Page 16 of Pucked Together

Everyone in the kitchen turns to me, and I realize I'm smiling from watching the interaction.

Damn. Why is he always catching me looking at Izzy?

I need to wear my shades. Or...stop staring at his sister.

"Nothing," I push off the counter and make my way out of the kitchen. Izzy's eyes peer at me from over her coffee mug as I move past her. I can feel them on me until I leave the room.

"She's totally into me," Hicks says as he jumps the boards and makes his way onto the ice.

"What makes you think that?" Fergie asks, following behind him.

"Did you see the way she came at me this morning? Girls only banter like that with guys they like."

Fergie shakes his head, knowing he completely missed her warning. And I feel the sudden urge to break up this conversation. Keelan could walk up at any moment. But also, I don't particularly like them talking about her. It irks me for some reason.

"Sounds like you need to go back to Women 101. No means no, Hicks. Don't push it," I rush past him to find my place in front of the net.

He rolls his eyes. "I'll get her to dance with me tonight. You'll see."

He says it to Fergie, but I catch it as I skate by, and the jealousy that rolls through me at the thought of them dancing together surprises me.

Coach Murray blows his whistle from the side, joined by his assistant coaches.

"Listen up, Heatwave. The next few weeks are going to be grueling, as you well know. Let's get back in our groove and make sure we're working at peak levels. No goofing off. Everyone understand? The cup is ours this year. It's what we've been working for."

The team bursts into shouts and hoots.

"With that said, I want to introduce you all to your new team captain."

"Management's decided? I thought we were taking a vote?" Hicks huffs.

"We did take a vote, Hicks. You were conveniently preoccupied when the team submitted their votes last week, remember?" Coach interrupts him.

He had overslept. That's part of the reason he's at Keelan's halfway house for the Heatwave Bad Boys Club.

"Right," his shoulders slump as chuckles erupt around the ice.

"As I was saying," Coach continues. "Landry, come out here."

Keelan appears across the ice, his sweater now sporting a bold C on the left-hand side.

He skates out and holds up his stick, and we all take turns bumping him.

"It was an easy choice. He's got the team's best interest at heart constantly."

"Let's get this bread, boys!" Keelan shouts. And the energy on the ice is already up.

"That's right," says Coach. "Get on with your drills, Heatwave. Let's see what you can do."

In an instant, the team is all on the ice and in place. The puck is quickly played, and practice is in full swing. I'm too busy blocking practice shots from the guys to see when she walks into the arena.

But I feel the shift in the atmosphere, and my eyes rise to see Izzy in a fresh pair of yoga pants and a Heatwave-branded red and orange pullover.

Her long black hair is down and dancing around her back as she chats with our PR rep, Rina, on the second tier.

For the first time in a while, the team makes it past me, and they celebrate.

Fuck.