Page 28 of Breakaway
“So...” He sat up on an elbow and grinned at her. “I like this babysitting thing.”
She shook her head with a laugh. “You’re confused. What you like is having a room to yourself.”
“You’re probably right,” he agreed.
With a pouty face, she traced his shoulders with her finger. “Too bad I have to go.”
“Stupid roommate and stupid practice in the morning.” He laughed and pulled her into a hug. Having her in his bed was something he could really get used to.
TRAVIS SAT IN THE LOCKER room, pulling on his pads. It was early, and he was one of the first guys there. Even Ben wasn’t here yet. You’d think after an evening with Willow and Hank Morris that he’d be exhausted and not looking forward to rolling out of bed for practice, but instead he was energized and awake before his alarm.
“G’morning, rookie,” Morris greeted him with a grumble and a smirk, as he entered the room.
He was followed by player after player until the room was filled.
Travis stayed wrapped up in his own thoughts of last night and the alone time he had with Morgan.
Stepping onto the ice, Tyler Kidd led the warm up laps around the ice. Travis sped up, passed a few guys, still in his own little world. Not so much that he missed the murmurs among the guys, but not caring enough to concern himself about any team drama. All he wanted to think about right now was Morgan.
“Hey there, rookie,” Harrison Dash greeted him with a smile as he skated by.
“How come you seem to have been given the nickname of rookie and I’m nothing?” Ben asked, as he caught up with Travis. “I’m a rookie, too.”
Travis shrugged. “Got me, but it could be worse, so it’s fine.”
He barely got the words out before Dominic skated by in his goalie gear and tapped Travis’s pads with his stick. “Hey, it’s the babysitter!”
Kaden was next with the comment, “How much do you charge an hour, Anderson?”
Ben wrinkled his face up at Travis. “What’s that all about?”
He shrugged, but something told him that Morris was behind this.
Coach blew the whistle and called for the guys to line up.
Luc slid the puck to Sam, and then tried to get in Kaden’s way, but Sam’s shot wasn’t hard enough, and bounced off Kaden’s leg pad. Travis snagged the biscuit before Kaden could, and he circled around the net. Kaden was doing some goofy move while trying to protect the net.
As soon as Luc had a clear angle to shoot, Travis took a slapshot towards the goal, sliding it in the five-hole.
“Score! Booyah!!” Travis pumped his fist in the air and skated around the net, grinning. “Take that, O’Conner!”
“What? Want a cookie, babysitter? I barely even tried to stop it,” Kaden muttered off an excuse.
Coach Walker blew the whistle for them to change sides.
The guys lined up against the boards and took turns shooting at Kaden, alternating using one-timers and wrist shots.
On his turn, Travis took a hard wrist shot at Kaden. It rang off the metal pipes, and he heard Kaden laugh from under his mask.
“Maybe next time, babysitter!” Kaden poked at him.
Sam snickered at Kaden’s comment, probably because Travis had finally showed disgust on his face from the childish name calling.
“Guys, you’ve all had your fun. Now cut out the babysitter crap,” Coach Walker sarcastically called out.
Sure, the name calling was annoying, but all Travis could think about was last night. And that was enough to keep him from caring about anything Morris could throw at him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN