Page 6 of Offensive Edge
Rowan was drafted first overall to the Texas Victory, was signed to a contract immediately, and made the team right out of camp his first year. Theo was drafted fifth overall, and the fall after his draft, he reported back to the Jags. And then the year after that as well. When he finally aged out of the OHL, he had two impressive seasons in the AHL that didn’t materialize into sustained call-ups. His path to the show wasn’t as direct as Rowan’s. And no one ever let him forget it, least of all Rowan.
Rowan had left Theo behind to captain his old team as rumors flew throughout his rookie year that Rowan would be the next captain of the Victory.
Theo was still a kid, and Rowan had left him behind to go become a man. Rowan had left him with a meager OHL weekly stipend and a cracked-open heart. And Rowan had been unaffected. He had been successful.
Fuck that guy. Theo could be nice to him for Vic’s sake (or, he would at least not be as openly hostile as he wanted to be) but they would not be friends.
CHAPTER4
ROWAN
“Rowan,how would you describe the feeling of playing on a new team after a career dedicated to Texas?” The beat reporter held her iPhone out to record his response. Rowan always preferred post-practice media to post-game media, because the stakes were lower.
“It’s been good.” His response was brief, but he didn’t know what else to say about it.
“You’re playing with Theo Lane again. In preseason games and practice, your line seems to be working. I swear I saw a play you two used to make in junior out there.”
“Theo has always been a great playmaker. He knows how to get the puck to me, makes it easy to score. That’s more Theo than me.”
A different reporter spoke up. “Victor Czeskowski has been direct about how focused the Serpents are this year on winning the Cup. Do you think you have a chance?”
“If I didn’t think we had a chance, I wouldn’t be here, point-blank.”
“Have you been keeping tabs on Felix Becker out in New Jersey? You two were close in Texas.”
“Felix is my best friend. We talk every day.” In Rowan’s mind, he could hear echoes of interviews he did at the beginning of his rookie year.Theo is my best friend. We talk every day.
What would his life be like if they hadn’t stopped talking?
“Thanks for your time, Rowan. We’re excited to have you out here with us.”
The swarm of reporters moved on to talk to Coach Peters, and Rowan sat back down in his stall. To his right was Drew Vang, who scored the most goals as a defenseman last year. On his other side was Samuel Rasker, the young, promising goalie who Rowan hadn’t heard speak yet. When they were next to Rowan, they were both quiet. By now, Rowan knew that if he got up to shower, Drew and Sammy would be talking and laughing in seconds. Rowan wasn’t sure how to insert himself into that kind of easy camaraderie. He knew the younger guys were intimidated by him, but they didn’t know Rowan felt the same about them.
“Foley, hit the shower, we’re leaving soon,” Vic called across the room. They had carpooled, the three of them, Theo pouting in the back seat of Vic’s SUV where he was relegated since Rowan was the new guy and got front-seat privileges. At least today.
Rowan hustled to finish up his post-practice routine and followed Vic and Theo out of the locker room like a puppy. He wondered when he was going to stop feeling like it was the first day of school and he didn’t know where to sit at lunch.
“I called in a take-out order already, so we’re stopping to grab that on the way home,” Vic told him. Theo went straight to the back seat again.
They grabbed food from a fancy sandwich and smoothie place, and when they got back to Vic’s house, Theo grabbed his food and headed straight upstairs. Rowan had to admit that he didn’t know Theo the way he had when they were kids anymore, but he wasn’t used to watching Theo choose solitude for himself. Theo was extroverted. Theo loved the boys. While Rowan was the shy one who had the reputation for being a little stuck up and closed off, Theo was the easy, confident center of attention.
“I’m sorry he’s...being like this,” Vic said, taking his own food into the living room. Rowan followed, watching Vic pull up a basketball game from the night before. “I talked to him about it. He promised to be nice.”
“If I’m a problem—”
“Theo is being the problem. You have nothing to apologize for. And while I’m not going to hold you captive here, I want you to be here. Hotel rooms are no good. You need a real bed, a real kitchen.”
“Real kitchen is nice.”
“I know you’re used to being in charge of your team, and I wanted to make sure you know that letter on your jersey or not, you’re honorary leadership, alright? I’ve seen that the kids are a little afraid of you. We’ll work on that. But it’s because they respect you. No matter what tantrum Theo is throwing, you belong here, alright?”
“You’ve noticed that the younger guys won’t talk to me?”
“They’re starstruck. They’ll get over it.”
“I’m not really known for being the most fun guy in the room.”
“I think we’re all familiar with your in-room personality.”
