Page 103 of Wyatt
“Do you have any idea what it did to me to leave you behind in Russia?” Jace snapped. “Sheesh—inSiberia, Guns. I had nightmares all the way home of how I was going to tell our General Manager I’d lost our best goalie.”
Best goalie. He liked that. “Sorry.” He put his arm around Coco. “This is my…uh…” Girlfriend? The mother of his child? “This is Coco. She grew up with me—she’s—” Oh, he didn’t have a clue how to explain her presence in his life.
Wait. Yes he did. The best thing that ever happened to him.
“Hi,” Coco said, saving him and putting out her hand. “I’m actually a long-time fan of the Blue Ox and Wyatt’s family.”
Jace shook her hand, but his gaze flickered over to the way Wyatt held her.
“I don’t understand,” Jace said. “Do you live here—are you picking him up?”
“No, I was in Russia. We flew over together.”
Jace frowned. “And that’s what I can’t figure out. I thought ours was the last flight out. How did you—”
“Hitched a ride on an Aeroflot cargo plane. We got to the airport right after you took off. Listen, Coach, I gotta run—”
Jace shoved a barrier hand on his sternum. “Not so fast. We’re on our way to practice. I don’t know what you’ve been up to, but I fully expect you to get on this bus. Right now.”
Practice. Wyatt glanced at Coco, who suddenly wouldn’t look at him.
“I have something to do—”
“We have an exhibition tomorrow with the Seattle Thunderbirds, and I know it’s not a match, but it’s for charity. And part of the publicity clause in your contract.”
Oh nice, Coach, pull out the contract.
Coco was pulling away. “I think our Uber is here.”
Maybe Coach read his expression because he raised an eyebrow. “The crowds show up to see you, Marshall.”
“What about Kalen? Can he—”
“Sure. I can play Kalen. Are you ready for that?”
Wyatt’s entire body stiffened. “What does that mean?”
“I think you know what it means. I start Kalen, and I’m looking at him for the starting line.”
“Nice. It’s one practice, Coach—I’ll be at the exhibition tomorrow, I promise.”
Coco was leaning into the open door of a Subaru.
“Practice starts in one hour. At the Thunderbirds practice center.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Wyatt, but you need to get your head back on straight. You’re a Blue Ox, and we expect you to act like it.”
Jace turned and strode back to the bus.
“Wy? You ready?” Coco stood by the Subaru, her door open.
He walked over and squeezed into the car, his knees against the vinyl seats.
“Seattle Children’s Hospital,” she said.
He looked out the window as the driver got on I-5 and headed north.
Are you ready for that?
Jace’s question seeped into his aching bones. Every muscle in his body burned, right down to his mitochondria, and his hips could make him curl into the fetal position.