Page 42 of Ice Devil

“What hot girl?” Samantha entered the picture, leaning over Cole’s shoulder. “Oh, I’ve read her work. She’s amazing. The best sports reporter in the industry. She has a crush on you?”

“More like the other way around. I heard one of the guys mention the two were huddled together inside a bar.”

Now I punched Ford. “She was there when we walked in. She hates me. I confronted her. That was it.”

“Then why did you two pretend you were married?” Ford lifted his eyebrow.

“Where did you hear that shit?” Great. The last rumor in the world I’d want flying around.

“Don’t curse!” Mom chastised. “Who’s getting married?”

“About time,” Pops chimed in.

I was exasperated, trying to jerk the card from Cole’s hand, but he took another step away.

What was the expression? Oh, yeah. If looks could kill, my brother would be the one on the spit. “We had an interesting few… conversations. That’s it. She was writing an article. Nothing more.”

“Oh,” both brothers said at the same time, way too gleeful about it too.

I snatched the card once again, curling it in my fingers.

“Everyone needs to leave,” Nurse Ratched insisted.

“We’ll come get you tomorrow, Dad,” Ford offered.

Pops punched his pillows and sat up. “No, you will not. You already missed two games. That’s it. I am fine. Go back to work. Your team lost in Chicago the other night and you,” he continued, pointing at Cole, “still need to prove your worth. Go. I will be fine.”

“Dad,” I started. “You need help with the sawmill.”

He shook his head vehemently. “That’s what having a manager is all about. He’s doing just fine. Go. I do not want you tangled under my feet.”

“Just give me a few minutes with your father.” Mom wasn’t using her happy tone, but her demanding one.

We all knew better than to ignore her request, piling out in the corridor to wait.

“Dad is going to be fine,” Samantha assured us. “I’m not going anywhere and I’ll keep an eye out on the business.”

“So will I,” Cole said. “And the season is almost over.”

All three of us looked at him. His disappointment was evident. Ford had been there last year when he’d been injured. With Cole, it was his lack of confidence that had held him back. However, now wasn’t the time to point it out to him. “With the team’s loss last night, there is no way we’re going to make the playoffs.”

“Sorry, dude,” I told him. I wasn’t immune to the pain of feeling as if the whole world was on your shoulders. Cole was the most sensitive of the three of us. “Next year will be your year.”

“Yeah, I doubt I’ll be around. However, that leaves the two of you to make the family proud.”

“No pressure there,” Samantha hissed.

“Pops is right. We need to get back to the Hellions. We only have a few games left.” Ford was looking to me for advice or an okay. I knew our father well enough to know that even if he was on his death bed, he’d want us to push forward.

“Fine. I’ll call the coach.” Why was it that every sigh emitted was heavy as hell? I leaned against the wall, realizing I was still holding the card. I fingered it, able to detect just a hint of her perfume. Hell, I couldn’t lie. I’d missed the woman more than I cared to admit. “What is the point in insisting Pops is dying?”

No one had an immediate answer.

“What if this is all about trying to prove we live forever?” Cole offered. “That would make for one hell of a story.”

Shrugging, I wasn’t certain what to say.

“Or pushing him to shift. You know how some people are.”