He stuffs another fry in his mouth. “It’s not like you’re my only client, Hayes. You know you can be a real diva when you want? Maybe I should start calling you princess instead of your wife. How’s it going on that front, anyway?”
“We’re dating.”
“The fuck?” he asks, confused.
“She’s agreed to hold off on the annulment for now. So I’m counting that as a win, and we’re going to date.”
“But you’re already married . . . Wait. Don’t they say blow jobs stop once you’re married? Maybe this is a good thing. Get all the head now, while you can.” The asshat laughs like a fucking clown, and I kick him under the damn table.
“Pace, man, were you dropped on your head as a baby?”
“Pretty sure I was once or twice. I blame my brother, Hunter. It’s his fault.” He takes a bite of his BLT, then opens his mouth full of food. “Anyway, how’s the new team been?”
“Dude, fucking chew before you talk. Most of the guys are okay. Jace is gunning for me. So that’s awkward as fuck. Max threatened me on my first day, but I haven’t seen him since. Oh, and I like Coach Fitz. He seems like a good coach, so far.” Fucking Kingstons.
“You sure she’s worth it?”
I don’t bother answering, and Pace smiles.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought. Have you seen Juliette?”
I finish my burger and wipe the grease from my mouth. “Nah. She and Becks are down in DC for a few days. Some White House Christmas party. I’ve talked to Becks but not Jules.”
“Chicken shit,” he busts my balls. “Did you get the new place situated?”
I shake my head. “I ordered a bunch of furniture that’s gonna be delivered while I’m gone. Kenzie’s gonna get it all set up for me. I guess I’m gonna move in when I get back.”
“You guess?”
“Yeah, man. I can barely get face time with Lindy now. I don’t know how much worse it’s gonna be when I move out.”
“I hope your girl’s worth it.”
“My girl’s always been worth it, dick,” I tell him and throw my napkin at his face.
“I knew she was your girl.”
Yeah, deep down, she’s always been my girl.
Lindy manages to avoid me all day.
She was gone by the time I came down this morning, and she’s not home when I get home from practice that night.
My whole fucking body aches from the extra conditioning Fitz threw at us when Jace and I got into an argument in front of the team during practice . . . again.
Neither of us touched a puck for the rest of the session.
It was all suicides and sprints until we were both puking in trash cans.
My mood is shit, and I leave tomorrow.
The stairs outside of the loft creak, and I look up just before Kenzie pops her head in.
She looks at the bruising on my face and gasps. “Oh my God, E. Your face.” She rushes over to me like I’m a kid who just got hurt on the playground.
“It’s fine, Kenz.” I shrug her off. “It happens all the time.” As soon as the sentence is out, I know I shouldn’t have said it.
Her eyes narrow, and her mouth tightens into a line. “Okay, am I supposed to be okay with you getting hit all the time? Aren’t goalies supposed to be out of most of the fights, Easton?”
“It’s professional hockey, Kenz. Shit happens.”
“Oh yeah? You’re supposed to get into a fistfight with your captain?”
“It wasn’t a fight. Jace is pissed because I married his little sister.” Looking at my own little sister, I can understand why he’s mad. But it doesn’t change anything.
She plants her hands on her hips. “Did you hit him back?”
“Sometimes words land harder than fists, Kenz.”
She blinks up at me, shocked. “That may be the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Easton Hayes. But I’m still going to kill Jace Kingston.”
I laugh and tug her hair. “You’re not gonna kill Jace, sis.”
“Fine,” she huffs. “I’ll do one worse. I’ll tell Juliette, and she’ll do it for me.”
She pulls her phone from her pocket, and I yank it from her hand before she can sic Jules on Jace. I don’t need anything to make things worse for me with my new team. They’re already not sure what to make of me, judging by today. They loved Jonesy, their former goalie. But whether they want to accept it or not, his injury from two weeks ago was career-ending. And the backup ain’t cutting it. Jace is the fucking captain, so they’re gonna take their cues from him, which means, right now, it’s not looking too good for me. “No, you’re not,” I tell her and stick the phone in her pocket. “I don’t need Jules fighting my battles for me.”