Page 74 of The Recovery Coach
He hadn’t seen either of them for a significant amount of time in days.He faulted himself for not realizing his feelings for Livy sooner.Keeping them as friends would have to be enough.He wouldn’t deny the two best people in the world their shot at happiness.But if he couldn’t focus on something else soon, he’d drive himself mad with longing and resentment.Which is why he was excited for his first practice post-injury.Putting his energy into something he could control would make him feel a million times better.
He couldn’t skate yet, but he could join the group to work on conditioning and weight training.He dressed in workout gear and shook out the anxiety he’d been holding in his limbs.
As he grabbed his keys, Livy appeared in the kitchen.
“Hey, wait,” she said.
She rushed to where he stood and slipped on her shoes.“I’m coming with you.Valentine invited me.Then we can all go to the store together afterwards.”
Hazy stifled his groan.So much for getting Lover to himself.
The Freeze were finishing the on-ice portion of practice when Hazy and Livy got to the rink.The team gathered in a circle, listening to Coach Bree, and when Hazy caught Lover’s attention, Lover let out a whoop, alerting the team to his presence.
Everyone turned, and when they spotted him, they cheered like he was a kid scoring his first goal.Coach Bree dismissed the group, and each player stopped on their way to the locker room to clap Hazy on the back or smack his ass.
Beanie and Lover lingered as the line of teammates diminished, and Hazy was dying to talk to them and create a training plan.Maybe ask Daisy to put a bonding trip together to set them up for a seamless return to the lineup.Beanie eventually gave up waiting, citing Dylan needing a ride somewhere.
Lover’s possessive arm around Livy and their private little glances rubbed Hazy the wrong way, but he pasted on a smile and talked to each person who demanded his attention.He should have made more effort to see the guys throughout his healing process, but he’d been exhausted.And a little depressed.He hadn’t gone radio silent, but he also hadn’t put as much effort into his relationships as he should have.Beanie and Lover were the only ones he’d seen consistently for several weeks.
As the new backup goalie approached, he reminded himself to check in with Schmitty.If anyone would understand the goalie’s struggles, it would be Hazy.He would have loved to have someone going through the same thing to talk to.
Schmitty’s replacement, Jacob Connor, got off the ice and removed his mask.Hazy pulled him in for a welcoming hug.
“Jake!Good to see you, man!”
The goaltender hadn’t spent any time at the NHL level, but Hazy had spent some time with him during training camp the last few years.He seemed like a great guy, and Hazy was always excited to welcome call-ups and make sure they felt at home as they got their feet under them in the big leagues.
Jake slapped Hazy on the back in a classic bro hug, but before pulling away he ruined all the goodwill Hazy had for him when he said, “Holy shit.Livy?”
His stomach dropped at the nickname.Why would he call her that?Nobody called her Livy except Hazy and Jayden.If you hadn’t known her since she was five, you didn’t have the right.Even Lover respected the rule.
Livy, who had been in a conversation with Lover about what movie they would be watching that evening, squealed and flung herself at the sweaty goalie.
“Jake!Oh my God.I didn’t know you’d been traded to Seattle.When did that happen?”
He caught Livy around the waist and lifted her off her feet in a bone-crushing hug.
“I was traded in the minors.You wouldn’t have heard about it.I thought I’d never make it to the show.”
Hazy frowned.“How do you two know each other?”he asked, interrupting Livy’s follow-up question.
Jake didn’t let go of Livy when he answered.Hazy wanted to slap the sappy smile right off his new teammate’s face.He worked hard to hide the sentiment.
“Livy and I worked together in college.We had this terrible eight p.m.to three a.m.shift at a pub.Fucking awful, but it paid the bills.”
“Oh God, do you remember going home smelling like cheap beer and fried food?And the smell never washed out of my jeans.”Livy wrinkled her nose.
Jake laughed, his armstillwrapped around Livy.
“Don’t forget the throw-up smell.There was always a little throw-up smell.”
Hazy couldn’t control his glare, so he directed it at Lover.He tried to silently communicate that Lover should intervene with the touchy-feely stuff.Lover raised his eyebrows.
Livy did a little shimmy in Jake’s arms, her feet shuffling in pure giddiness.He’d seen her perform the motion a million times before, but he’d always been the one holding her while she did it.Sadness permeated his earlier joy, and any positive energy he’d managed to hold onto depleted in an instant.He cleared his throat.
“We need to get to the weight room.”
“Oh!”Livy said, freeing herself from Jake’s embrace.
