Page 82 of The Big Puck

“It’s not so much that—she was focused on her career. Is focused on her career. She’s in pharmaceudicals. Has a phd. I know what you’re thinking—how did I score a chick with brains, right?”

“No mystery to me. I think you could have anyone you want. Maybe you want someone who would like to have children and she did you a favor by leaving.”

He nods. “That’s what everyone says, what I tell myself. But it’s hard. Still. You know? The heart wants what it wants.”

“Until it can’t have what it wants. Then it adjusts.”

He looks at me funny. Maybe my voice, my words were too harsh.

“You’ve had some hardship, I know—sorry about your brother.”

“Thanks, but this isn’t about me. This is about you clearing your head and being the best person you can be regardless of hardship. This is about you being there for people who care about you—your team, not for the people who don’t care about you.”

He nods, and I give him a minute to let my words sink in. My message is harsh, if less direct than telling him to let her go because she doesn’t want him anymore. He takes a big gulp, looking down and I can feel his emotional turmoil.

I signal to the waitress and she comes over.

“What can I get you?”

Windy looks up to see the perky redhead grinning at him, ready and willing to take his order. Not saying he has an instant recovery, but the young lady has a positive effect on his outlook. He looks at what I’m drinking.

“I’ll have an orange juice.”

“You guys sure are… healthy.” She eyes each of us and Windy chuckles.

“Only way to go…,” he glances at her name tag, “Cindy.” Then he winks. She giggles and sways her hips as she leaves.

“Look, Windy. You’re allowed to have a few off games while you wrap your head around this and reset. You’re human. But I want you to know we’re all here to support you and you can talk about it. Lean on us, all of us or any one of us. Got it?”

He looks up at me. “Got it.” He takes deep breath. “I feel better already.” He grins. “Not because of you coach. He glances in the direction of Cindy. “I think it’s Cindy who perked up my spirits.”

“I’ll bet. But remember, we take off for Montreal after this game.”

He laughs. “I know. I was kidding with you. Cindy is eye candy, that’s all.”

“I need to make some phone calls,” I say as I stand. “You stay and have your orange juice—then take your nap and be ready for tonight, one hundred percent present.”

“Will do…” he hesitates like he wants to say something else. “I saw Lainey here.”

I stiffen and wait for him to make a point, but he doesn’t, reading my face which has shut down tighter than his goalie pads on his best day.

“Never mind. See you later, Coach. And thank you for… caring.”

I nod, softening my face into an almost smile. But I’m tight as fuck on the inside and mad as hell at myself. Because not only can I not seem to take my own advice about distracting women, I’ve somehow communicated to everyone on my team—because if Kap and Windy know, then everyone does—that there’s something between me and Lainey.

And I know they know it’s in the closet. I only hope no one says anything to Jason about it. But we all know how futile hope is.

* * *

We win the game, but it’s a close one. So close that we’re still tied after overtime and ironically Windy stops all three shots in the resulting shootout, saving our asses.

The guys pile onto him and I feel my grin down to my bones. I look around again, but I don’t see Lainey. Her things were gone from the room when I finally went back. It looks like she must have checked out and gone home.

That’s supposed to be a good thing, except I feel just about as opposite of good about it as a person can feel. The guys make it back to the gate and I meet them in the tunnel, slapping Windy’s back and ruffling his hair as he comes to me.

“You’re a miracle worker, Coach. Love you, man.” He grips me in a hug and I laugh.

“Get the hell out of here you sweat ball,” I back away and watch the big grins of every guy on the team as they nod at me on their way back to the locker room. There’s no media around to deal with. Buffalo corals all the sports media in their press room where I’ll report in fifteen.