Hating the Rookie: Laketown Hockey Series Read online

  The splashing crowd of swimmers rounded the buoy and Mayor Thomas and a volunteer from the Junior Hockey Club held the ribbon across the beach. Brodie was a strong swimmer, and I thought his chances of winning the race were strong, but I had no idea how seriously he was taking the whole thing.

  “Look, there he is.” Mona grabbed my arm and pointed. “Sure enough, three swimmers had pulled ahead, and one of them was wearing a very nice neon green bathing suit.

  “Go Brodie,” I screamed. He charged out of the lake just ahead of Tanner, whose Speedo was neon orange and the two of them sprinted to the ribbon.

  “Oh my,” someone said from behind me. I gave a glance over my shoulder and a middle-aged woman was laughing and fanning her face.

  Tanner and Brodie’s tanned bodies glistened in the sun, their biceps bulged and their six-packs were on full display. The bathing suits didn’t leave much to the imagination. “I guess the water doesn’t affect them.” The fanning woman’s friend whispered back.

  The guys pushed at each other as they reached the ribbon, but Brodie leaned forward just a little bit further and his chest broke through the ribbon first.

  We ran to the finish line. Brodie was bent over, his hands on his knees, his back expanding and contracting as he caught his breath. He shook Tanner’s hand and as the rest of the team straggled in amongst the other participants, I caught his eye. Butterflies went wild in my stomach and then he winked at me and they went berserk. After all these years, Brodie Bishop still gave me goosebumps – and now he was mine.

  “Is it okay if I go watch the kayak race with my friends?” Mona turned and headed towards the docks.

  “Don’t you want to congratulate your brother?” I asked.

  She shrugged. She was getting to the age where hanging out with her brother and his girlfriend wasn’t cool.

  “Will a parent be there?”

  “Brandy’s mom and Anna’s older sister are there too.”

  “Okay. Just meet us back at the dock at five.” She was an independent kid, but I watched her until she reached the kayak dock, and then made my way over to Brodie. “You haven’t lost it B.B.”

  “That was a tough one.” Brodie stood up tall and was still breathing fast. “Tanner almost got me there.”

  “I think you two had an unfair advantage.”

  “How so?” He tilted his head at me as he dried his hair vigorously with a towel.

  “Those banana hammocks look fast.” I pumped my eyebrows at him. I wanted to slap his ass, but it was a family-friendly event, and everyone knew everyone here.

  Draping my arms around his neck, I murmured into his ear, “I love watching you swim.” I squeezed him tightly.

  “Whoa.” He shoved me back and then wrapped the towel around his waist. “If you keep touching me, I’m going to get charged with indecent exposure.”

  I glanced down and sure enough the front of the towel was tenting out. “Here.” I pulled his Otters t-shirt out of the beach bag I was holding and tossed it at him. He quickly slipped it on, and it was long enough to cover the tented towel.

  We had been sleeping together for three weeks now and I was pleased to see that the novelty of my touch wasn’t wearing off. I don’t know why I was so worried about our first night together. He was gentle and we took it slowly. Tears of joy had streamed down my face – and Brodie kissed them away. It didn’t take me long to figure out the ways to move my body to make myself, and Brodie, feel good. If I didn’t have an orgasm while we were making love, he made sure that it happened anyway – usually with his face between my legs.

  “Are my pants in there too?” he asked.

  I fished around in the bag and handed him his gray sweatpants. He pulled them on over his bathing suit. “There,” he smiled. “I was starting to feel objectified.”

  “You should’ve heard the comments from the peanut gallery.” I rose onto my tiptoes and kissed him and then whispered in his ear, “I can’t repeat what the country club ladies said, it would give you a big head.”

  “Oh, really?” he grinned. “Maybe they need a caddie.”

  I smacked his arm. He rubbed it and then draped it over my shoulder. “Where’s Mona?”

  “She went off to hang out with her friends. She’s going to meet us at the boat at five.”

  “Then we’ve got a few minutes.” He grinned and kissed me. “I’ve always wanted to do it in the public bathrooms here.”

  “Ewww.” I smacked his chest and he laughed and kissed the top of my head. He led me to the picnic area where the rest of the Otters and their adoring fans were hanging out. There was a concentration of people at the far end of the park. “What’s going on over there?” I asked.

  “McManus and a few of the NHL guys are signing autographs.”

  “That’s going to be you someday, babe.”

  “One thing at a time, Bree.” He opened the team cooler, popped the cap off a bottle of beer, and handed it to me before he took one for himself.

  “Nice race, B.B.” There were gasps as Leo strutted up to the picnic table in his pink mankini. Even though Leo’s body was just as hard and defined as Brodie’s, the mankini made him hard to look at. He tossed his hair like he was an extra in an 80s hair band video and bent over to get a beer for himself.

  “Cheers.” He held up the beer.

  “Lion, put some clothes on.” We turned to see Coach Covington making his way through the crowd. Leo set his beer can on the picnic table. “Yes, sir.”

  Coach looked like he hadn’t slept in days and we were all starting to wonder what was going on with him. He hadn’t been himself lately, and judging by the dark circles under his eyes, it only seemed to be getting worse.

  “Great swim, Rookie.” Coach clapped Brodie on the back. Do you dominate every sport you’re in?”

  A crimson blush ran along Brodie’s jawline. As cocky as he could be, he had moments of humility – it was one of the million things I adored about him. “I...” Brodie stammered.

  He was lost for words – something that didn’t happen very often.

  “Relax, son. You’re going to need to learn how to take a compliment.”

  “Yes, sir.” Brodie nodded.

  The band returned from their break and started playing a set. The bandstand was two hundred feet away, but even still, when they started playing The Joker, we had to shout to hear each other.

  I had been to every one of Brodie’s games and practices and was starting to learn all the players' names – and their quirks. Jessie trained a lot, but when she wasn’t doing triple axels, we watched the games together. Other than her, I hadn’t made any attempts to make friends with the bunnies. I don’t think that they cared – and neither did I.

  I scanned the Otters’ crowd and saw Jessie with Kent. I hadn’t seen him since the day he rescued me. “Excuse me for a minute.” I squeezed Brodie’s hand and left him talking to his coach. As I passed, a lot of the guys said hi to me, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good. I was the rookie’s girlfriend, and they showed me a lot of respect. Like Brodie’s complements, this was something I was going to have to get used to.

  “Hi, I hope I’m not interrupting.” I stepped up to Jessie and Kent Fitzgerald.

  “Hi. Bree.” Jessie turned and spoke to Kent. “This is Brianna, Brodie’s girlfriend.”

  “Brianna Corbett.” Kent extended his hand. “Nice to see you again.”

  “You’ve met?” Jessie tilted her head.

  “Kent drove me home after enacting justice at the grocery store.”

  Jessie turned to face her boyfriend’s dad. “The express line thing again?”

  Kent didn’t hide his Cheshire cat smile.

  “He does that every time.” Jessie shook her head and laughed.

  “Your boyfriend is a talented player – and swimmer,” Kent said.

  “He’s annoyingly good at everything,” I smiled and then remembered why I had come over. “I just wanted to thank you again for helping me out that day.
You have no idea how much it meant.”

  “Anytime.”

  “There’s one more thing,” I added. “How do you know my parents?”

  I didn’t know if it was an inappropriate question to ask, but they couldn’t have run in further circles from each other. “Hippie Stan?” Kent smiled. We sit on the Laketown Historical Preservation Society together.

  “Of course,” I nodded. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

  “Your dad and I are both passionate about preserving Laketown.” Kent gestured to the park. “I mean, look at this community here and all of the green space on the lake. We have to try and save Laketown from turning into a circus.”

  “My dad feels the same way,” I smiled.

  “Ladies, you’ll have to excuse me,” Kent smiled and rested his hand on Jessie’s shoulder briefly before disappearing into the crowd.

  “Look,” Jessie grabbed my forearm. I turned and followed her gaze. “It’s true.”

  “What’s true?” I had no idea what she was looking at. All I could see were players milling about, a football being tossed in the field beside us, and some drunk townies dancing in front of the bandstand.

  “Bronwyn Yates and Dylan,” she whispered.

  “Who is Bronwyn Yates?” I asked.

  Jessie raised her eyebrows at me. “Brodie doesn’t fill you in on the gossip, does he?”

  I shrugged. We had been too busy with the business proposal to worry about his teammates’ dating lives. “The blond?”

  Dylan Moss had a huge smile on his face and was sitting on one of the picnic tables. A gazelle-like blond woman wearing what looked to be a white silk dress and a red scarf in her hair was standing just a little too close to him.

  “Yes,” Jessie said. “Does it look like something is going on there to you?”

  It did, but I had learned the danger of small-town gossip. I gave a small half-committed shrug. “It looks like two people talking. No big deal.”

  “It might be a big deal to Jake McManus. They’ve been seeing each other since the gala.” Jessie continued to stare at the duo. “My brother better be careful.”

  “I’m sure it’s nothing.” I wanted to change the subject. “How’s training?”

  “Good.” Jessie took a sip of her bottled water. “I’m working on a new short program. How are you and Brodie doing?”

  “We’re good.” I took a seat on the bench and she sat beside me. “For now.”

  “Fitzy told me that you’re going back to school. Are you guys going to do the long-distance thing?”

  “You know, I’m not sure. I think that both of us are avoiding that conversation.”

  “What’s meant to be will be, Bree.” Jessie leaned against me. “Try to enjoy the moment.”

  Fitzy and Brodie were walking towards us. “That’s all I can do,” I said. More for myself than for Jessie.

  It was a conversation that was looming over us like a storm cloud, and now I only had a few days before I had to go back to school. I took a T.A. position and that meant I had to be at the university a week before frosh week.

  “How are your drinks, ladies?” Kane asked.

  “Boring.” Jessie held up her water bottle.

  “Full.” I held up the beer that I’d forgotten.

  “We were busy talking to your dad,” Jessie said.

  My phone dinged deep down in the beach bag. I found it and read the text message. “Your mom picked up your sister. She’s going for a sleepover at a friend’s house.” I showed the message to Brodie.

  Brodie hooked his arm around my neck and kissed my cheek. “Good.” Then he whispered in my ear. “Are you ready to go?” I wasn’t sure of his intention until he nipped at my earlobe. I nuzzled into his neck. “Let’s get out of here.”

  He lifted his beer can in the air. “Guys. We’re out.”

  “See you later lovebirds.” Kane grinned.

  “Bye,” Jessie smiled. “Enjoy your afternoon delight.”

  This time it was my turn for my cheeks to flush.

  MY RIBS WERE STILL tender, and I was going to have a scar on my forehead, but I had mostly healed from the flip over in late July. Today, the only thing I had to deal with was the tangles in my hair from the boat ride home. Brodie and I walked hand in hand to Cabin One.

  I wanted more time.

  The days were getting cooler and the sun setting earlier- each day brought us closer together emotionally – but those same days also brought us to the end of the summer.

  “You were amazing today. If hockey doesn’t work out, I’m pretty sure you could go to the Olympics in the front crawl.” I leaned against his strong shoulder as we reached the steps to the cabin. Buddy was sleeping in the sliver of sunlight on the porch and rolled onto his back as we approached.

  “Someone is looking for a belly rub,” Brodie said.

  I reached my free hand across and rubbed his abs. He chuckled and then pretended to stamp his foot like Buddy did. “That’s the spot,” he smiled.

  We sat down beside Buddy and both of us proceeded to give him the best belly scratch he’d ever had in his life. I continued to stroke the dog’s chest and then noticed Brodie staring out at the lake.

  “Everything okay?” I asked.

  He sighed. “I have been to three banks. Nobody will touch this place.”

  “Oh,” I whispered.

  “Don’t worry, Bree. I’m going to keep going until someone sees the beauty in this place. And until then I’m going to make sure that your parents have all the help around here they need.”

  “Brodie...” He was an angel. “Thank you.”

  “It’s no biggie.” He leaned back on his elbows. “I’m here in Laketown anyway.”

  Neither of us acknowledged the elephant in the room and we sat on the porch with our fingers resting on Buddy’s fur as the sun went down. With dusk came the hordes of mosquitos and we retreated inside the cabin. I flicked the light switch, and nothing happened.

  “No power,” I said.

  Brodie looked sad. “It will be okay, Bree.” He turned his phone into a flashlight and lit candles, placing one in the bathroom and the other on the nightstand in the bedroom.

  I flicked on the battery-operated radio and dialed in the local radio station. Van Morrison’s beautiful voice rang out of its tiny speakers. Brodie came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I held onto his arms and we swayed to the music in the candlelight. I turned and tucked my chin into my chest, and he rested his chin on my head. Turning my head, I rested my cheek on his chest and listened to his heart thumping through his T-shirt. The song ended, but we kept swaying together in the silence that followed. The sweetness was interrupted by some loud classic rock. Brodie groaned and turned down the volume. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the bedroom.

  The candles cast a warm glow on his face. The last two nights had been anything but romantic and sweet – they had been the right kind of rough. Not much kissing, and a whole lot of fucking. I think I still had some bite marks on my inner thighs. But tonight felt bittersweet and I knew that we both needed it to be tender.

  Brodie set me down in the bed and grabbed a condom from our bulk box on the nightstand. I took it from his hand and shimmied to the edge of the bed. I pulled down his baggy sweatpants, forgetting about the banana hammock. The green was vibrant even in the candlelight, and Brodie’s erection was stretching the spandex to its max. I pulled the bathing suit down to his thighs and kissed the tip of his manhood before I worked the tight fabric down his legs. He stepped out of the swimsuit and I cupped his ass and took him into my mouth. His legs shuddered as I pulled back and gazed up at him. His hand was resting in my hair and he was looking down at me. I took him in my mouth even further, my fingers digging into his round ass pushing his hips towards me. His legs were trembling, and I knew he was close, so I was surprised when he stepped back.

  “We have to talk, Bree.”

  “I know, but now?” My body was aching for him. He crawled ont
o the bed and pulled me beside him by my hand. “What are we going to do when you leave?”

  “I want to say we’re going to try to do the long-distance thing.”

  “Me too.” He said. “I want to say that too.”

  We were both saying the same thing. And I could tell that neither of us liked it.

  “I’ll be studying all the time. I won’t be able to come home on weekends.” I traced his pecs with my fingertip.

  “And I’ll be traveling with the Otters – and training. I won’t be able to visit you in the city.”

  “I don’t want to lose you again,” I whispered.

  “Oh, God, Bree. Me neither.” He stroked my hair. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “Same,” I smiled.

  “Bree, I love you.” He kept caressing my hair. “And I obviously love this part of us.”

  “Me too,” I murmured.

  “But...”

  I felt his chest expand as he took a huge inhale. “I love our friendship even more. I won’t do anything to risk damaging that.”

  I propped myself up on my elbow and looked at him. “Brodie, I’ll always love you, and maybe when I’m done with school, things will work out for us.” I was sad, but in a way felt a sense of relief. We were both saying the same thing.

  “Friends forever?” he asked.

  “Forever,” I whispered. “But...” I threw my leg over his body, so I was straddling him. “One more time?”

  “One more time.” He threw his arm around my waist and pushed his hips up. I moaned as he slid inside of me. I started rocking, my hand pressed on his chest, not thinking that the condom was still crumpled up in my hand. He was getting close and so was I. Tears streamed from my eyes as the orgasm surged through my body. “Brodie,” I moaned and arched my back letting my hair fall onto his thighs, continuing to ride him as I quivered.

  “Bree.” His head was turned to the side and he grabbed onto my hips, controlling my rocking as he sped up the pace. “Oh, Bree.” He squeezed his eyes shut and then lifted me off of him, tossing me on the bed beside him – just in time. He groaned and I kissed him as he came.