped her face with a wet towelette. “Don’t be hard on Jo, guys. I’m okay.” She turned to Jax. “Radost z časném těhotenství.”
He rubbed her shoulder. “Relax nyní; nemůžete riskovat nic, co by mohlo zranit dítě.”
552
“Jsi tak roztomilá chová jako ustaraným táta.”
Jax grinned at her. “Pokud si myslíte, že jsem teď roztomilý, počkejte, až budete rodit.”
Pierre leaned near Troy. “Do those two ever converse in English?”
“I have a feeling they do when no one else is present.”
“Is Alex really all right? She’s been sick a lot recently. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was–”
Troy clapped a hand over the goalie’s mouth. “Don’t say anything else!” He lowered his voice and spoke French. “Si vous êtes en supposant que je pense que vous êtes, alors vous avez raison. Il suffit de ne pas dire à quelqu'un d'autre ou encore elle aura ma tête sur un plateau.”
“Oh merde, Troy. Elle est enceinte?”
“Oui, et devinez qui est le papa?”
“Voilà donc la ‘condition médicale non divulgué’ nos patrons gardent sous le boisseau?”
“Oui, mais encore une fois, garder les choses calme.”
553
Pierre nodded. "Je pensais plutôt ce qui est arrivé depuis que je suis dans la même voie, pour ainsi dire, mais il est pas quelque chose qui peut être caché pour longtemps, alors pourquoi tout ce secret?"
“Elle va probablement faire une annoucement après le mariage.”
“Mariage? Quoi? Êtes-vous sérieux?”
“Ils ont l'intention de se marier après le bénéfice Casino Nuit semaine prochaine.”
“Si tôt?”
“Elle ne peut pas cacher son état à jamais.”
Pierre nodded. “Bon point. Où sont-ils se marier?”
“Soit avant ou après nous jouons la Fortune à Las Vegas.”
“Voilà ce que je dirais un mariage de fusil de chasse!”
“Ne soyez pas brut. Son idée, pas le sien, par la manière.”
554
“Savez-vous si ils ont invité quelqu'
un?”
“Non, ils veulent tout garder privé. Ils vont peut-être avoir une autre cérémonie, une fois que tout est à l'air libre.”
Pierre shook his head. “Pas le genre de nouvelles que je attendait.”
“Imaginez comment je me sentais quand elle m'a dit qu'elle était enceinte.”
“Tu devais été choqué au-delà de la croyance.”
“Pour mettre à la légère. Si il ne veut pas être dans la photo, je voulais lui demander de me marier et d'adopter le bébé.”
“Vous seriez pris sur ce genre de responsabilité?”
“Oui; Je marche à travers le feu pour Al, pour ne pas mentionner combien je adore les enfants.”
Pierre patted Troy’s thigh. “You’re a good man.”
“Phew; a few were beginning to wonder if we got on the wrong plane,” Vince said.
555
“Some people discuss strategies in other languages, mate,” Davy replied. “Don’t take it personal.”
“We’ll arrive in New York in about ten minutes,” Coach Barry announced. “Finish whatever you were doing and prepare for landing.”
Davy pulled a candid photo of Jennifer from his wallet. “Only a matter of time before we see one another again, my lovely lass.”
Reggie spied the picture. “Whoa! Who’s that fine lady?”
“Her name’s Jennifer and she’s an actress. Alex introduced us. I arranged to have her attend a game when we came back to New York.”
“You and Ivanka must have some kind of magnetism. He’s spent lots of time with Alex and now I learn you’ve landed yourself an actress.”
“We’ll have rest of the evening after getting settled in the hotel and a team meeting,” Davy said. “Want to meet her? She should be done on the movie set by the time our business wraps up.”
“Hey, that sounds cool. Maybe she has a single friend.”
“Only one way to find out, mate.”
556
“Hey, guys!” Lenny called and pointed at his smart phone’s screen. “A couple sports news sites are saying some investors could make a bid on the Rebels!”
“Who?” Brian asked.
“No one knows who they are or how much a bid they’re planning to make or the percentage of ownership.”
“The team’s for sale? Where the hell was I when all this happened?” Marty wondered.
“Try paying closer attention in meetings, dope fuck. Halloran’s considered selling his share the team for some time.”
“I better call my agent and see if he’s aware of any possible sale.”
“Wait until we get to the hotel,” Brian advised. “We’re landing in five minutes and then have a long couple days ahead of us.”
***
557
Chapter 89
“Why did you tell Pierre I’m pregnant?” Alex asked after the team checked into their respective hotel rooms. “You had the audacity to complain when I gave Jen and Phyllis the news, only to turn around and run your mouth to our goalie.”
“We spoke in French,” Troy replied.
“French is one of four languages I know, remember?”
“He’s concerned why you’re sick so often.”
“You do realize Reggie, Vince, and Brian also know some French. What if they overheard you talking and translated to the other guys?”
“They were too busy fucking around with Marty to pay attention. Your secret’s still safe.”
“All right.”
558
“I’m sorry, Al; I still can’t wrap my head around–”
“No, it’s not a big deal. There’s one thing I wanted to make sure I heard correctly, though.”
“What?”
“Did you really want to marry me and take responsibility for the baby if Jax didn’t…?”
“Yeah, but I guess that’s now a moot point, huh?”
Alex kissed his cheek. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Troy shook his head and smiled. “Just me being Mr. Predictable. I’m everyone’s favorite hockey robot.”
“It still amazes me you’re aware of your predictability, yet embarrassed by it. Why?”
“Personal growth?”
“My triple gold mentor has become quite the jokester.”
“You and Jax …it’s still weird…” he trailed off.
559
“Whoa, I thought you were okay with my decision to marry him.”
He sighed. “Look, maybe just as well things turned out the way they have. A marriage between you and me would’ve been for the wrong reasons and I have few strong points to offer a wife right now.”
“Are you crazy? You’ll make a wonderful husband for some lucky girl! Your strengths have always been kindness, focus, single mindedness, admirable work ethic, great with kids, your compassion-”
“Again, not groundbreaking observations, Al.”
“Everything’s always wrapped in neat little boxes in your mind, aren‘t they?”
“I guess so; another reason you’d become bored with me as a spouse.”
“Listen,” she said in a softer voice, “I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass and you don’t have to answer right away, but do you really support my decision to marry Jax?”
“I can’t say I’m enthused, but he is your baby’s father. Don’t live for my approval, Al; listen to what your heart and mind tell you.”
560
“That’s so deep, Troy.”
“Thanks…I think.”
“Stop pouting like a six-year-old. We’re still going to Casino Night together. Good thing the benefit’s next week and not in a few months. I don’t think someone with a big belly working the front door would be an ideal image for our team.”
His mood brightened a little. “You’d still be one of the night’s biggest hits, showing or not.”
“In what way?”
“Fans love pretty ladies; at least most of the male ones do.”
“You also have plenty of male admirers.”
He looked down at the floor and blushed. “So I hear…”
“I’m aware of the relationship you had with a man, Troy, and not judging you. You have no reason to be embarrassed. Love is love, no matter the gender of each partner.”
“I’ve put everything in the past and don’t want to discuss it further, Al.”
561
“I understand. How about joining me and some of the other guys for cards? Boris says you have mad poker skills.”
“Now that you mentioned it, I could use some extra practice for next week. Deal me in; pun intended.”
“Now that’s the Troy I know and love! Come on; I’m in the mood to show up Lenny’s smug ass and need some pointers. Jax may be a master at hockey, tennis, and soccer, but didn’t take long for me to realize he all but lacks proficiency in most card games.”
Troy feigned shock. “You mean your impromptu fiancé isn’t perfect as almost everyone makes him out to be?”
Alex gave him a playful nudge. “No one is, you goober. Look at it this way; you beat his team at Internationals not once, but twice, remember?”
“Yeah,” he replied with a laugh, “and then Team USA kicked Czech ass in the bronze medal game. Jax was pissed for about two weeks afterward.”
“Sometimes I think he takes hockey a little too seriously. There’s another common interest between both of you; each has a passion for the game few others possess.”
“You’re not far behind in that respect, shorty.”
Power Play Page 31
