Page 18 of Defend Her Heart

“Are you ever?” she teases. She opens the door and looks at me, waiting for my response.

“Sometimes. If I’m hanging with Sophia. She doesn’t give me as much shit as you and the rest of my teammates and coaches.”

“It’s only because we care. I’ll see you in two weeks?”

“Sounds good.”

As I make my way down the hall, I remember who I crashed into just an hour ago before my therapy session.

What the hell was Avery doing here?

I knew something was wrong when I saw her at the barbecue. As always, Katie refused to tell me anything when I tried to get some information out of her. Unlike Niko, Katie has an excuse. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that.

My therapy sessions with Katie center around the mental toll my injury has taken on me. This groin injury has fucked with my head more than any other injury I’ve had. It just won’t go away.

But Avery doesn’t play hockey anymore so she’s not seeing Katie for the same reason. I know it’s none of my business, but the fact that she took a job here in Green Bay, combined with her nearly fainting and now seeing Katie—it all has me worried.

I step out into the brisk October weather and slip my sunglasses down from the top of my head. It might be chilly, but at least the sun is shining. Shoving my hands in my pockets to protect them from the wind, I walk through the parking lot.

Opening the door to my truck, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. I climb in and start the engine to get the heat going before pulling my phone out to see a text from Mack in our group chat.

Mack Attack

I just got off the phone with my parents and I’m already regretting agreeing to come home over the Olympic break.

Aidan Mackenzie, or “Mack” as all the guys on the team call him, is our youngest goalie from British Columbia. He’s an absolute stud and is probably going to be one of the best goalies in the league within the next year or two. His rookie contract is one of the highest I can remember, and yet he still refuses to buy his own place back home in Kelowna. Which means when he visits his parents, he has to stay with them.

As I’m typing out a text to give him shit, our rookie winger, Kyle Jefferson, beats me to the punch.

Jefferson

Well, Aidan… you probably should own your own place by now at the age of twenty-four. Tell Barb and Jacob I said hello by the way.

Mack Attack

Don’t fucking call me by my government name. And I just don’t see the point in having my own place if I’m only there for like three months out of the year.

Jefferson

*Please see above text from you*

I laugh. These two are always giving each other shit back and forth. They are the goofiest motherfuckers I’ve ever met, constantly pranking each other and everyone else on the team. They’re a bunch of knuckleheads. Which is only proven further when I see the next text pop up in our chat.

Mack Attack

Smart-ass. Did you perhaps get a package in the mail yet today, Kyle?

Jefferson

What the fuck did you do?

Mack sends his most favorite GIF, the one of the cute little blonde girl with pigtails shrugging, like she has no idea what he’s talking about.

Knowing this conversation is about to get out of control, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb so the notifications don’t pop up when I’m driving. I tap Niko’s name on my phone and then take off toward my favorite lunch spot.

“Hey, man, what’s up?” Niko’s voice is loud, and I hear Sophia and Sadie belting out “Let It Go” at the top of their lungs. Their voices begin to fade as I imagine Niko stepping away from the madness.

Chuckling, I ask, “AnotherFrozenconcert happening?”