Not a Player (Laketown Hockey Book 1)

by A. J. Wynter

  I pressed ‘decline’. What if the coach had bad news for me and good news for Tanner? Or vice-versa. “I’ll wait until after we order the coffee.” The truth was that I didn’t want to have that conversation in front of him.

  We ordered a couple of trays of coffee and a box of donuts. We didn’t know how many people had stayed at Pine Hill, so we got the family size just to be on the safe side. I opened the box and pulled out my favorite, a Boston Cream. I handed Tanner a chocolate glazed and neither of us acknowledged the fact that I wasn’t rushing to call Coach Covington back right away.

  “Do you think that he’ll kick Mossy off the team?” Tanner peeled back the tab on his coffee lid and slurped a sip.

  “Yeah, I do – if he keeps screwing up.” I brushed some of the icing sugar off my sweatshirt. “If he gets another strike, Coach will make an example of him.”

  “It’s too bad.” Tanner signaled out of the parking lot and onto Maple Street.

  I opened the glove box and pulled out my aviator sunglasses, giving them a quick polish before sliding them over my bloodshot eyes. Even though it was overcast, the brightness was proving too much for me. “Too bad? I think he should’ve been cut a month ago.”

  “He performs. We get the W with him.”

  “It just pisses me off,” I took the first sip of my coffee and recoiled as it burned my lip. “The guy is so talented and doesn’t give a fuck about going anywhere. I just don’t get it.”

  “I’ve known him for years, Fitzy. That stuff with his parents really fucked him up.”

  “Shit, I’m an asshole.” I knew that Dylan’s parents died in that car accident, but I hated to admit that I’d forgotten about it. Dylan never talked about it, and hell, they hadn’t even had a public funeral – so the team couldn’t even pay their respects. “I guess that would mess you up pretty bad.” My mom had died when I was little, but I didn’t remember how I felt about it. Maybe I had blocked it out, or maybe I was just too young to process the fact that she was there one day and gone the next.

  Tanner took another sip of his coffee and as he headed east on the highway, the sun broke from behind the clouds and we both slammed our visors down like shields. “I thought that Dylan was doing okay, but I think it’s an act. He’s losing it.”

  I couldn’t believe how selfish I’d been. I was more worried about the game than one of my teammates. We were supposed to be brothers. “Hey, did you know that he has a sister?”

  Tanner squinted through his sunglasses. “Yeah, but I’ve never met her. She’s away at some figure skating school. Apparently, she’s the next Tonya Harding.”

  I laughed. “I think you need to brush up on your figure skating knowledge, Captain.” I laughed. It didn’t make sense. If she was some hotshot away at skating school, why was she sneaking into our rink in the middle of the night? “The Academy in New York?”

  “I think that’s the one,” Tanner replied. “Why do you ask?”

  “She showed up at the party last night, looking for Dylan and that bunny he was with.”

  Tanner glanced at me. “Before or after the fight?”

  “Late. Like three in the morning late.” I hadn’t seen the fight, only the aftermath. The coffee table had been knocked over and half the team was holding Josh, one of the newer defensemen, and the other half was holding onto Dylan. The two of them were trying to free themselves, flailing against the restraint of their teammates, eager to keep punching each other’s lights out.

  “Do you know where he went?” I asked.

  “No. I think he left with a bunny.”

  “Did you see what happened?” I took a bite of my donut. “Why were they fighting?”

  “You didn’t see it?” Tanner asked. “Josh was chirping him about fucking up the game and then said something about Moss’s mom.”

  “Oh.” I sucked in some air between my teeth. “I don’t know why, but I assumed that Mossy started it.” I had been mad at Dylan since the game. “If Josh ever said something about my mom, I’d punch his lights out too.” My anger at Dylan was fading. “I hope he’s okay.” I took another bite of my donut and the cream squeezed out the small hole and plopped onto my blue sweatshirt. “Oh, come on,” I groaned and searched inside the glove box for a napkin.

  “Maybe Coach wants to know what to do about Moss,” Tanner suggested and signaled onto Mustang Point Road.

  My eyes relaxed as the trees blocked out the aggressive sunlight. I took off my sunglasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Maybe.” I doubted it. “But, if Coach asks me what to do, I’m going to tell him to go easy on him.”

  “Is his sister hot?” Tanner smiled at me as he downshifted. “I’ve heard she’s pretty cute.”

  “She’s alright,” I shrugged. Truthfully, just the memory of the dimples on her lower back made my cock pulse. I hardly knew the girl, but already I knew that I didn’t want any of the Otters to get their hands on her. “Too bad she’s off-limits for everyone,” I added.

  Tanner nodded. He had two sisters and had threatened the entire team with death if any of us touched them. “No sisters,” he said as if reminding me.

  I picked up my coffee cup and blew through the small opening, slowly testing another sip. It was still too hot to drink.

  “Oh shit!” Tanner yanked the wheel and jammed on the brakes. In my reflex to grab something, I squeezed the cup and the lid popped off. Coffee sloshed all over my lap.

  I sucked in air as the searing pain from my thighs reached my brain. The car skidded to a stop in the middle of the road and I saw the flick of a white-tailed deer as it disappeared into the sea of pine trees. “Sorry, dude,” he said.

  I had to get the hot fabric away from all that was important to me and pulled down my pants. My thighs were red with the heat and I gently dabbed at them with the rest of the napkins. The box had slid from my lap and I kicked at the sprinkled donuts with my feet. I breathed a sigh of relief. My junk had escaped the hot lava, but my boxer briefs were soaked.

  “Are you alright?” Tanner’s knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel. Both of us were breathing heavily while the hit of adrenaline faded from our systems.

  “I think so. Nothing important got burned.” I pulled the box from the floor and set it down on my lap. I wasn’t shy, but it felt weird to be driving around with one of my teammates in my boxers.

  “Nice undies.” Tanner pushed in the clutch and eased the Cruiser to a much slower speed.

  I glanced down. They were one of my favorite pairs – bright yellow with pizza wedges.

  “Thanks.” I knew he wasn’t serious, but I loved my novelty boxer briefs.

  “You’re having quite the streak of bad luck.”

  I wanted to agree with him. But to a superstitious guy like Tanner, admitting that I was in a bad-luck slump was akin to saying we’d never win another game again. “It’s just a bit of coffee.” I brushed off the comment, but he was right, the bad luck sure was piling up.

  Tanner parked the car and hopped out. “Do you want me to get you another pair of shorts?” he asked.

  “It’s okay, man.” I grabbed my coffee-soaked sweatpants and gingerly eased out of the car. I didn’t think the burn was too severe, but it still stung. “I’ll just go jump in the lake.”

  “That’s your cure for everything,” Tanner laughed.

  He was right. “Are you coming with me?”

  He tossed me the keys, walked past the main building, and threw his hand up in the air – I was dismissed. “Where are you going?” I yelled.

  He turned, “Back to bed.”

  I locked up the Land Cruiser, took stock of the three unknown vehicles in the driveway, and headed inside. I had to call the coach to see what he wanted, but as my finger hovered over Covington’s number my stomach wrenched with angry butterflies. I’d call him after my swim.

  I tried to stay positive as I made my way to the shoreline, but if my recent spate of bad luck had anything to say, I knew that the news wasn’t going to
be good.

  Chapter 9 – Jessie

  Sleep eluded me. I glanced out the curtains, looking for any sign of Dylan, and was momentarily caught off guard by the gunmetal gray Mercedes in the driveway.

  The steam billowed out of the shower as I stepped inside. This morning’s practice had been brutal. Not only had I eaten it every time I attempted my triple lutz, but I also fell on my easiest jump – my toe loop, and I can perform that damn jump in my sleep.

  I wrapped the towel around my chest and padded to my bedroom, glancing into Dylan’s dark green disaster of a room, hoping that the unmade lump of twisted sheets now contained my brother, but there was no sign of him.

  The wind hadn’t let up all night, and even though the sun had just come up, it was still almost pitch black in my room. I toweled off my hair and then piled it into a messy bun on top of my head. Luckily, both Paige and I had the late shift today, and as much as I knew that I should try to get some sleep, I wasn’t going to be able to rest until I knew what had happened to Dylan.

  I dialed Paige’s number but wasn’t surprised when it rang again and again until her voicemail picked up. I cursed myself for not getting Kane Fitzgerald’s phone number, but the car was a reminder that I was going to have to go back to Pine Hill anyway.

  This wasn’t the first time Dylan had disappeared in a drunken stupor, and I knew that he was going to show up after sleeping it off at one of his loser friend’s houses. But I couldn’t stop worrying. Damn you, Dylan. I got dressed in a pair of leggings and a t-shirt. I caught a glimpse of myself in the hallway mirror and backtracked to the bathroom where I quickly layered some cover up on over the dark circles under my eyes. The girl that looked back at me looked tired. I shook my head, wondering why did I care what Kane Fitzgerald thought about me. I would never be a puck bunny – nor did I want to be. Nevertheless, I swiped a thin mascara layer on my lashes and applied some tinted lip gloss.

  I started the Mercedes, but before I could put the car into reverse my breath caught in my throat as the black and white appeared in the rear-view mirror. I felt my life go into slow motion; police cars this early in the morning were never a good thing.

  I held onto the steering wheel, unable to move. The car’s engine purred and Celine Dion sang her heart out on the radio, but both of those things were white noise to me. My eyes were glued on the mirror and when a police officer opened the rear door and my brother stepped out of the car in one piece I managed to open the door and collapse into a heap beside the running car.

  “Jess, are you okay?” Dylan’s black Vans slapped the cracked pavement as the police car pulled away.

  “I’m fine,” I muttered and tried to shrug his hand off of me.

  “Sweet car.” Dylan stared past me while maintaining his grip. His nonchalant attitude sent a fire into my belly. The strength that I had lost came rushing back and I pushed him away like The Hulk.

  “What the fuck, Dylan? Where were you?” I stepped away from him. My hands were shaking, and I was trying my best not to slap that inconsiderate bastard across the face.

  “Whoa, easy, Jess.”

  “Easy Jess? I was worried about you!” Anger had cycled through, and now relief that my brother was okay washed over me. I sank back onto the driveway, this time, my body overtaken with wracking sobs.

  “Shit,” Dylan whispered. “Come on.” he reached his hand to try to pull me up.

  “Leave. Me. Alone,” I managed to croak out between sobs.

  “No, I’m not going to leave you out here like this.”

  “What do you care?” I looked at him. The sun had just peeked out from the dense cloud cover and he was ringed in its light. Instead of trying to haul me up off the ground again, he crossed his feet and sat down with me. He reached his arm around my back and rubbed my shoulder.

  “You don’t have to worry about me. That’s not your job,” he whispered.

  My spine sagged as the anger left my body and I let my big brother hold me. “I can’t help it. You haven’t been yourself since...”

  “I know,” he squeezed my shoulder again.

  I wiped away the tears and sat up a little taller, my butt was starting to feel the cold as it seeped from the pavement. “Promise me something.”

  I felt him stiffen. “I know what you’re going to ask, and I won’t. I won’t drink and drive, I promise.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at him. We had drifted apart in the three years I had been away at the Academy, but deep down, we knew each other, and no matter how much time or distance spanned between us, we had that. “Thanks, Dylan.” I stood and brushed the dirt off the back of my leggings.

  “Where were you going?” Dylan stood up beside me.

  “I was going to find you – and return this car,” I gestured to the Mercedes.

  “Whose car is that? Where’s the vulva?”

  I rolled my eyes and he grinned and winked at me. We each had our nicknames for the car, his, The Vulva, was much cruder than mine: Penny, on account of all of her rust spots.

  I slid into the driver’s seat and rolled down the window. “None of your business.”

  “Hold on a minute,” Dylan held onto the bottom of the open window frame.

  “Ugh, you smell like a brewery.” I waved my hand in front of my face, avoiding the question.

  “Jess,” he sighed. “I thought our policy was honesty. Here, I’ll go first. Last night I got into a fight and ended up spending the night in the drunk tank. More or less. Now, your turn.”

  I let my hand slip from the gear shifter. “Paige called me in the middle of the night.”

  Dylan’s gaze fell to the ground.

  “Crying,” I added.

  “Shit,” he muttered. “I forgot about...”

  “Her?” I folded my arms across my chest.

  “Is she okay?” He wouldn’t meet my gaze.

  “She’s fine. She was drunk and irrational. I dropped her off at her house last night. She’s probably sleeping it off, or has her head stuffed in a toilet right now.”

  “I should probably call...”

  “No,” I interrupted. “You should probably stop whatever is going on between you two. It’s not going to end well, and she’s my friend.”

  He looked up, “You were at Fitzy’s?”

  “Yep. Penny wouldn’t start, so he lent me this.” I tapped my hand on the steering wheel. “He said something about towing the car to the mechanic’s today.”

  “Shit.” Dylan shook his head. He ran around the car and hopped in the passenger seat. “I’m coming with you. We will boost the car and take it to the marina; Gary’s shop is way too expensive.”

  I hadn’t thought past the logistics of picking up the car. “Fine.”

  “Does he know you’re coming?” Dylan craned his head to look through the back window of the car as I reversed out of the driveway – an annoying habit of his.

  “I don’t have his number, I left in a hurry to get to the arena.”

  “Oh, Jess. I’m sorry. Did you make your practice?”

  “Barely,” I pursed my lips, put the car in gear, and our heads jerked and hit the headrests as I stomped on the gas. “Whoops, this gas pedal is a little more responsive than Penny’s.” I glanced at the dashboard and saw that we were already going seventy miles per hour. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to show up there today?”

  “It was a misunderstanding, as long as that bastard Josh is gone, it will be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” I kept him in my peripheral vision as I navigated the car through town.

  He waved it off. “I’ve been on the team longer; it’s all good.”

  “Maybe give Fitzy a heads up.” I tapped Dylan’s phone.

  “Fine.” He reluctantly scrolled through his contact list. “Shit, we’re in the dead zone,” he held his phone up searching for a signal after the third dropped call. “It will be fine,” he said as if trying to convince himself, but I heard the hesitation in his voice.

  Chapt
er 10 – Kane

  The smell of bacon sizzling wafted from the open kitchen window as I headed to the main cottage from the lake.

  “I thought you were going back to bed,” I yelled from the balcony as I draped my wet towel over the railing.

  Tanner was dressed in a pair of workout shorts, prodding a pan of bacon with a fork. “I couldn’t sleep. I guess the coffee woke me up.”

  “Yeah, me too, but it a different way.” The cold lake water had worked its magic on my legs, the redness barely visible underneath my board shorts.

  “You alright?”

  “Yeah, but I sure could use a coffee,” I grumbled and plucked a piece of bacon from the plate beside the stove and Tanner pretended to jab at my hand with the fork. “I put on a pot. There are still a few people sleeping.” He pointed to the wing that housed the guest rooms.

  A blue recycling bag sat in the middle of the great room, stuffed with red plastic cups. “Thanks for starting the cleanup.”

  “No problem buddy. I sure hope your parents aren’t going to pull a surprise appearance today.”

  When I was a kid, my mom used to spend the entire summer at the cottage and my dad came and went as business meetings permitted. Now that I have a stepmom, my dad rarely comes to Pine Hill at all. My stepmom can’t handle the mosquitos and never really took to the family estate. “They aren’t coming up until the gala.”

  I shook open another recycling bag and picked up where Tanner had left off. “I called Margie, the cleaning lady—the one that I can trust – she’s coming by tomorrow.”

  “Oh, thank God. This place is a wreck.” Tanner looked visibly relieved.

  “I know.” I stacked fifteen cups into each other and dropped them into the bag. “We should probably start making people bring their own cups. This isn’t exactly good for the environment.”

  Tanner shrugged. “How do you want your eggs?”

  “Poached.”

  “I can only do scrambled.” Tanner pulled the carton of eggs from the fridge. “I don’t even know why I asked,” he laughed.