Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Honestly, Daddy P, I don’t see the issue. It’s not like she’s unfortunate looking,” Carter pointed out as we made it to the ball. “Let her ride. Maybe if you got laid, you’d be less grumpy.”
“Please don’t tell me the virgin is giving advice on getting laid now,” I teased, and Carter chased me around like he was going to take me out at the knees while Will sighed and looked up at the sky like someone could save him from us.
Vince lined up to take the next shot, and we all clapped him on the back when it landed on the green. We’d have an easy putt to close it out.
“Hey, have you guys heard about Aleksander Suter?” Carter asked as we made our way toward the flag.
“Don’t tell me — he got into another bar fight?” Vince guessed. “Oh! Or they found him with cocaine.”
Will added, “The league fined him for a dirty hit again?”
“Too easy. My guess is they finally discovered he’s the head of an organized crime unit,” I chimed in. “Have you seen his team picture? Looks like a fucking mug shot.”
Carter shook his head. “Apparently, Seattle has had enough of his shit. Rumor is they’re looking to trade him.”
That shocked us all silent. Jokes aside, Aleks Suter was one hell of a winger, with enough goals under his belt that even though the entire league gave him shit for his reputation, we still respected him.
“There’s talk he may be coming to Tampa.”
Carter’s voice was drowned out by the rest of us erupting in a mixture of laughter and no fucking ways.
“Coach McCabe would never,” Vince said. “You saw how quick he was to hand me my ass last season when I practiced at a rink with some kids? That was me being nice. That was good PR.” He shook his head. “Zero chance he’s letting a weapon with a bad attitude join our team.”
“I don’t know,” Will said, like he knew something we didn’t. “Coach may not like it, but he’s not the one who calls all the shots, is he?”
“Dick,” I said with a sigh when it clicked for me, too. Our General Manager was one for the dramatics. He was the only reason Maven King had unprecedented access to Vince and our entire team last season — all in the name of a publicity stunt to fill the stands.
And it had worked.
We had more fans in that arena last season than the past five seasons combined. Part of that was due to us just being better — but we’d be insane to think Maven hadn’t played a huge role.
And that meant Richard Bancroft — or Dick, as we called him — was likely itching for another way to bring in fans this season.
“Christ,” I cursed when I realized this could actually happen. “Just what we need — a fucking liability coming into the team when we’re solid.”
“It won’t happen,” Vince said with absolution I was certain he didn’t actually feel.
Anything could happen in the NHL.
The conversation moved on to something lighter as we approached the green, knowing there were microphones and cameras everywhere. We got a birdie, and when there was a particularly loud chorus of female screams from the crowd, I didn’t need more than one guess as to who it was.
Maven, Livia, and Grace were buzzed, plastic cups in their hands as they threw them into the air and did their little celly dances. The crowd around them was suffering from second-hand embarrassment — except for Vince’s parents, who joined in the ruckus.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I knew without a second guess that it was a text from my father. He was watching the tournament — that I knew for sure. And it didn’t matter that it was for charity. It didn’t matter that it should have been more fun than competitive.
To my father, everything was a competition.
And I was expected to win.
Before we moved on to the next hole, Vince ran over to the tape, leaning Maven back in a kiss that had cameras flashing and the crowd roaring to life.
Carter put a hand on my shoulder, biting his knuckles. “Damn, you see Doc today?” He shook his head, looking like Squints ogling Wendy Peffercorn as he checked out Livia — Maven’s best friend, and also, our team dentist. “That woman is too fine.”
I chuckled, following his gaze just in time to see Livia pull down her sunglasses and arch a brow at him. But my attention was quickly pulled to the woman beside her.
I knew for a fucking fact that Grace hadn’t got much sleep last night, and yet she still glowed like the sun. Her smile was bright as she looked up at her brother, no doubt razzing him about something because he took her under his arm and knuckled her head. I watched her laugh with a pinch in my chest, and even with her sunglasses on, I felt the exact moment her eyes trailed to me.