Page 6 of Full Strength

“Why do you say that?” I asked, eyeing her.

“I may have heard from someone that he wasn’t looking that great in the training room this morning.” Her smile grew. “I bet practice will be fun to watch.”

Emma laughed. “Oh boy. The guys can sense these things like a shark to blood. If he’s acting off, they’ll get it out of him.”

I cringed. “I don’t want them to say anything to him.” I dropped my head to my hands. “He’ll never forgive me now.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll head over to practice and you can talk to him after. Cheer him up after a rough day.”

“Or I’ll make an already bad day even worse.”

Emma slid Jackson into his car seat. “I very much doubt that.”

We gathered our things and Kendall clocked out. I hadn’t planned on going to practice today. I actually had the day off and planned on running errands. I’d tried to make the freelance gig work, but I was drowning in bills. Chloe had a connection with a salon and they hired me on as the office manager. It was great to have a steady paycheck, but it took up so much of my time. The girls were right though. Grant would never do anything to purposely hurt me. There had to be more to the situation and I needed to let him explain.

* * *

Dread filled me as we walked into the arena and through the empty corridors. That changed when the Pride saw us coming down the stairs and swarmed me and Emma, well more specifically Eli and Jackson. They were hot commodities. Each of the women made it a point to greet me or share a smile. It was amazing to find a group of such supportive women. There was no competition or gossiping, at least that I’d seen in the few times I’d been around them.

“See, free babysitting every time we come.” Emma winked and sat in an empty row. Kendall and I sat next to her.

“It is pretty nice.”

Kendall leaned over. “Grant’s looking a little sloppy.”

I scanned the ice until I found his number, seventy-one. He was passing the puck back and forth to number thirteen as they skated down the length of the rink. He looked fine to me.

“What do you mean?”

She pointed to him. “He’s a beat or two behind Erik. They’re usually way more in sync. Grant is having to slow down so he isn’t missing passes.”

I nodded but wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say. That could mean anything. Maybe he was tired, or getting sick, or just having an off day.

“I think his mind is somewhere else.” Emma said with a slow smile.

“Why are you happy about that?” It seemed a little cruel, and counterproductive for the team, for him not to be performing at his usual level.

“It means you have an effect on him.”

I shook my head. There were a million possible reasons for him to be off. I wasn’t conceited enough to think it had anything to do with me.

Since Eli was occupied with Chloe, I let myself focus on the players. It was still surreal to be able to watch their private practices. I was included in a world I’d never imagined.

I’d always been a causal sports fan, but not overly committed to any team or sport specifically. My older brother, Donny, was an avid basketball fan, something he’d picked up from my dad. I wasn’t ever invited on their boys’ nights so I didn’t get to go to the live games.

They would die if they knew where I was now, and who my new friends were. Too bad they’d both removed themselves from my life.

It was for the best. They didn’t support me when they found out I was pregnant and were against me keeping Eli. Since my ex left me, they thought adoption was my best option. As a twenty-six-year-old I felt I could handle the responsibility of being a mother, even if I had to do it alone.

They’d push me to get tickets for them or get them in to meet the guys. I didn't want to abuse or use my friends like that. Besides, this group had become my new family. A few weeks with them and I’d had more support than I had in the past year.

I only hoped things with Grant hadn’t ruined things with everyone else. Kendall and Emma didn’t seem to care, but they were still under the delusion there was more between me and Grant than friendship.

Soon, they’d realize how wrong they were.

3

Grant