Page 93 of Center Ice
“I want every player on this team to do what’s bestfor the team. In Zach’s case, I needed to know he would step up and defend his teammates if needed. In your case, I didn’t take over your contract to have you spend all your time in the penalty box like you were doing in Colorado. You have too much talent to waste your playing time sitting in there. You were halfway to throwing away your career with your last team. I want to see you be successful here.”
She turns to leave, then stops and turns back around. “And Drew, I know you have the potential to do great things here. Make sure you keep your mind on the game. It would be easy toget distracted in a new city, with new people. Just…stay focused, okay?”
My throat bobs as I swallow, wondering what she knows. She and Lauren are close friends, but I can’t see Lauren telling her about me and Audrey—both because she doesn’t seem like a gossip, and because she knows that we’re trying to keep this relationship quiet. What’s growing between Audrey and me is still new, and we’ve got a kid who doesn’t need any unwarranted attention. So I’m not sure what AJ knows, or thinks she knows. Maybe she’s just speaking in generalities?
“Of course,” I say, and give her a definitive nod before she turns and makes her way through the crowd of half-naked men and right through the door to the coaches’ office.
“What was that all about?” Colts asks as he saunters up, still unshowered, in nothing but his compression shorts. For an older player, he’s in impeccable shape—there’s no soft midsection or an ounce of unnecessary weight on him.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t be like that, dude. What was that all about?”
“AJ was just reminding me that she isn’t paying me to spend time in the penalty box, is all.”
“Wasn’t that your first time in there all season?” he asks.
“Yep. It was just a friendly reminder to stay focused,” I say, because that’s how I’m choosing to take it. There were no veiled threats, no undue pressure. Just a reminder that I’m here to do a job, and to not let my focus waver.
“She know about Audrey and Graham?” He asks the question quietly, because even though he, Walsh, McCabe, and Reid all know, I don’t think they’ve told anyone else.
“Don’t think so. And it should probably stay that way for a while longer.”
“Noted. You coming out with us tonight? Or running back to the hotel to call your girlfriend?” He teases that last word out so he sounds like a second grader on the playground.
“Definitely headed back to call Audrey.” There’s no way in hell I’m missing the opportunity to talk to her, and it’s already past 10 p.m. here, so with the hour time difference, if I don’t call her soon, she’ll be asleep.
“So whipped.”
“Given that she’s like a sister to you, isn’t that what you’d want to see right now?”
“Good answer.” Colt gives me one of those aggressive pats on the shoulder as he walks by, headed toward the showers. I dress quickly so I can say goodbye to my teammates and catch a cab back to the hotel, praying that Audrey’s still awake when I call tonight.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
AUDREY
“What do you mean, you’re taking Graham for the night?” I ask my brother.
Jameson’s deep voice carries over the phone. “I mean that Drew talked to Lauren and asked her if there was any way we could watch Graham tonight so that he could have you all to himself.”
“I hate that you know exactly what that means,” I tell him. But he travels a lot as an agent, and I know he and Lauren have an active, healthy sex life. So I’m sure he can imagine how we’ll be spending our time tonight, after a week of not seeing each other.
“Let’s pretend I don’t, because I don’t want to think about that. Like, ever.” His voice is so disgusted that it makes me laugh.
“So you’ll be here in an hour?”
“Yeah, and Drew wants me to tell you to pack a bag for yourself, too.”
I reach into my back pocket and take out the note I found this morning in my makeup drawer in my bathroom.Can’t wait to see you tonight!
When I first started receiving these daily notes, I thought maybe he set them up around my house before he left for his trip. But then the new ones started appearing each day in places I would have seen them before, like the refrigerator. So then I assumed he must have given them to Jules to place around the house. Except, she left for Maine two days ago, and I got a message yesterday and another one today. Which means she must have put Graham in charge of them while she’s gone? The thought of our son putting little notes around the house from his dad to me has tears filling my eyes…the good kind, which is funny because I’m not a big crier.
“Uhh, okay,” I say slowly, wondering what, specifically, I’m packing for. I’ll have to ask Drew, though, because there’s no way I’m asking Jameson. “You seem surprisingly okay with this.”
“If he treats you well and is there for Graham, then I’m happy for you. But if he steps out of line even a tiny bit, I’ll fucking kill him, and he knows it.”
“How does he know that?”
