Ash’s body goes rigid in front of me, back muscles straining against his shirt, but he doesn’t say anything as Gabe gives me a parting look that’s filled with the promise, this isn’t over.
“Guess I’ll be seeing you both around.” He turns and takes a step, and then pauses and glances back at Ash with a slimy smile. “I was sorry to hear about your shoulder. And during a contract season. That’s a tough break.” He sucks in air through his teeth. “I look forward to seeing you back on the ice. The team needs help with scoring right now or we’re going to have to make some painful adjustments.”
14
HARD AND PISSED
ASH
Bridget left in a hurry after we ran into Gabe. What a fucking prick. A prick that I now have to work with.
I catch Jack downstairs as he’s coming out of the media room.
“Hey,” he says as he turns his hat backward. “Wanna grab a drink at Wild’s?”
“We have a problem.” I lean forward and whisper the bare minimum info to fill him in.
His expression morphs instantly from relaxed to on edge. He’s a good captain. He’s always led by example first, but he’s also the first guy ready to jump in and solve any obstacle in the way. Personal and professional, because with a job like ours, it all sort of bleeds together. In a fight, there’s no one I’d rather have my back.
“Give me five to grab my stuff.”
While he does that, I congratulate Tyler on his two goals tonight.
“Thanks for the advice,” he says. “It helped.”
“I didn’t do anything. That was all you.” I lift my fist and he bumps his against it.
“Can’t wait to have you back on Monday.” Leo shoulders his bag. I know he’s eager to get home to his wife and baby, so I don’t tell him about Gabe for now.
It only takes Jack two minutes and then we’re heading out. I follow him in my truck to our neighborhood and then his house.
He’s pouring two glasses of whiskey, some expensive shit he saves for the good nights and for the bad.
I take a seat on the barstool in front of the giant island in the middle of his kitchen. I wrap my fingers around the glass but don’t sip yet. “How bad is it?”
“That depends.”
“On?” I ask, finally taking a drink. It’s rich and strong and burns my throat as I swallow.
“If you’re planning on staying the hell away from Bridget or not.” He leans back against the counter, crosses one ankle over the other and regards me seriously.
I think back on the night. If she hadn’t already turned me down twice before, my answer might be different. No matter how much of a connection I feel, I’m not sure she’s in the same place as me. I shake my head. “She’s made it very clear that she’s not interested in dating me.”
“Then I don’t see any reason for this to be a problem.”
His words don’t reassure me like I’d hoped they would.
“You should have heard him. The way he talked to her. She held her own with him, but I could tell she was rattled.”
“Repeat after me, ‘It’s none of my business.’”
“If some asshole talked to a girl like that in front of you, you’d be able to just let it go?” I know he wouldn’t.
He doesn’t reply, though. He finishes what’s left of his drink in one long gulp.
“What if it’d been Everly?”
“Everly is different,” he says, eyes narrowing. “She’s a teammate’s sister. If anyone in the organization did that to a player’s family, they’d be tossed out.”
He isn’t wrong, but it shouldn’t be okay that he talks to anyone like that. Especially Bridget.
I stay for one more drink. My mom planned a big breakfast out tomorrow before everyone heads back home and I don’t want to show up hungover.
“Thanks,” I tell Jack as he walks me to the front door.
“Any time. You know that.”
“I do.” I walk backward down the sidewalk toward my truck. “Just out of curiosity, if I’d said I wasn’t going to stay away from her, then what?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “Then you better make sure as fuck that you come back Monday night and prove to everyone how much we need you. Guys have been traded for a lot less than sleeping with a GM’s girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I bite out, but I get his point.
When I get home, I pull out my phone. I fire off a text to Everly, letting her know it was good to see her and making sure they got home okay.
Her response is exactly what I should have expected: Home safe and sound! It was good to see you too. X
“I know. I know,” I mutter under my breath. “You’re not going to share any info on your roommate.”
Which is why I'm shocked when another text comes in a few seconds later.
Everly
Sharing Bridget’s number with you. She knows I’m giving it to you, but don’t make me regret it. She seems pretty shook up. Is her douche ex really the new assistant GM?
I save Bridget’s contact information, thank Everly, then sit there, thumb tapping against the side of my phone as I think about what I want to say. Sorry your ex-boyfriend is a giant asshole? Sorry I gave you my jersey, you put it on and then your ex walked up at the least convenient time. No, fuck that. I’m not sorry about that at all. That image is going to stay with me for a very long time. I never thought I’d be one of those guys so turned on by seeing a girl wear my name and number on her back. But here we are. Hard and pissed and ready to burn down the world.
Me
Hey. It’s Ash. I’m sorry tonight ended the way it did. It was really good to see you.
I wait, even though I don’t expect her to reply. I can’t get the way she looked so anxious when Gabe walked up out of my head. I’ve had enough awkward encounters with ex-girlfriends to know that some of that is expected. But he was just awful, and she didn’t seem that surprised. She didn’t flinch or yell or do any of the things I’d have expected from someone who is used to being treated with love and respect.
Fucking Gabe. I knew that first night when he was yelling at her outside of Wild’s that he was a piece of shit. No, you know what? I knew before that. The very first time I laid eyes on Bridget and saw him sitting next to her not giving her a bit of attention.
Relationships aren’t always rainbows and sunshine, I know that. But there’s a difference in sitting quietly beside someone and not talking and existing in the same space.
Nurse Bridget
It was good to see you too. Good luck with the rest of the season.
Me
Guess you won’t be coming to any more games, huh?
Nurse Bridget
Probably not. Everly will keep me updated though.
Me
Bummer, but I get it. You’re okay though? Gabe was kind of intense.
Nurse Bridget
Yeah, I’m fine.