“Does this mean you won’t need my help anymore?” Her expression doesn’t tell me if that makes her happy or not.

“Actually, my coach wants me to keep working with you.”

“Oh.” She seems surprised. “You told him you’re working with me outside of team PT?”

“Rook did.” I squeeze the back of my neck. “My coach also wants Rook to help me with workouts.”

“But you two hate each other.”

I shrug. I don’t know that I hate him, but I definitely don’t like him. “He thinks it’ll help smooth things over.”

“Has he met you?” She half smiles.

“Maybe he’s setting me up for failure.” I blow out a breath, gearing up for an apology. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to piss you off more than you already were. I shouldn’t have been such a dick.”

“I’m used to it by now.”

“Does that mean you’ll still help me with rehab?” I need her to say yes to this; then I can work on the rest, like not being a jerk all the time.

She sighs and rubs her forehead. “RJ thinks you’re only letting me rehab you because you’re trying to get back at him or whatever.”

He’s certainly made it clear he believes I have ulterior motives. “And what do you think?”

“I think I’m not always the best judge of character, my ex-boyfriend being prime example number one.”

“My goal has always been to get back on the ice as quickly as I can. I have my brother to take care of, and I can’t afford a lot of fuckups. This injury is one of those fuckups I can’t afford. And using you to get back at Rook seems a lot like something that could screw things up for me even more.”

She tips her head to the side. “He said you were supposed to be captain, except he got it when he came to Seattle.”

“This is true.” No point in lying.

“This would be a lot easier if you two didn’t hate each other so much.”

“It would also be a lot easier if your brother didn’t think I’m just in this so I can get into your pants.”

Stevie purses her lips and looks away. I thought I was being kind of funny, but apparently not. She’s about to reply when a woman who looks vaguely familiar appears in the hallway with a toddler perched on her hip.

“There you are! Kody’s all ready to go, aren’t you, little man?” She kisses the kid on the cheek, and he giggles and drops his head against her boob, nuzzling in.

“Sorry, Lainey. I was just talking to . . . a friend.” She thumbs over her shoulder at me. Her face lights up as the woman—Lainey—approaches, and Stevie holds out her arms.

“How’s my favorite nephew? Are you ready to hang out with Aunt Stevie? I am so ready to hang out with you! We’ll drink milk and eat arrowroot cookies until we pass out. Sound good?”

The little guy squeals shrilly when she takes him from Lainey and gives him a raspberry on the cheek.

I’ve never been comfortable with kids. It’s not that I don’t like them; it’s that I don’t have any experience and I don’t know what to do with them.

Lainey gives me a slow once-over, her gaze shifting between me and Stevie, before a wry grin pulls up the corner of her mouth. “You must be Bishop.”

“Uh, yeah, and you’re Rook’s wife, right?” I hold out a hand, aiming for polite.

“I am. That was a rough hit you took. I hear you’re on the mend, though, thanks to Stevie.”

“She’s been a big help.”

“Okay, well, I should really take Kody home, since it’s past his bedtime.” Stevie’s voice is high pitched and annoyed.

“Thanks again for watching him for us.” Lainey gives her a side hug.

“I know it’s important for RJ to be at these kinds of things. I honestly don’t know how you do it.”

“Alcohol and Alex’s wife, Violet, are my saving graces so far, and not necessarily in that order.” Kody yawns loudly, and Lainey leans in to kiss him on the cheek. “You be a good boy for your auntie. I’ll see you back at the house, Stevie. I’m not sure how late we’ll be, but you know how RJ is when he gets into the scotch with Alex. There’s a very good chance I’ll be home before him.”

Stevie adjusts Kody on her hip and turns to me. “Have fun tonight.”

“Will I see you tomorrow?” I need some kind of confirmation that she’s not going to keep ditching me like she did last night.

“Uh . . .”

“For rehab?”

“Oh, right. Um, tomorrow’s a bit of a clusterf—” She grimaces. “I have a thing in the afternoon I don’t think I can get out of. I’ll text you, okay?”

“Sure. Okay.” It’s the least-committal response she can give, and I don’t like it.

They walk down the hall together, whispering to each other, with Lainey looking over her shoulder, before they disappear around the corner.

I head back to the party, pausing as I pass the room that was full of kids a while ago. Now it’s full of wives and girlfriends. Violet is at the front of the room, clicking on a PowerPoint presentation—of what looks like shirtless male celebrities.

She points across the room. “No peens allowed. Not even hot, young, broody ones.”

The entire room turns to look at me.

“Move along, Winslow. Your girlfriend isn’t in here, and if she was, I’d still send you packing.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Violet smirks. “You keep telling yourself that.” Then she addresses the women sitting in the front row. “I present you with exhibit A. The broody, antisocial, injured hockey player with lots to prove. I give him a month—two, tops—before he has a girlfriend in our ranks.”

A murmur of agreement comes from the women in the room.

She makes a shooing motion. “Off you go so we can start placing bets.”

I’m not sure if she’s serious about placing bets or not, but I do as she asks and then run into Lainey on the way back to the party.

“Did Stevie leave?”

She tips her head to the side. Her long dark hair hangs in a braid over her left shoulder. She regards me with deep chocolate eyes. She’s exactly the opposite of Stevie, dark to her light. Lean and willowy to her athletic build. “She did.”

“She’ll be okay getting there on her own?” Honestly, I’m looking for a reason to bail on this party, and Stevie is a good reason to get out of here.

“We live three houses down. She’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Okay.” Of course Rook does. Always up Waters’s ass.

“RJ worries about her. She has a tough exterior, but her heart is soft, and she’s been through a lot in the last few years. It’s not easy living in the shadow of someone you love, especially when it’s not by choice. Just something to keep in mind.” She pats me on the shoulder and heads down the hall, toward the roomful of women.

CHAPTER 16

EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION

Stevie

Lainey intentionally orchestrated pickup so I would have to go to Alex’s house. I tried to sneak in and out as quickly as possible, mostly to avoid my brother, which I’ve been doing all freaking day because I’m still pissed off at him—hence Lainey being the one to organize Kody’s pickup.