Page 67 of Cheap Shot

“I saw the way you looked at her”—he raised his brows—“and the way she looked at you. I don’t want trouble starting on the team.”

“So, what are you saying?” I wanted him to get to his point so I could talk to Ethan myself.

“Things are already tense right now. We’re all on edge. There’s enough pressure on us from the coaches to pull off this season. We don’t need added drama.” It was pretty uncommon for his Boston accent to be noticeable, but right now it was thick. He must be really stressed about this.

“So, I should just ignore my feelings? Her feelings?”

He shrugged. “We’ve all got to make sacrifices, man.”

I glared at him. I didn’t need my own words thrown back at me. “I’m aware, but this is different. It’s not something being asked of me by Coach or the team. It’s Ethan’s personal problem.”

“Look, I know it sucks, but try to wait until after the season.”

“It just started. You want me to wait until April?” He had to be kidding. I would never ask anyone to do that.

“If she’s the right one for you, then she’ll wait.”

I shook my head. “I hear what you’re saying, but I’m not going to do that.”

He sighed and took a step back. “Fine, but if this impacts the season, I’m coming after you. And him.”

I turned around and started pulling out my gear. He could make all the threats he wanted, but it only added fuel to my fire. This wasn’t on me. It was on Ethan for thinking he could tell us what to do. I never once told him how to live his life. I didn’t make a big deal of the fact he went missing for days or liked to party more than he should. I let him do his thing, and as long as he made it to practice and carried his weight during games then it wasn’t my business. He wasn’t hurting himself or anyone else, as far as I knew, so he could do as he pleased. Until that line was crossed, I’d keep my mouth closed, and I expected him to do the same for me.

But he wasn’t.

And that needed to change.

Now.

I pulled on my pads and shook out my practice jersey before slipping it on. Ethan was alone, nearly ready, so I took the opportunity and went over to him.

“Hey.” I looked down at him as he pulled on his skate.

“Yeah?” He didn’t even glance up.

“Haley came over last night.”

That got his attention. “Why?”

“She was upset.”

He glared. “Why?”

Was he really that dense? I took in a breath, trying to calm down a bit. “Because you made her feel like crap.”

He shook his head and finished tying the laces.

“Don’t ignore me. What you said was really messed up. I don’t know what you’ve got going on right now because you won’t tell me, but you can’t take out your anger on her.”

He stood, inches taller than me with his skates on. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t know the full story.”

I didn’t back down. He didn’t intimate me. “No, I don’t. Because she’s too traumatized to tell me, and you refuse to.”

He gritted his teeth. “Just stay out of it.”

“How can I when she shows up at my door looking like a beaten puppy?”

He turned his head, avoiding my eyes. “I’ll talk to her.”