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But fuck, I waspanicking. I had just found out that my entire career might go up in flames if anyone found out about us.
“Thank you. That’s all them though. They’re good kids, and a lot of them have more potential than they know.” I rub the back of my neck before glancing back down at her. “Look, I wanna apologize… for the other day in the locker room. I was an asshole, and you didn’t deserve that.”
“No, I didn’t,” she retorts, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I know, and I want you to know that I really am sorry for acting that way. Fuck, Caroline, I was scared. I can’t remember the last time I felt that genuinely scared.”
Her eyes soften slightly, and she simply nods. “It’s okay. I get it.”
“Nah, it’s not okay. That’s not who I am, and I hate that you got that impression of me. We’re going to be working here together for the foreseeable future, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or anything.”
“I don’t. Feel uncomfortable. But thank you for apologizing to me. I’m sorry too. For my reaction. It seems like we were both shocked and behaving badly that day.” She shifts from one foot to the other as the words tumble out.
“It’s okay. I’m, uh… I’m glad we’re clearing the air. I’d rather not make things tense around here.” I watch as she nods, and I toss her a smile. “By the way, I wasn’t teasing you when I said nice shirt.” I walk toward the door and lean against the frame as I grin. “I was always a Mighty Duck fan, back in the day.”
She glances down at the logo on her chest and laughs. “This is my good-luck shirt. It’s clearly seen better days, but you’re a hockey player. You know all about superstition.”
“Yep. I’m a pretty superstitious guy myself, hockey or not.” My watch vibrates, a text notification from my sister, and I glance back at her. “Shit. I’ve gotta run. It’s my sister’s birthday, and I’m late. I’ll, uh… see you Thursday?”
“I’ll be here.”
I nod. “See ya, Bubblegum.”
That went better than I planned, but fuck, something tells me that I’ll spend the rest of the night trying not to think about her.
The fact that I can’t have her?
Only makes me want her that much more.
* * *
“You’ve never playedhockey before?Ever?” one of the kids asks Caroline, shock written all over his face. “B-buthow?”
She laughs, tossing her blonde hair back as she does. Today, she’s wearing a pair of skintight black leggings and a baggy sweatshirt, somehow even more beautiful than she was two days ago when I last saw her.
I’ve been leaning against the boards, watching the exchange between them for the last ten minutes with a grin that I can’t wipe off my face, even if I tried.
“Dunno. Had better things to do, I guess.” She smirks.
Caden scoffs. “Like there’s anything better than hockey. Can you skate? Please tell me you can at least skate.”
“My dad’s a hockey coach. Of course I can skate.”
“Then how about we teach you how to play, then?” Caden says, skating a quick circle around her. The other guys chime in, taunting her, and her gaze flits to me.
I shrug in indifference.
“Fine. But only if you let me tape you up and give me absolutely no crap next time I need to. I don’t want you hurting your knee again, Caden.” She says it softly, connecting with him on a level that I haven’t quite been able to reach with him yet, by getting on his level and treating him like an equal and not just a kid she has to work with.
“Okay.”
“Coach, you in?” Caden asks, his gaze on mine as he leans against his stick.
I hesitate, only because I’m trying my damnedest to keep as much distance as I can between Caroline and myself, except it seems like every which way I turn, she’s there tempting me. A man is only so strong.
Before I can even respond, she places her hand on her hip and smarts, “I doubt it. I think Coach Rome is probably too afraid he’ll get beat by a girl.”
I can’t stop the laugh that escapes, my brows rising. “Oh? Game on, then, Bubblegum. No crying when it’s over either. There’s no crying in hockey.”
