He puffs out a small chuckle. “See? You’re fighting it.”
I decide to get real with him—as real as I can without giving him the full sob story. “I have enough on my plate at the moment.” Which is true. I have to stay focused. Distractions won’t help, and there’s a lot more than just the team succeeding riding on my shoulders.
As Derek blows his whistle to end practice and signal it’s time to go to the workout room, Payton joins us. His gaze bounces between us, then settles on Ethan. “What did I miss? Did they…you know?”
I want to swat his lifted brow right off his face. “Will you two give it a rest?”
Ethan shakes his head at Payton. But I’m still not sure they believe me. “Time for workouts. Get moving.”
We’re shedding our gear in the locker room when I hear a familiar voice coming from the coaches’ office. I tug on a dry shirt, ready to head in that direction.
Gabe’s command stops me. “Everyone, get decent.”
He scopes the locker room, then waves someone in—my sister, Kinsley. She hesitates at first, then walks past Gabe. She crosses her arms and lifts her chin as if to challengeme.
A cat-call whistle comes from the lockers to my left. “She’s a?—”
Without taking my eyes off my sister, I shoot my hand out and pin Jayce’s head to the cabinet door above his cubby. Like I said, I’ve got three inches and a good thirty pounds on the kid. He isn’t going anywhere until I let go.
“Kinsley, what are you doing here?”
Coach walks up behind her with a concerned expression and shrugs.
She drops her arms. “I’m quitting school.”
I drop Jayce like the hot potato he is. “You’re what?!”
Like the spoiled brat she’s NOT, Kinsley puts her hands on her hips, tilts her head, and enunciates every syllable, making me feel more like a parent than her brother.
What has New York done to my sister?
“I said. I’m. Quitting. School.”
First, I’m grateful that Gabe made sure the team was presentable before he brought my sister into the locker room. Second, Kinsley met Gabe during my Barracuda days and always liked him, so I’m glad he had first contact. He said we can use his office to talk, but I don’t want interruptions. And I especially don’t want Jayce anywhere near my kid sister.
The conference room is occupied at the moment, so the only place I can think to go is the end of the hallway near Sophie’s office. I don’t recall seeing her today, so maybe she’s not there. Even if she is, I’m sure she’d give us a few minutes if she’s not in the middle of an interview.
When I see that Sophie’s not there, I bob my head toward the open door. “Let’s go.”
Her over-dramatic eye roll precedes her exaggerated clomp into the room—classics Kins.
I’m doing my best not to lose it with her—that’s the last thing this situation needs, but when it comes to my sister, I’m not great at controlling my emotions either. The main reason I returned to hockey was so I could cover the rest of Kinsley’s tuition. I can’t let her give up on her dream this easily.
My mother told me once that I feel things deeply, yet lack a release valve, which results in an eventual angry blowout. I’m thinking she may have been right. I wish she were here now to help my sister because this feels way out of my skill set. What if I say the wrong thing and she digs her feet deeper into this decision?
I take in a deep, calming breath as I shut the door.
“Who’s office is this?” She sits on the gray bench and tugs that pink pillow onto her lap—a good reminder for me to remember how my mother used to handle situations like this. I vaguely recall Kinsley having a similar moment at age ten when she joined a soccer league. She wanted to quit after the first week, but Mom talked her into giving it more time. Kinsley wound up playing all the way through high school.
I sit against the edge of the desk and cross my arms. “Sophie Adams. She’s the repor—journalist assigned to the team. Now, explain to me why you’re here?”
She takes on a curious expression. “Assigned to the team?”
“Yeah, to do profiles on us. Answer my question, please.”
“Is she covering the games too?”
“Yes.” I drop my hands to my hips. “Cut the crap, Kins. What are you doing here?”
