“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Sutton shouts. “She’s our new coach.”
58
CASEY
My heart slams against my ribs. The entire arena slips away from me. The only thing—the only person—I can see is Kodie standing on the opposite side of the ice behind the plexiglass, staring at me as if I’m a ghost.
Oh god.
He wasn’t meant to be here.
My blood runs cold.
He’s looking at me as if he doesn’t know me, not like I’m the woman he did all kinds of ungodly things to barely twenty-four hours ago.
Another girl on the team shouts in celebration of her goal, and I manage to rip my eyes away from Kodie’s and focus on my job.
Coaching, Casey. You should be coaching.
Just pretend he’s not here.
Fuck. That’s easier said than done.
I’m frozen on the ice as the last few girls take their shots.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Sutton rejoins her team and Kodie walks around the rink toward where his mom is sitting.
My stomach twists, the lunch I had hours ago threatening to reappear. Steeling myself, I try to focus on the task at hand. But honestly, running away right now seems like a much better option.
“Right, team,” I call getting the girls’ attention.
They skate over to where I’m standing, eager to hear what’s next.
Something settles inside me as twelve pairs of excited eyes hold mine.
“Fantastic work out there, guys. Some of the Vipers would be jealous of those goals. Now, we’re going to spend the next fifteen minutes working on our stick handling and passing before our friendly game to end our session.”
I glance up to see Megan already setting out the cones in two lines down the ice. I was buzzing when she told me that today’s session was mine to plan and lead. Or at least, I was until Kodie showed up. Now, I’m a mess, and I’m questioning everything I’m getting the girls to do. What if he doesn’t think it’s enough? What if he thinks I should be pushing harder? What if?—
I blink, forcing my worries from my head as I skate around the team and begin explaining their drill.
With three players at each end of the cones, Megan and I drop the puck, and the first girl takes off, weaving her way through, showing off her agility on the ice as well as her puck control.
Once she’s completed the course, she passes the puck to the next girl, who takes off back down through the cones.
“That’s it, keep the speed up,” I encourage as the girls weave in and out, so fluid and relaxed on the ice.
Aurora effortlessly weaves between the last two cones before she gets ready to pass to Sutton.
My eyes follow the puck as it leaves her stick and lands right on target. Sutton takes off with the kind of ease I’m used to seeing from the professionals.
As she embarks on the course, my gaze lifts to her father. I find him watching his daughter with nothing but love and awe in his eyes, and my heart tumbles.
That man is literally everything.
His attention doesn’t leave her until she’s passed to the next player, then he sits back, his eyes moving straight to me.
I swallow thickly.
