Page 40 of Elite Player
I’ve come to care a lot about whatever she cares about, but I shrug, playing it cool. “Yeah. Seems interesting.”
“All right. I’ll let you know.” She gives in to a small smile that I’m obsessed with then loops her bags over her shoulder. “So… I guess I’ll talk to you later?”
I swipe my keys from the small table and toss my hat on my head. “Later? Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home.”
“Yeah, and we’ve got, like, a twenty-minute drive together. But I was thinking we could grab dinner first.”
“Wait.” She freezes with her hands up. “What?”
“I’m driving you home, but I thought we should get dinner first since it’s almost five. Do you like Greek?”
She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head as if she doesn’t understand, so I push her out the door to shut it behind me. “I’m all for you taking public transportation, reducing our carbon footprint or whatever, but I’m driving you home, so don’t argue. But you are welcome to have an opinion about where I take you to dinner.”
She glares at me. “How magnanimous of you.”
I bow my head, shooting her a wink from the corner of my eye, playing our game. “Thank you, Nico.”
She heaves my favorite exasperated sigh. “Thank you, Nico.”
I slip my arm around her shoulders, leading the way down the hall, and knocking on Alma’s door in my usual greeting. At Jo’s quirked brow, I say, “It’s my neighbor. She’s a retired professor who takes care of Gus when I’m away. You’ll meet her, don’t worry.”
She blows a puff of air from the corner of her lips that sends a few strands of her hair flying out of her face as she turns to me. “That is the least of my worries when it comes to you.”
I pop a kiss on her temple, ignoring my own worry that being with her feels a little too real to be pretend.
CHAPTER 12
NICO
Joand I have hung out every day for the last four days, even if it was only for a coffee and a chance for me to learn her order. She has two, depending on the season: cinnamon latte with whipped cream for the fall and winter or an iced matcha latte for the spring and summer. So, naturally, I added a cinnamon latte with extra whipped cream to her daily breakfast DoorDash order before I left for morning skate. Because Jo has never been spoiled in her life, and I intend to rectify that.
I know she receives it because she texts meThank you, Nico. Like she has every morning. I always send her back some emoji like the angel or kiss or eggplant with water, to which she responds with the side-eye emoji.
As if she doesn’t love it.
My sassy little emo girl.
I smile to myself then toss my cell phone into my locker before I finish lacing up for morning skate. It’s our second game of the season. We easily beat Colorado last night, but tonight, we’re up against my former team from Florida. I wouldn’t say there is any bad blood there—at least between the team and me; I can’t speak for Jared Craft—but I wasn’t sad to leave.
A lot of hot tempers and douchey attitudes. Their leading D-man, Sean Kane, is one of the dirtiest players in the league. I didn’t mind when I was on his team, but now I can’t stand the motherfucker. Actually, I couldn’t stand him before either, but I put up with him.
Now, I’m looking forward to kicking his ass.
The morning of a game looks different for every player, but it’s always the same for Davey. Coordination drills in front of the net. Most of the guys usually take the time to work up a sweat. Coach Elliot pulls some players to go over certain things, last-minute adjustments. Sheffy hypes up each of us like a personal cheerleader.
He orders me to shit talk as much as I want, and I’m looking forward to it. I have enough info on the Seadevils players to harass them the whole game. That’s my role. Be a pain in their fucking asses.
Afterward, I shower and grab something to eat from the cafeteria, my bed and Gus awaiting my pregame nap, but I am headed off in the hallway by my minder.
“Do you have a concussion?” Malcolm asks without preamble, and I’m so thrown off by his question that sounds like an accusation, I’m not sure.
“Maybe?”
He huffs. “Because that’s the only reason I can think of that you’d do this.”
I look around for one of the team’s staff members so they can tell me what’s going on, but the trainers ignore me, and Coach’s office door is closed. That means stay the fuck out.
