Blindsided E-Book

Melody Heck Gatto

• Herausgeber: Melody Heck Gatto
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Sam Morris, the “surfer-boy” star of the Renegades, has hockey running through his veins. He lives and breathes the game. The only thing he’s crazier about is his family. Trina’s love saved him from himself after a season of losing and injuries. She was his life, his partner in crime, and his biggest fan. Adding their daughter to the mix gave him the perfect hat-trick in life. Hockey, love, and a family.
Trina Kidd Morris, sister of Renegades captain, Tyler Kidd, grew up in the world of hockey and knows how the players are wired. She understands the level of dedication the men put into the game. Her husband, Sam, applied the same single-minded devotion to bring her back to life after her devastating loss. He’s her hero, her love, and her best friend.
Sam and Trina are a match made in heaven. The love of a lifetime. Beautiful and blond, with a little mini-me, they are the picture-perfect family.
That is, until Sam is blindsided by a hit. When the ice cracks around him, his career is threatened. The lines become blurred between good choices and bad, and his fairytale marriage is on the line.
Trina pledged her commitment to Sam, but how can she remain at his side, when words cut deep and she’s forced to protect her family?
And after losing so much, can Sam win the fight for his family before his entire world falls apart?

Leseprobe

Blindsided

Renegades 7

The Renegades Series

by Melody Heck Gatto

Blindsided – Renegades 7

By Melody Heck Gatto

Copyright © 2017 by Melody Heck Gatto

License Notes

All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The Pittsburgh Renegades™ is a fictional sports team. Their name and logo are created for the sole use of the owner and covered under protection of trademark.

Editing by Bree Scalf - Vivid Editing

Cover Art by Kat McCarthy - Aeternum Designs

DEDICATION

When Angels send inspiration down from heaven,

give them a story and they’ll live on forever,

in our hearts, in our minds, and more importantly, in the pages of a book.

Special people leave a bigger impression on this Earth than we realize.

CHAPTER ONE

Trina

Trina was happy to relax in the gorgeous Caribbean sunshine and get a break from the cold. It was February, and snow was falling back in Pittsburgh. Winter in Western Pennsylvania reminded her a lot of Banff, where her sister lived, and where she’d spent a good bit of time before she met Sam. Not that she wasn’t used to the cold, having lived in Winnipeg most of her life, but once she’d moved to San Jose with Sam, she had started to enjoy the constant sun and warmth. She’d always thought she should’ve been a beach bum. Guess that’s what happens when you move from a home in Banff to the California Coast.

She had reluctantly dusted off the sand and put away her bikinis when she and Sam moved to Pittsburgh after he was traded to the Renegades. In Pittsburgh she was closer to her brother and his wife, but this is what she missed: the sun, the sand, the warmth on her skin. Lying in the bright light and heavy heat relaxed her body and mind.

She whispered with a soft exhale, not really meaning to say it out loud, “We need to vacation more often.”

“You are so right,” Kat agreed from beside her. “This is heaven. I’m not looking forward to going back to the cold and snow in Pittsburgh. Do you think we can just stay here? Would the guys miss us that much during the rest of the season?”

“I imagine they would. We’re pretty awesome hockey wives, if I may say so myself,” Gia commented from where she was building a sandcastle with Ian and Willow.

Kat was married to Kris Lafleur, and her sister Gia was married to Patrick Dubois. “I’d say you’re not wrong, G. And I’m pretty sure Patrick would agree. That man adores you.”

“Oh please!” Trina groaned from behind her big sunglasses. Both Kat and Gia turned to her with questioning looks. Realizing that what she said could be taken the wrong way, Trina backpedaled. “I mean… Yes, Pat does adore you, Gia. Everyone can see that. I keep hearing how you turned him from a life of bunnies to a one-woman man. That boy only has eyes for you, G, and not everyone has that kind of love.” She was speaking from experience, because she and Sam were still madly in love, like newlyweds.

“I do,” Kat chimed in and laughed, interrupting Trina’s thought.

“Oh, I was getting to you, Kat. I just thought it was funny that you, of all people, were making comments about how Pat adores Gia. Your husband holds you at the center of his universe. Kris acts like you hung the moon and the stars. You, of all people, know what being adored and spoiled by your husband is like.”

Gia nodded with attitude in agreement. “And to answer your question, sis. I know Pat would definitely miss me. I know exactly what he likes, if you get my drift.” She winked at Trina and Kat before turning her attention back to the kids.

Kat groaned. “Thanks for keeping that PG, sis.”

“I didn’t realize how much I missed the beach until now.” Trina closed her eyes, taking in the sunrays. “But I wish the guys were on a break and could be here with us. I miss Sam.”

The wives had been getting restless with the Pittsburgh winter being so cold, and had decided it was time for a vacation. Kat, Gia and Trina chose Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. It had become a favorite among the three. Trina had tried to get her sister-in-law, Paige, to take some time off and join them, but as the Renegades PR Assistant, time off wasn’t possible.

Trina checked the time, knowing she would need to go inside before long. She had suffered from multiple sclerosis for years, and sunbathing was something she always had to limit.

Since she’d become pregnant with Willow, however, even her mildest symptoms had disappeared, despite the fact that she hadn’t been allowed to take her injections during that time. Research told her that MS symptoms tended to come back once the baby was born, but she’d been lucky.

It was unusual, and there was not much documentation of this occurring, but she hadn’t been showing any signs of MS since she’d had Willow. Her doctor had even kept her off the injections. He claimed she was still in remission, although that rarely ever happened following a pregnancy. She wasn’t questioning it; she was simply grateful.

“Have you talked to Sam today?”

“No. After morning skate, there was a team meeting. I probably won’t talk to him before the game tonight. Knowing his ritual,”—Trina highlighted the word ‘ritual’ by using finger quotes when she said it—“he’ll eat a lunch of baked chicken, prepared by the team chef at the arena after the meeting, then he’ll go home for a nap before the game. Then a bowl of pasta before he suits up and heads back to the Rivers Arena.”

His game-day “ritual” always made her laugh, because it wasn’t much of one, but he sure thought it was. Talking about her husband made her chest ache a little. She missed him, and while it was nice to be on vacation, she wouldn’t mind being curled up in bed with him during his nap. That is, if Willow decided to sleep, too.

She’d call him later or maybe tomorrow. His sexy smile and flirty blue eyes crept into her thoughts as she soaked up more sun.

“Mummy!” Willow ran, as well as one can run in sand, to her. Jumping up and down in front of Trina, her little white-blond curls bounced as the cutie giggled and cooed. “Bubbles. Please!”

Gia shook her head. “Seriously, you guys should model. You’re a family of three blond and gorgeous people.”

“Please.” Trina waved Gia off. “Didn’t you used to model, G?” she asked, as she searched through her beach bag for Willow’s bubbles.

“Yes, she did,” Kat answered quickly.

“Yeah, I did. It was a lifetime ago. But I’m just saying, you guys are all beautiful. Seriously.”

“Like surfer beautiful,” Kat said with a chuckle.

It was a joke around the locker room that Sam looked like a surfer-dude, with his sun-touched, shaggy blond hair, and his easy smile that could light up a room. Thinking about her handsome husband made Trina’s stomach flutter.

“Alright, enough, you two. I think we’re all pretty beautiful, don’t you?” Trina motioned to Kat and Gia.

“I guess.” Gia looked at Trina, directing her next comment to her. “I’m just lucky to have such good friends on this crazy ride.”

It hadn’t been easy getting there, but Gia and Trina were finally close. It had been awkward for a while, seeing as how Gia used to date Trina’s brother, Tyler. Things got messy between Gia and Tyler, and she chose Pat. Trina hadn’t liked Gia before she even knew her.

But that was all in the past. Gia was now happily married to Pat. And since her brother, Ty, was now happily married to Paige, Trina saw no reason to hold onto hard feelings.

“We’re at a beautiful resort; let’s concentrate on having fun. Who’s up for drinks tonight?”

Gia’s hand shot up in the air first.

“The sun is taking a lot out of me today,” Trina said, leaning back on her elbows. “I’ll stay with the kiddos tonight. You two go and get ready. We’ll play for a little longer in the sand, and then go get some dinner.”

“You sure, Tri?” Kat asked.

“Absolutely. Gia looks after the kids a lot; it’s my turn. Make sure to drink one for me.” Trina smiled, adding any reassurance needed. It eventually worked, because Kat and Gia gathered their things and after giving Ian a kiss and hug, headed back to the room.

“Well kids, looks like it’s just us tonight.” Trina smiled at Ian, while Willow gave her mommy a big hug. “How does movies and chicken nuggets sound?”

Trina’s evening with the kids was calm and relaxing. The suite was quiet after the little ones fell asleep. That was the beauty of being out in the sun all day. Sun and fresh air always made kiddos tired. She was looking forward to putting her feet up and diving into a good book before watching the game.

Until she got an unexpected phone call. A phone call no hockey wife ever wanted to get.

She pushed the tears back, as she cleared the lump that had formed in her throat. Instincts had told her that going away during the season was a bad idea. Normally, she would’ve been at the game. She would’ve been in the family suite with Willow, watching Sam and the Renegades play.

But tonight, the kids were tired and had fallen asleep early, and she was enjoying some quiet time. She’d completely lost track of time while reading a romance novel. It wasn’t like her not to have the game on.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She wanted some sort of confirmation from Sam. The fact that he was the one who called her meant it wasn’t too bad, but injuries were scary. And not being there to see for herself made her leery. “I know you well enough. You don’t usually complain, so are you positive you’re okay? And babe, please don’t lie to me.”

“Tri, I’m fine. It was an awkward hit into the glass. Took me off guard, and I won’t lie, it shook me up. Maybe even knocked the wind out of me for a second. They put me through concussion protocol and kept me out for the rest of the game as a precaution. But, yes, I’m fine. I really could’ve gone back into the game.”

She checked her phone and saw that the game was over.

“Take it as a good sign that I’m the one calling you, babe. If it was Sal or Coach Walker, then you should worry. But it’s me. I’m taking it easy, per team doctor’s orders. He wants me to come in first thing in the morning for an exam, just to be thorough. But it’s nothing, I swear.”

Her phone buzzed as he was talking. Checking it, she found a text from her sister-in-law. Paige was also the assistant PR person for the team, and she obviously knew Trina would need the reassurance. She was one person Trina would trust.

Paige: He’s fine.

But although Trina had confidence in Paige, she still worried. While on vacation and too far away to rush to his side, no wife wanted to get a call letting her know her husband had been injured. She didn’t like how Sam sounded. His voice cracked and his words were heavy, as if he were clenching his jaw. She’d been with him long enough to know his telltale signs.

“You’re gritting your teeth.” Why wasn’t I watching the game? I should’ve been. Then I would’ve seen what happened.

“No, I’m not gritting my teeth. I’m fine. Tri, please don’t worry about me. Just enjoy your vacation.” After a heavy sigh, he continued. “Look, I have a headache. It’s dull, but it’s there. Right after the hit, things went weird. My hearing, my vision, it was all wonky. But that wore off by the time I was in the training room with the doc. He said I got my bell rung, and that I would probably still have a headache tomorrow, but it will go away. The point is, he wasn’t worried, so you shouldn’t be, either.”

She had to trust him, because without that, what did a couple have? If he says he’s fine, I have to believe him. Reluctantly, she answered, “Okay.”

“Good. Now enjoy the rest of your trip, and give our little girl a kiss for me. Have a margarita and tell the ladies that I said hello. I’ll talk to you soon. I love you, babe.”

“I love you too. Sam, I love you so much.”

His reassurance wasn’t enough to settle her mind. A margarita would do the trick, but seeing as she was responsible for the little ones, a traditional alcoholic margarita was out of the question. Looked like it would have to be a frozen virgin margarita for her tonight. Was it even worth it? Checking in on first Ian, and then their little Willow, Trina lightly kissed her daughter’s head before retiring to the balcony with her drink.

Sitting in the ocean breeze, she breathed in the salty air. She was still sipping at her drink and watching the moonlight over the ocean, when Gia and Kat arrived home.

“Hey Tri. Everything okay?” Kat popped her head out on the balcony, looking at Trina with a suspicious eye.

“I don’t know.” Their balcony faced the ocean, and the dark beach was now quiet from vacationers. The calming crash of the waves as they washed onto the beach was the only sound. A cool breeze brushed over her. The sounds and the feel of the ocean reminded her of when she first met Sam at the beach. It was her favorite place and calmed her like no other.

Except right now. She settled into a lounge chair with her alcohol-free drink and did her best not to worry.

“He’s going to be fine. You know that, right?” Kat squeezed her hand before settling back in her own chair. She already had a fresh drink in her hand.

“That’s what he says, too. Wait—you know about the hit Sam took tonight?” Trina hadn’t had the chance to tell anyone yet, since she’d just gotten off the phone with Sam not too long ago.

“Well, yeah. Paige texted me. She said it was a few minutes before he got his bearings, but he left the ice on his own. And, well, I wasn’t going to mention this, but it’s online too.”

“The hit?”

“Yep. It looks worse than it probably was; doesn’t it always? So I suggest that you probably shouldn’t go looking for it. You’re better off, trust me.”

Kat was wasting her breath, and she knew it. Now that Trina knew the video was posted somewhere online, she was going to have a tough time staying away from it. “Was it worse than that hit Ty took a few seasons back?”

Kat shook her head, keeping her attention on her cup. She swirled her drink before taking a long sip, possibly trying to keep herself from saying much. But Trina knew Kat was never good at keeping to herself; she cared too much. That’s one reason they loved her so much.

Closing her eyes, Trina did her best to breathe. She still had to take care of herself and Willow, and stressing was not good. Breathing in the salty air and concentrating on the sounds of the ocean, she struggled to keep her mind from racing.

“You look tired. Why don’t you go to bed? Willow is sound asleep, and even if she wakes up, I can get her. Go get some rest; you look like you need it.”

These days she was tired, all the time. But with a toddler, who had time to rest?“Yeah, maybe you’re right. G’night.” Leaving her drink on the balcony, she gave Kat a quick hug before heading towards her room.

She changed into an oversized comfy t-shirt and sleep shorts, and crawled into bed with her laptop. She wasn’t going to be able to sleep until she’d looked up the footage of the hit. Snuggling into the soft covers, she typed “hit on Sam Morris” into the search engine. The video was the first thing to pop up.

I shouldn’t watch this. He said he was fine.

Ignoring her own advice and Kat’s suggestion, she clicked on the link. Seeing Sam’s head pushed into the glass made her sick to her stomach. Him lying on the ice for those few moments made her want to puke. Just like she’d been told, he never lost consciousness, and was talking to the doctors. Kat was right; Sam left the ice on his own power, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

Her chest hurt to watch it, but she couldn’t stop. Her eyes burned, as tears slid down her cheeks. Her brain knew he was okay, but her heart ached, and being so far away from him didn’t help her pain. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep now. Maybe she should’ve grabbed a shot before she retired to bed. She dug into her secret chocolate stash and snacked as she watched.

Continuing to hit “replay” over and over, she watched her husband get hit again and again. She watched him lie on the ice. She watched him sitting up with a glazed look to his eye, as though he had no idea where he was. Then she watched it again.

Only once the sun started to rise and daylight started to overtake the darkness, did she finally stop fighting sleep and allow her eyelids to close.

CHAPTER TWO

Sam

Sam woke with a throbbing headache. Opening his eyes, he saw that the bedroom was blurry. He scrubbed his hands over his face, hoping to wipe away the sleepiness. But looking around, nothing was any clearer. The throbbing in his skull continued as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. It had been lonely at home since Trina had taken Willow on vacation with some of the other wives.

He liked that she was forging friendships within the team family. That made life easier and more enjoyable for both of them. But after the hit he took the other night, he just wanted to come home to her waiting arms and curl up with her.

He remembered everything that led up to the hit. The Renegades were at home, playing against Boston. JR Rancy had been giving Kris a hard time, like always. Those two hated each other. Sam didn’t know the whole story, but it was something about Kris’s ex. Plus, the guy was a real ass. He caused issues with Kris every time they played him.

None of the hits Rancy put on Kris were being called by the officials. After the last one, Sam rushed towards Rancy with the intention of hitting him just hard enough to drive home a point—leave Lafleur alone. But it only angered the Boston enforcer.

The players lined up for a face-off right outside Boston’s net. Sam caught a suspicious nod between Rancy and the player taking the face-off. As soon as the puck dropped, Boston slid the biscuit in Sam’s direction. He chased the puck into the corner. His head was down only long enough to get sight of the puck, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Rancy charging towards him. If he could just get this puck to Tyler, maybe he could score. What felt like minutes of his holding on to the puck was really only seconds. As he slid the rubber disc away, a hard body crashed into him from behind.

The solid hockey stick slammed against his shoulders and up into his neck, smashing his face into the glass. All he recalled was Sal, the assistant coach, and the Renegades trainer helping lift him off the ice. Propped up against the boards, he could see Rancy eyeing him from Boston’s bench, laughing. What an ass.

Tyler was passionately discussing something with the ref, and not in a happy way. Coach Walker was screaming at the officials from the Renegades bench. Sam was woozy, and all the noise was garbled, almost as if he were underwater. Sal was talking to him but Sam couldn’t comprehend what was being said. Sal’s words were jumbled.

Sam just kept repeating, “I’m fine.” If he said it enough, maybe they’d believe him and keep him in the game. The team doctor was now at his side as well as Tyler. Standing up, they led him towards the locker room. There wasn’t much time left in the game, so he was held in the locker room, and not allowed to return to the ice.

Trina had been away for a week now, but he wished she wasn’t when he had returned home alone that night. He knew his head wasn’t right, but he had passed the locker room concussion protocol, and he wasn’t about to say anything that could keep him out of the next game. He wasn’t concussed, wasn’t that good enough?

This morning the fierce pain wasn’t any better. His head dropped into his hands and he took deep breaths, hoping to subdue the discomfort. Maybe it was better that Trina and little Willow were on vacation. He was sure the toddler’s delightful squeal wouldn’t be so cute to him in this state.

The phone call to Trina after that game wasn’t enough. She was concerned and caring, but having her arms wrapped around him was what he really needed. He hadn’t wanted to worry her, so he hadn’t told her the whole truth about the injury and the pain. She would’ve learned that much from the other guys or coach anyway.

His girls were relaxing on vacation in the Caribbean, and they wouldn’t be back for at least a week, but that didn’t mean Trina wasn’t keeping track of their games while away. Tyler Kidd, their Captain, was her brother. She always made sure she kept tabs on them both.

The clock’s numbers glared at him through the darkness of the room. It was time to get ready for morning skate. But as he stood, the room spun. He needed to shake this, or Coach Walker would know with one look that he wasn’t well enough to play tonight. His stomach churned as he dragged himself to the bathroom. The nausea finally subsided after he puked, caught a quick, cool shower, and then he rewarded his empty belly with a banana smoothie and some toast. Maybe some food was all he needed, because he felt much better.

The team doctor checked Sam’s eyes multiple times while he talked about various things. The doc asked about Trina and Willow, talked mindlessly about his own family, and asked about the hit. All the while watching Sam closely as he responded. Rob knew exactly what he was looking for, and Sam was trying to play it cool.

“How’s the headache?”

“Headache?” Sam shook his head. “No headache.”

A scowl sat on Rob’s face as Sam spoke. “You realize I know you’re lying, right? I’m the last person you want to try to fool.”

“Okay, yeah. I have a headache. It’s not as bad as last night, but it sucks. As much as I miss the girls, I’m kind of glad they’re away. Willow’s happy screeches would be torture while my head is still throbbing.”

“So, it’s still throbbing?”

Dammit. Rob did this all the time. Getting anything past him was literally impossible. “A little bit. Yes. But it isn’t as bad as it was last night.”

“And you slept?”

“Yes. Did you?” Sam grinned, but even doing that hurt his head. Fuck. Something has got to give. I just want to feel better.

“Yes, thanks for asking. But I’m not the one with the concussion symptoms.”

“Look doc, last night I was told I don’t have a concussion. So just give me the abridged version.”

“Based on our exam last night, and your responses today, it’s unlikely that you have a concussion. But you should rest, Sam. These things don’t have a magic cure.” Rob stood back and watched Sam carefully. “From your expression, the rolling of the eyes, and the smart-ass smirk, I’m going to assume you’re still going to practice this morning.”

“Unless you tell me that I can’t, then, yes.” Sam couldn’t help but grin.

“All I’m going to say is that you know your body. If it tells you to pull back, please do. If you aren’t one-hundred percent and you get hit again, things could get bad. If you feel okay, just be careful out there. Stay tuned in to what your body is telling you.” Rob wrote something in Sam’s chart before he continued. “Please call me if anything gets worse.”

The whole ride to the Rivers Arena, Sam thought about what Rob had said. He could do that; he could listen to his body. If it told him to stop, he would. Right now, all he wanted to do was get back out on the ice. So… he must be okay. Obviously, it would take time for the headache to go away. But he was never one to sit back and rest.

Trina texted him while he was on the highway. The special tone he assigned her alerted him of that. Once he pulled into the parking garage, he took off his sunglasses and grabbed his phone.

Trina: Hey handsome. Feeling better this morning?

If he said no, that he wasn’t feeling any better, she would no doubt contact Ty before she even hung up with him. He knew his Captain well enough to know that Tyler wouldn’t let him play injured. And if he didn’t skate this morning, he wouldn’t be playing tonight.

Sam: Sure am. No side effects. How are my girls doing? I miss you guys.

It was hard to lie to her. He hated every moment of it. He didn’t lie to his wife. Ever. She was his rock and he was hers. But for some reason, it came so easily when it was about hockey. He didn’t have a concussion history. He had experienced other injuries in the past, especially that season before he met Trina. In his mind, this would go away and he would be fine. He could just play through it.

Trina: We miss you too. Willow is quite popular with the ladies. She’s lucky to have so many Aunts.

Sam: She sure is. Well, tell everyone I said hello. I just got to the arena and have to get ready for morning skate.

Trina: Okay. Have fun. Glad you’re okay. Love you.

Sam: Love you too, babe.

Taking a moment to enjoy the silence, he dropped his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. He would be fine. The headache was starting to go away, and the dizziness was gone. Opening his eyes, he stared at his screen saver of Trina and little Willow. His daughter had white-blond hair that matched Trina’s more than his. It was light and sun kissed like his wife’s, versus his color that was more dirty blond. But her eyes were his. An awesome bright blue—well, that’s what Trina always called them.

His vision was much clearer than it had been earlier this morning. He knew he’d be fine.

Entering the locker room, the noise echoed in his ears, which was unusual. Normally it didn’t bother him. But as long as the headache stayed away, this was nothing he couldn’t deal with.

“There he is! Dude, you’re almost late!” Pat called.

A look at his watch told Sam that Pat was right; in five minutes he would’ve been late. They had to be in on time; if not, they’d be fined by the league. That was the last thing he’d been thinking about this morning. I have to shake this.

Ty narrowed his eyes as he looked at Sam.

Did he know something was up? Had Tri suspected something and called him? Sam did his best to steer the conversation. “Yeah, I see that. Tri texted me as I was driving in, so I took some time to message her once I got into the garage. After the hit I took last night, she was checking up on me, and I couldn’t leave her hanging. You know how the girls worry.”

Ty seemed to relax and nodded with a smile. “Yep. They sure do. So, how’re my sister and niece doing? Are they having fun in the sun?”

“Of course they are. Willow is apparently keeping the ladies busy.”

“Oh, she is,” Kris interrupted. “She just loves Ian, too. Won’t leave his side.”

“Yeah, I have heard that she’s his little shadow. You might have to watch that one, Morris. She’s going to be a heartbreaker someday,” Pat added.

Talking about Willow just made Sam miss her more. His thoughts slipped to his little firecracker, who wasn’t too much different from her mother. But Coach’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Morris!” Coach motioned towards the office with his head.

Sam already knew he wanted to check up on him after last night’s hit. He made himself comfortable in one of the brown leather chairs in front of Coach Walker’s desk. “G’Morning Coach.”

“Sam, how are you feeling this morning?” Coach Walker studied Sam’s eyes, then moved his stare at the rest of him.

“I feel fine, Coach.” It wasn’t so much of a lie as it was a partial truth. Sam didn’t feel too bad right now, but he really needed to get out on the ice to know for sure how he felt.

“You sure you’re good?” Coach asked again.

Sam nodded. He didn’t want to talk about this; he just wanted to play. He wasn’t feeling bad enough to risk missing ice time. Nothing was going to keep him from what he loved.

“Okay. Well, go get ready. See you out there.” Coach waved him towards the door leading back to the locker room.

A hand wrapped around his shoulder as he moved towards his locker, and he turned to see Tyler staring at him with a serious look on his face.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Sam? Tri would never forgive me if I didn’t double, even triple check, before I let you out onto the ice. You know I’m not real keen on dealing with her wrath.”

Sam shook his head and paused a moment before answering. Convincing himself that this wasn’t lying was harder than he thought it’d be. He was feeling better, which was a good sign. A little exercise would surely only make him feel better. “I’m sure.” Pulling away from his captain and brother-in-law, he got ready for practice.

Coach’s morning workout had him out of breath, sweating and his head pounding, but that was nothing new when it came to on-ice workouts. After a grueling forty minutes of drills, it was time for competition, and the loser had to do laps. Their bodies ached, but they needed to push on.

“O’Conner! I got this. Get ready to do drills and laps, bro,” Dominic Zanetti called to Kaden, the goalie for the light team.

“I don’t think so!” Kaden responded with a head shake. “Save a little energy for your laps, Z!”

That last thing Sam wanted to do was laps. His body was drained. Standing at the bench, he took a few deep breaths and a drink of water. His head was heavy, but at least the shooting pain was gone.

“Morris! You doing okay?” Coach called from across the ice, his eyes intent on Sam. They didn’t mess around when it came to head injuries, but Sam wasn’t leaving the ice, either.

The glare off the ice wasn’t bothering him, and his headache was there, but not enough to stop him. His words were separated by his heavy breathing. “Yeah… I’m good.”

“Sam, you sure?” Ty nudged him as he lined up with the other guys.

“I said I was fine.” He didn’t need Ty over-analyzing if he was okay or not; he just wanted to work out. He was feeling better while he over-exerted himself, so there was no reason for concern or apprehension.

Tyler put his gloved hands up in defense. “Just checking, man. You know Tri would have my head if I didn’t.”

“Yeah.” Sam shook his head, reeling in his irritation. “You’re right. She would.” He knew his wife, and Tyler wasn’t wrong. She’d be all over him if Ty didn’t think to check up on him.

The line moved quickly, and Sam was up next. Pat and Kris returned to the end of the line, out of breath and dragging. The suicide drills were worse than the entire practice combined.

Sam was up. To his left was Luc. Shit. This kid is fast. To his right was Torin. Taking a deep breath, Sam focused ahead of him. The whistle blew and he tore away. Racing up the ice as fast as he could, he hit the line with his skate blade and returned to the start line, hitting the ice with the slice of his metal blade, once more. He raced to get this over with, and didn’t pay any mind to the guys around him.

He hit the line with his skate blade and pushed off hard to give him enough force to finish this drill. Rushing back to where he began, the ice-cold air blasted on his face, and his heart slammed against his chest. His head pounded, as sweat poured from his temples.

The goalies were in the last group of guys, which never seemed quite fair to him, but neither of them was in his group, so he was feeling optimistic at no laps being in his future. It was an awkward sight, the goalies racing in all their gear, but they did it. Slowly, but still. In the end, just as he assumed, Sam’s team came in first.

The Coach blew the whistle and most of the team exited the ice, except for the group that lost and had to hang back for laps.

CHAPTER THREE

Trina

Trina quietly crept out of the bedroom and pulled the door all but closed behind her. It had taken forever to get little Willow to go down for her nap today. She’d been extra cranky earlier, not her normal little ball of sunshine. Neither of them had had a very restful sleep last night. It had been a few days since Sam had taken that hit, but Trina still couldn’t stop the feeling that something wasn’t right with her husband, and it seemed as though Willow sensed that concern. The toddler was restless and woke almost every hour, asking for her Daddy.

Watching the games and seeing Sam play wasn’t enough to rid her of this feeling. He didn’t look like himself out there. He appeared slower and was making messy mistakes. A yawn crept up on her as she slid onto the cushiony couch. She might be able to take a quick nap while Willow slept. Kat and Ian had gone in earlier, so they would be up before her little princess, and if Willow happened to wake and Trina was still asleep, there were plenty of doting aunts waiting to bend to her every need.

Settling back on the couch, Trina closed her eyes. The surf crashed against the shore outside the open porch doors. The sound was calming. She loved the beach, the waves, the sun, the sand. She flashed back to the first time she laid eyes on her handsome husband. She’d been walking her dog, Toby, along the boardwalk, and she was singing, because back then she always was. When she turned to see him watching her, she had instantly fallen for those blue eyes and that surfer-boy look…

That did it. All feelings of serenity and peace were erased from her mind and instead she was filled with visions of her love. The memory of his intense blue eyes and sandy blond hair made her heart ache; she missed him so much. Her body tensed, and there was no way she would be napping now.

She needed to talk to Sam. She needed to see him. Picking up her cell phone from the coffee table, she called Sam on Skype. His handsome face graced her screen. Seeing him warmed her heart. A sexy smile slid across his lips but did not reach his eyes. Those awesome blue eyes had an unusual touch of sadness to them that he quickly tried to mask. “Hey baby.”

It hadn’t even been two weeks, and she missed him as though she’d been gone for months. She had gone longer stretches than this without him when he was on road trips out west. But something was different this time.

The regular season was winding down and all the players were letting their hair grow and their beards grow out. It was tradition or ritual or something. His surfer boy ’do was now shaggy hockey player hair. If the back got any longer, he’d look like he had a mullet. She always did like his hair shaggy. The top was long enough that it curled into his eyes, and she loved running her hands through it. Her stomach tingled as she envisioned doing just that.

“Hey handsome. How are you?” She didn’t expect an honest answer.

“I’m doing okay. I miss my girls.” His smile was less devilish and more timid now. “What have you two been up to today? Where’s my little sunshine?”

Her heart ached. “We miss you, too. Willow is sleeping, finally. She had a rough night; we both did.”

“Oh yeah?” Sam tilted his head and wrinkled up his face.

“Yeah. You know I worry, and it got the better of me last night. So I didn’t sleep well, and I think she picked up on it. She woke up multiple times calling for you.” As soon as the words fell out of her mouth, she wished she could’ve put them back in. He needed to concentrate on his game during the season, not worry about them. And he was especially defensive when she worried about injuries.

Quickly, she tried to change the subject. “This morning wore her out, too. Her and me both. We went swimming in the pool and then played out in the sun and sand for a while. There were a few surfers out when we got on the beach, and Willow couldn’t take her eyes off them. You should’ve seen her and Ian pretending to surf; it was hysterical.”

Sam’s smile was back, this time proud. “That’s my girl. A natural just like her old man.”

“Yeah, well, when she wants to try the real thing that’s all you, babe.” Trina smiled, thinking about when she first met him and she’d assumed he was just some surfer-boy. But the thought of him and Willow out there in the water—that was a sight she couldn’t wait to see. “We all took a long walk down the beach and then had a nice picnic lunch.” She scrunched her face up to show how un-fun it actually was. Picnic lunches sound wonderful—unless you’re having them with two toddlers.

Sam got her meaning immediately, and his laughter filled her ears. “Lots of sand in the food?”

“With Miss Willow, you know it! But Ian wasn’t much better.”

His face dropped for only a minute, and even though he recovered into a sad smile, she still caught it. “I wish I was there with her. I like seeing her experience new things.”

Trina learned a long time ago that the secret of being a good professional hockey league wife was to never show them how unhappy you were that they weren’t able to be with you. Whether it was a long road trip, or back-to-back games and practices. Missed birthdays or holidays. Always put on a smile and tell them you’re okay, no matter how much you weren’t. I wish you were here too, babe. “Don’t worry. We’ll do the beach together this summer.”

Tyler had missed plenty of family functions after he left for the Professional Hockey League, so she was used to it before she married Sam. But adding Willow to the mix made things completely different.

“I hear that she and Ian are getting along famously.” A defensive look crossed his face. Ian was Kris and Kat’s son. Willow was still a toddler, and Sam was already getting protective of his baby girl.

“Simmer down there, Papa Bear.” Trina stifled a laugh. It was cute that he felt the need to protect his daughter. Well, it was cute now. But this kid was going to have a hell of a time keeping a boyfriend when she was older, with Daddy the hockey player always trying to scare them away.

“It’s not funny; it’s my job to protect her.” But Sam couldn’t hold a smile back from forming on his face.

Trina ran her finger over the screen, wishing she could touch his face for real. “It’s nice to see that sexy smile, babe.” She paused, trying to find the right words, until she finally just blurted out, “I think with everything that went on, maybe we should come home.”

“Don’t come home on my account. I told you, I’m fine.” His voice was strained. Trina knew he wasn’t being completely honest, but maybe it wasn’t as bad as her mind was conjuring up.