Page 65 of Deking at Love
No matter how much he told himself Angie was a cure-all, even having her to himself twenty-four-seven wasn’t going to change his reality.
Chapter 22
Season End
Samsankintodespairduring the weeks that followed, watching helplessly as his team was eliminated from the playoffs in six.Guilt and what-ifs ate at him.What if he’d been healthy?What if he’d been able to contribute on the ice instead of stuck cheering from the press box?
The lone bright spot was Angie.Helping her with the animals at the shelter and letting Mr.Claws climb him.Cuddling with her on the couch during a movie.Getting lost in her every time they made love.These were the ties that kept him grounded to sanity, like the stakes that held a tent in place in a howling wind.He leaned on her harder than he cared to admit.It wasn’t healthy.It wasn’t normal.
At least his ankle had turned a corner.He was almost back to normal, though it wasn’t much consolation.
The day came for the players to clean out their stalls for the final time this season.The mood inside the dressing room was somber, the jokes subdued.As Sam’s gaze traveled around the dressing room, he couldn’t help but wonder which guys would be back next season, which ones would be gone.Would he be standing at this stall or a different one in a different town?Or no stall at all?
What was coming?
One last dinner tonight—it was the last time they’d all be together as a team.Would he be one of those guys missing from the roster next season?
Then there was the bonus money.No one would know the exact amount until the playoffs were over and the league distributed the payouts, but the structure for who got what was already in place for the Blizzard—and it was still a mystery how much Sam would get, assuming he got anything.The question festered like a blister that refused to heal.
He’d tried to have a sit-down with Coach, but the man had told Sam he had no updates about his future.Decisions would be made at the end of the Cup finals, about a month away—and mere weeks before Sam’s two-way contract expired.
As Sam was placing his belongings in his truck, his brother’s ringtone sounded.“Jo-ee!What’s happening?”
“Hey, bro.Sorry about your team’s early exit.How you holding up?”
“I’m good,” Sam lied.
“Yeah?Any updates on next year’s contract?”
Sam masked the wrench in his gut.“Nothing yet, but that’s not unusual.Teams don’t usually talk contract during playoffs.”Except the Blizzard’s playoff run wasover.But that was the line his agent had used to reassure him.Herb had heard only radio silence whenever he reached out to the GM, while other Blizzard players’ agents were having conversations with management.He’d told Sam not to worry.“You’ve done everything they’ve asked, the ankle’s healed, and they’ve got good tape on you.”
Joey brought him back to the present.“You played in the NHL all season, so that makes you a bona fide NHLer, right?”
“So I’m told.”As long as there were no offers on the table, though, Sam didn’t have the NHL security he craved.Everything was up in the air, suspended in hypercharged limbo.“My agent tells me to hang tight, that everything will shake out.”Herb had simply repeated what he toldeveryclient he worried would spiral out of control.Meanwhile, decisions about Sam’s future were being made without him on the ice, and replacement players like Toby and the hotshot minor league call-ups had been auditioning in real time.
“I’m sure he’s right.It’s why you pay him the big bucks.”Joe laughed at his own joke.Sam didn’t.“Uh, speaking of bucks, that’s one of the reasons I’m calling.I enrolled for summer semester, and you wanted to know the amount.”
Sam braced himself.“When’s it due?”
“Wednesday?”
“Today’s Monday, Joe.”
“Yeah, I know, and I’m sorry for getting behind.But like I’ve told you before, you don’t have to foot the bill for my education.”
This had been an ongoing debate ever since Joey had started college.Couldn’t he understand Sam was fulfilling a promise to Mom?
Sam deflated on a sigh.“Send it.I’ll see if I can move some money around.Talked to Dad lately?”
“Yeah.He sounded down.”
Alarm bells began a steady clang in Sam’s head.“I just talked to him a few days ago, and he sounded fine.”
“He always puts up a good front for his pro-hockey-player son,” Joe chuffed, though Sam didn’t detect any resentment.“Between you and me, I think he could use a visit from you.Got any plans?”
“Hadn’t made any yet.”Not before finding out where his life was going to land.The thought of facing his dad when everything was so unsettled rattled Sam to the core.His dad would ask questions, and Sam’s poker face might not remain intact.
“Well, maybe I can get there before the semester starts.”
