by Piper Rayne
My chest squeezes painfully. Okay, I knew that would happen. I continue scrolling. Surely there are some positive ones.
Let them be, he’s happy. You can see it in his smile.
She’s pretty, you’re just jelly.
Jealous because it’s not you?
Everyone stop judging. We should be happy he found someone.
I thought he was a manwhore?
I’ve heard he has a reputation. Hope she makes him wear a condom.
I finally click off, unable to read any more. I shake my head and close the app, taking a few deep breaths.
Realizing I can’t just sit in my car, I get out and head to the hostess stand to wait for my client. I’d rather wait inside than in my car with the temptation of reading all the nasty comments people leave.
Why is it always easier to believe the bad stuff over the good stuff?
My client picked a sports bar, so when I look up, I see Aiden’s name on the ticker at the bottom of the TV screen, talking about how Aiden Drake of the Florida Fury has a girlfriend and his fans are not happy.
Great. I bury my head into a menu and wish I could disappear. I told him this would happen.
I walk into my apartment, drop my bags, and flop down on the couch before turning on the television. After an unexpected layover due to mechanical issues—something you never want to hear when you’re about to board a plane—I’m barely home in time to see the end of the game.
I tried to find the AM station in the car but got aggravated when I couldn’t find it.
I turn to the channel the game is on and I’m surprised to see that the Fury are losing. From what Aiden said, the team in California isn’t very strong. He thought they’d have an easy time beating them.
The announcer comes on over the play. “I have to say, I haven’t seen this Aiden on the ice since before the holidays. It’s like he can’t find his footing on his skates.”
Another announcer chimes in. “I’m starting to think the announcement of the new girlfriend has someone distracted. How many times have we seen this before?”
I mute the television. I can’t listen to this.
Aiden comes into view. He has the puck, zigzagging between players. A quick glance at the scoreboard tells me that if he scores, he’ll tie the game. He shoots the puck, and it ricochets off the top of the net and lands on the stick of the opponent. That player skates away and passes down the ice. Maksim tries to get in the mix, but another guy pushes him into the boards and the guy scores. California wins.
My stomach sinks. I’ve yet to see Aiden after a loss, much less a game he didn’t play well in, and I’m not sure what to expect. It’s not like I thought they could go on winning forever, but I did kind of get used to it.
My phone rings right away, Tedi’s name flashing on the screen.
“Hey, Tedi,” I say.
“They lost. Can you believe it?”
“They were bound to lose at some point. Did you go to California?”
“Nah. Tweetie got his ass handed to him by the coach the other day. Apparently I’m a distraction.”
“I guess we’re both at fault then.”
She laughs. “I wonder how Aiden is gonna be. You threw the drink at him, right?”
I nod, though she can’t see me. “Yep.”
My eyes remain glued to the screen. Before Aiden can get to the locker room, the press tries to get him on camera. I quickly unmute.
“What can I say? It wasn’t our night. We had a few good opportunities to score some goals but couldn’t make it happen.” He lowers his head and disappears into the locker room.
Okay, he seems like a rational man who can deal with a loss.
Still, maybe I should’ve gone after my meeting to support him. But I would’ve been cutting it close. And I can’t follow a man around from city to city my entire life.
“I’m gonna go shower so I’m ready when he calls,” I say.
“Okay. See you tomorrow at the office.” Tedi hangs up, the both of us sounding depressed.
I shower and get lotioned up, waiting for a call and maybe a sexy FaceTime, but all I get is a text.
Aiden: Going out with the guys. Blowing off some steam after losing.
Me: Okay, be careful. I’m sorry :(
Aiden: Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.
I stare at his last text. Does that mean I won’t hear from him until tomorrow? It sounds like it, which makes me wonder… is this how Aiden deals with a loss? He goes out and gets drunk and forgets he has a girlfriend? I hope not. I’ve been here before and I’ll never go back.
Losing fucking sucks. On top of losing, all these damn commentators keep saying shit about my new girlfriend. Then Maksim showed me what people are saying about her in the comments of our picture. I’m so over all this shit. I want to just take Saige and run away.
But instead, we have another game tonight and Saige is coming over to throw wine in my face. She said she’d even do it naked like I like to make sure it’s extra effective.
I’m out by the pool when she comes to the side gate. She’s wearing her bikini with a coverup.
“Strip, woman!” I call.
After going out with the guys, I ended up back in the hotel room early because going out didn’t do what it used to for me. I called Saige and we talked until Maksim’s drunk ass came back to the room. She made me feel better with her pictures and her teasing. I’m a lucky man, no matter what a bunch of strangers on Instagram say.
She grins. “You first.”
“You sure you want to go with that approach?”
She giggles and walks over. “With you? Never.” She bends down to kiss me, and I pull her into my lap.
“Want to go skinny dipping?” My hands slide up her torso to grab her breasts.
“Tonight. After you kick some Texas ass,” she says.
“I love when you talk dirty.” I capture her lips with mine and slide my tongue in. “I missed you so damn much.”
One night. One night and I craved her like a junkie looking for his next hit. To have her in my arms right now is pure happiness.
She snuggles up to me on the lounger and my hand dips under the elastic of her bottoms so I can cup her bare ass. We lie there talking about nothing really but basking in each other’s company.
Later on, she’s naked in the bathroom and I strip down and step in the bathtub.
She shakes her head and drips some wine down the front of herself. “Want to lick it off first?”
She steps into the bathtub with me, and I capture her waist and pull her into me, bending my head to suck on her tit. Just as my tongue is swirling over her nipple and my hand reaches for her other one, the wine splashes on my face. Her chest vibrates with laughter. I run my soaked hair and face between her breasts and her laugh grows deeper.
“I thought I’d surprise you like the first time. Maybe that’ll do the trick.”
I pick her up and her legs wrap around my waist before I take her to the shower.
I’m in the locker room and there’s a bit of a gloom over everyone after losing in California. Even Maksim isn’t hanging out in his jockstrap like usual. Most of the rest of the guys have resorted to their old faithful superstitions. Tweetie’s eating Taco Bell, Ace didn’t wash his socks, and so forth.
Ford sits down next to me, his head in his hands. I don’t really want to talk about losing. So what, we lost a game? It happens. Pick yourself up and fucking play with all your heart tonight.
“Looks like I’m the winner,” Ford says quietly.
I lean in closer. “What?”
“First one came back as me, but my dad insisted on a DNA test with one of his people too. I’m the dad. I’m gonna be a fucking father.”
I blow out a breath. “And what does the mom say?”
“She says nothing right now. I think she wants money.”
“And what are you gonna do?”
He stands up with fire in his eyes. I hope he takes that attitude out to the ice
with him tonight. “Oh what, you assume I’ll do what my dad thinks? Shell out a few mil to get her off my back?”
I hold up my hands because I have no clue what Ford will do.
He points at me. “I’m gonna be a fucking great dad. That’s what I’m gonna do. He or she will want for nothing, including a relationship with their father.”
I smile and stand, patting him on the back. “That’s the Ford I know.”
He looks at me with wide eyes. “I’m scared shitless though.”
I laugh. “I think you’re supposed to be.”
“I’m never scared.” He shakes his head as though he can’t believe it.
“I think it’d be weird if you weren’t scared.”
He doesn’t respond and ventures back to his locker and gets dressed.
My phone dings, so I pull it out.
Saige: Same seat as the first game. How’s my superstitious man doing?
She’s making fun of me, but just like my teammates, I’ve pulled all the superstitions out of the bag. I had a roast beef sub before the game, had her throw the drink in my face, I got her in the same seat as the first game she saw me.
Me: Tell me Tedi is next to you
Saige: LOL … she is.
I mean, if we lose tonight and I’m not on my game, it means I’m on my way back into a slump. With only a week until trade deadlines, I might as well pack my fucking bags.
The team heads out onto the ice and all I see is Saige on the other side of the glass. I want to hop over the glass and kiss her, but I settle for tapping the end of my stick on the glass and winking instead.
We do our usual warmup skate, and the familiarity of being in our home rink makes me feel as though we’ll kick Texas’s ass. There’s no way we’re losing again.
During the first period, we’re unstoppable. I’ve scored two goals with Ford assisting. He’s on fire tonight from the adrenaline of finding out he’s going to be a dad, I guess. Maksim has helped our goalie keep the puck out of the net multiple times. We’re all in rhythm and everything’s going great.
In the second, Texas scores, but we’re still up by one.
In the third, I get slammed into the boards and all I can think is that I’m going to have to ask Saige to nurse me back to health with a blow job after the game. I’m not lying, the hit hurt like a motherfucker. Texas ends up stealing the puck after that hit and ties the game.
Revenge being the name of the game in hockey, Maksim slams the guy who slammed me into the boards on the next play and Tweetie shoots me the puck. I skate it down the ice, my eyes on the net, ready to score, but for some stupid reason, I glance at the stands and see Tedi talking to Saige. Saige gets up and walks up the stairs, and I lose my concentration and wonder where she’s going. It all happens in a split second. Ford’s screaming at me, and I slap shot the puck and it doesn’t even come close to the net. That could’ve been our winning shot.
With little time on the clock, Texas secures the puck and their left winger does some fancy move to get by Maksim, scores, and the clock buzzes at the same time. Texas fucking wins. Unfuckingbelievable.
The minute we’re back in the locker room, I pull out my phone and message Saige.
Me: You okay? I saw you leave.
Saige: Yeah, I’m sorry. Restroom.
I call bullshit because she told me once she held it for an entire game because she didn’t want to miss me scoring. I doubt she’s that bored with me scoring this early in our relationship.
Me: I’ll be out when I can.
Saige: Sorry about the loss. :(
I hate that fucking sad face emoji.
“Drake!” Coach Vittner calls from his office.
All the guys give me the same look. The one that says, “Sorry we lost and you have to bear the wrath since you’re captain.”
I walk in, already out of my skates and shoulder pads but still unshowered. To my surprise, Gerhardt and Joran are in here. Joran looks up and shakes his head ever so slightly. Is he telling me I fucked up and I’m traded or the opposite? I can’t read him.
“Shut the door,” Coach says. “Have a seat.”
“Two losses, Aiden,” is all Mr. Gerhardt says.
Does he know how long our season is? We’re not going to win them all. If that was the case, we’d be the Cup winner every damn year.
“I’m sorry. We seem to be off our game.”
“Actually, you seem to be off your game. I think it’s this new girlfriend of yours,” Mr. Gerhardt says.
My fists clench at my sides and I narrow my eyes at him. Not him too.
Joran must notice because he steps in and sits at the edge of Coach’s desk. “We all want this to work out, Aiden. Carl doesn’t want to trade you any more than you want to be traded. But you were on a great roll. Is it a coincidence that after you out your new girlfriend, your game is suffering? I’ve seen this with a lot of players in new relationships. It’s just the distraction of it all. That’s why it’s better when players meet their girlfriends during the off-season. They spend all their time together and come season start, they’re ready for a little space, or ready to part ways altogether.” He smiles.
I want to punch his face again. “What are you suggesting?”
“Give each other some space. Let you worry about winning hockey games, her worry about her social media business, and you two can get back together during the off-season.”
I look around the room and see Coach roll his eyes, but Gerhardt looks as if he’s actually buying this.
“I’ve owned this team for so many years, yet I still don’t understand guys like you,” Gerhardt says. “The world is your oyster, pearls in everyone you open. Why do you only want one oyster when you can have them all?”
I stare blankly at him.
“Have fun with all the oysters you want right now, and when your hockey career is over, find that special oyster you want to hold on to.” He pats my leg.
I glance at Coach, who again rolls his eyes.
“By oysters, you mean women?” I ask for clarification.
“Yeah.” Mr. Gerhardt seems proud of himself.
“Okay.” Joran claps once. “Can I have a moment with Aiden by myself?”
“Here?” Coach asks.
“Where else?” Joran asks.
Coach throws up his hands. “Complete bullshit. You have two minutes, Peters.”
Once they leave, Joran sits where Gerhardt was. “Listen, Aiden, Gerhardt isn’t bluffing. If you continue to date her and the Fury continue to lose, I’m pretty sure if you’re not traded now, you will be at the end of the year. We’ve been over this. We need you playing well before this next contract negotiation, otherwise we have no leverage. I know you like Saige and she’s great, but she manages professional athletes’ social media. She understands an athlete’s world. I’m sure she’ll understand if the two of you need to call it quits until the off-season.”
I don’t say anything.
“You’ve known her, what? Almost two months? Hockey is your life. It’s everything you’ve sweated for for the last twenty-plus years. You’re gonna throw that away for some regular pussy for a few months? Come on, Aiden, that’s not the guy I know—the guy who works extra hard every practice. The guy who wasn’t a shoo-in and scraped and clawed his way to get where he is now. You need to think about what’s right for you. And speaking strictly as your agent, I think you need to cut her loose for a little bit.”
I run my hands down my face. “It’s been two games.”
“If it was only two games, we wouldn’t be here, but you’re forgetting the nine games before the revival. Now it’s looking like the slump is starting again.” He pats me on the back. “It’s a hard decision, but all athletes make sacrifices.”
He leaves the room and I sit there until Coach barges back in. “Go do your self-reflection bullshit at the yoga studio.” He eyes me. “But it would be a good idea for you to get your ass to that psychologist’s office.”
I stand and leave
, happy to see some of the team is already filing out. I send Saige a quick text.
Me: I’m going to be awhile, I’ll call you tonight.
Without waiting for an answer, I shove my phone back in my locker and head to the showers.
Is there some truth to the suggestion that I’m distracted? Sure, I do think about Saige a lot, and I did miss a good chance at a goal tonight because I was looking at her. But she’s the one who brought my game back in the first place.
The water sluices down my back and I stand there for a moment, staring at the floor. I need to think this through. If I end up getting traded to a different city, that’ll be the end of Saige and me anyway, so I need to stay on the Fury no matter what it takes.
“Damn it,” I mumble and pump some shampoo into my hand.
How do I stay on the team and keep Saige in my life? It doesn’t seem like they’re both possible at the same time. So maybe I need to do what I can to stay on the team so I can work on being with Saige after I’ve accomplished the first goal.
Aiden has taken this loss a lot worse than the first one. He didn’t even call or come over last night. Instead he ended up texting me that he was heading home and going to bed and he’d call me this morning.
So when I’m getting ready for work and there’s a knock on my door, I’m surprised to find Aiden in workout clothes at my front step, holding a box of danishes.
“Hey, want to help me get dressed?” I open my towel and flash him.
He doesn’t react at all. Instead his face is void of emotion. “Can we talk?”
“What?” I’m a little taken aback at his lack of response, and embarrassed.
“Can I come in?”
I swallow the dryness in my throat and step aside. “Maybe I should get dressed before you break up with me.”
