CHAPTER 1
LUKE
“Isn’t that the team that had that scandal last year?” I cross my arms and sit back in the coffee shop chair that barely fits my six-three frame, but the coffee’s decent, and the place is close to home here in Clearwater, Florida. When Gabe reached out, asking if we could meet, I assumed he wanted to catch up since we hadn’t really talked much over the last few months. Never expected he’d offer me a spot on the team he was recently hired to coach without even trying out.
We both left hockey roughly a year and a half ago, but for different reasons. Gabe had been playing for a while before I showed up on the scene. A bit of an old-timer, as we sometimes called him, because he had a good ten years on most of us. But then a third concussion, and his wife convinced him it was time to exit while he wasaheadof the game. Pun intended.
My departure had nothing to do with an injury. A fatal car accident took the life of my mother, leaving me in charge of everything, including my sixteen-year-old sister. Our father checked out when I was eight—shortly after Kinsley was born. I didn’t see any other choice at the time, and I still think it was the right one.
“That’s why I’m here. The Florida Sun Kings are under newownership. They brought me on a couple of months ago to help bring the team together to up our game and our rep.” Gabe turns his six-foot-two frame toward me, his expression imploring. “But I need you, Jammer.”
I rub at the growing tension in the back of my neck—the one that’s telling me to get up and walk away now. Gabe slid easily off the ice and into coaching. I’ve spent the last year or so taking care of my sister, getting her off to college, and logging as many hours as I could at the local hardware store where I used to work through high school and college before landing on an AHL team in California. That’s when I first met Gabe. I don’t even know if I can handle returning to the ice. I used to love the game, but now…
Yet the last thing I want is to disappoint Gabe. He took me under his wing from day one and became not only a friend but a mentor as well. “I don’t know, man. It’s been a while since I played.”
“You’re still young enough.” He lets out a derisive laugh. “Unlike some of us.”
I smirk. “Maybe old for hockey. Not in life.” I’m sure his wife would say the same.
“I know, but my point is, you still have time. And now that Kinsley is off to college…”
He doesn’t have to finish his sentence because he’s right, but I’m keenly aware of the guilt that chills me more than the ice ever did. Always there, always telling me I’m the one to blame. If it weren’t for me, Kinsley would have had a mother to take her shopping for her prom dress. Instead, she got stuck with an older brother who hadn’t a clue about things like dresses, hairstyles, and makeup. Thankfully, my mother’s best friend stepped in to help with all that, because I didn’t have a clue. However, I did a pretty good job making her date squirm in his tux.
Unfortunately, finances are fast becoming an issue in light of Kinsley’s hefty college tuition—the brat had the nerve toget accepted into Columbia, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. But what I managed to squirrel away during my three-year stint in the AHL and working won’t last much longer. No job is going to pay a former hockey player with an unused degree in business enough to cover our expenses. The next option is to sell our house, which would be like losing Mom all over again.
But my sister missed out on so much already. I drop my arms and sigh but say nothing. Somehow, I have to find a way to make this work.
Gabe clears his throat. “Did Kinsley get a scholarship?”
“Partial.”
He leans forward in his too-small chair. “Luke, you were on the fast track to the NHL before…” His chest expands as he takes in a weighted breath. “You could still make that happen. I told the new owner we needed a good anchor for the team. We need a strong captain.”
My pulse spikes as I frown. “Captain? I only played defense for three years.”
“And, in my opinion, you were one of the best.”
I shake my head. “The team won’t like it.”
“They’ll get used to it,” he shoots back.
“Yeah, they’lllovethe brand new coach choosing a newbie as their captain.” I make sure there’s plenty of sarcasm in my tone.
He smirks. “Most of these guys are younger than you. That’ll carry some weight.”
I grunt. “But they won’t trust me.”
“Not in the beginning, maybe. But you’re a natural-born leader, Luke. I bet you’ll have them following your lead within two weeks.”
My brows attempt to shake hands with my hairline. “That’s overpromising.”
He moves his coffee cup to the side. “Just think about it, okay? The position comes with a signing bonus and asecond bonus if the team makes the finals in the division. That should help pay Kinsley’s tuition.”
He’s right. It would. Even with the increase in my hours at the hardware store, we’d have to do something drastic…like sell the house.
“And this is the ECHL. Their track record for shooting guys up to NHL is growing.” Gabe leans over, pulls a folder out of his satchel, and slides it across the table toward me.
My coffee cup blocks it like a goalie. Kind of poetic when you think about it.
