Declan
It’s our first day back to practice after break. I’m dreading seeing my team but I know I have to be strong and fix the problems I created, which is going to require me to face them. I’ve never been one to face my problems head-on, which is why I spent the last number of years lying then drinking too much booze, but this is crunch time. These guys are my friends. I owe them an explanation because right now they think I’m a big asshole.
I walk into the kitchen where the guys are all waiting in line for the blender.
“Hi,” I say, rubbing the scruff on my jaw.
They turn around and give me a look. I’d think it was rehearsed the way they give me a snide look and go back to ignoring me.
Ryse walks into the kitchen after me. “We need to talk.”
At first, I’m not sure he’s talking to me but he stares at me and waits.
“No, let me explain,” I interject. The guys turn around, clearly intrigued by the interaction between Ryse and me.
Ryse nods and crosses his arms in front of his chest. From the corner of my eye, I watch Bozeman turn off the blender.
“I didn’t set out to hurt you or fall for your sister,” I begin. Everyone is watching me intently and I hate the attention. “We met by accident and she made an impression on me I wasn’t expecting. By the time I found out she was your sister, I had developed feelings for her. You guys are all really important to me. I wasn’t setting out to create a rift on the team. Hell, I haven’t gone with any girls for a long time because I wanted to focus on my game,” I say, and I hear one of the guys chuckle. Probably something about the rumors circulating about me on campus.
“What are you saying, McAvoy?” Ryse asks. He looks all business as he puffs up his chest with his arms crossed. I get it. He’s protecting Poppy and I respect him for it.
“I’m saying I’m in love with your sister. I’m saying I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’m really sorry,” I deflate.
Before I know what’s happening, Ryse is on me. My hackles go up but his arms wrap around me as I move to protect myself and wait. . . he’s hugging me?
He pats my back and laughs at my misplaced reaction. “I’m not going to hit you again,” he chuckles.
“You aren’t?” I rear my head back.
“I spoke to my sister. We’re good,” he says and that’s all. I want to ask him what she said and how she is, but I don’t want to push my luck.
“Good.” I pat my friend on the back.
I turn to face the other guys. “Sorry for causing shit.”
“You should’ve just told him you were all in from the beginning,” Liam says.
“I don’t think he was ready to hear that and my head was kind of spinning from the whole situation. I needed time away to think,” I say.
“Have you seen her?” Wyatt asks. “Because I know chicks and after what went down if you didn’t go groveling after her, she ain’t coming back.”
“Easy there, James,” Ryse warns Wyatt.
Wyatt laughs, throwing his head back. “Ease up. Just helping out my bro.”
“It’s fine,” I assure Wyatt and then I look at Ryse. “Do I have your permission to get Poppy back?” I figure it’s the right thing to do. He clearly feels protective over her and I get it, I’m similar with Logan. We don’t have fathers so somehow you become one or take on that persona.
“Do you promise to love her and respect her?” He cocks a brow and my buddy is dead serious.
“I do. I love Poppy. I’ve learned a lot from her and I want to make her happy,” I assure, and for some reason I feel like I’m sweating.
“Then you have my support, McAvoy, but don’t go breaking her heart because I would hate to beat the shit out of you,” he says.
I don’t respond that it would be impossible for him to do that because we are probably the same weight and I may have half an inch of height on him. No, I swallow the thought and focus on what’s really going on here.
“That isn’t going to happen because I love her, man. Her heart is precious to me too,” I say.
The guys start groaning immaturely and start making all kinds of noises like what I just said makes them want to puke. I look at them at laugh. “I was once you guys, you’re a bunch of young punks. I watched two of my friends fall in love, thinking they were crazy, but now I get it and one day you will too,” I convey to them.
“Yeah, whatever, McAvoy,” Liam says and pats me on the chest like I don’t know what I’m talking about.
“We better leave now or Coach is going to ream our asses,” Rowan says.
He has a point.
We all grab our protein shakes and head out of the kitchen. We get on our jackets and boots and file out of the house. The ground is covered in snow and it’s still dark outside at this time, which sucks because it feels like the middle of the night. I feel a little lighter that I have Ryse’s permission to date Poppy, but that doesn’t mean Poppy will want me back. Not after the way I abandoned her.
Today I ride with the guys and the mood in the car is much lighter. “This is our last stretch, men. We need to make it to the Frozen Four so everyone gear their asses up.”
“This is supposed to me my speech,” Liam whines because he’s team captain. “But yeah, what he said. I couldn’t have said it better,” he laughs.
After practice Coach Cooper calls me into his office. “What is this?” he asks and he throws a copy of The Gazette on his desk. It’s the Spotlight on me since there is a huge picture of me on the front page of the sports section.
“Looks like the Spotlight,” I reply.
“I know that, McAvoy. What I mean is why is it all a bunch of lies?” he asks.
“Excuse me?” I ask clearly confused.
“Poppy McGuire isn’t the author of the Spotlight, it’s Bonnie Shore and she wrote all about your uppity upbringing in Chicago,” he explains.
My head spins. “Poppy didn’t write the Spotlight?”
Shit. This is all my fault. Elijah must have taken her off the story.
“No, someone else wrote the story and it’s a bunch of lies about you, including how you’re a rich boy from Chicago and fell for a poor girl,” Coach says.
“That isn’t possible. I’m not from Chicago,” I say.
“Oh, I know. I was there when the scouts recruited you,” Coach says.
“No, you weren’t,” I retort.
Coach cocks his brow. It’s not considered acceptable to talk out of hand to him and I just did.
“I didn’t outright meet you, McAvoy, but the scouts wanted me there. You only had two years on a Tier 1 team. There were question marks if you could handle a team like the Dragons. The scouts wanted me to see you myself,” Coach explains.
My jaw drops and I feel… I take a seat in the chair.
“I saw the potential in you from the start. Even spoke to your coach. He gave me a little bit of background on you. At least what he knew. Said you went to tournaments with a little brother. That he was the one to drive you. That your mom wasn’t really around and there was no dad. He told me you were a good responsible kid who needed a fighting chance.” Coach smiles.