he’d grappled with healing his broken leg, trying to stay in shape the best he could, and rushing his rehab. Only nothing was going as planned. He wasn’t healing as quickly as he’d hoped. He wore a walking cast on his leg, which allowed him to get around more easily, but he wouldn’t be skating any time soon. While he could work on upper body strength, his lower body was wasting away—or so he felt.
As much as he attempted to remain positive, these past five years his life body-slammed him to the ground every time he tried to get back up, starting with the death of his entire family in a floatplane crash on Christmas Eve five years ago.
After meeting Sarah, the love of his life, last Christmas Eve, he’d thought his life had finally turned a corner, and things were looking up. She, too, was an orphan so to speak, an only child whose parents were both dead.
Then the Sockeyes had come calling, needing a defenseman to replace an injured player. Newly cut from his last team, Blake had jumped at the chance to return to the ice for one final season. Only it hadn’t been final. The Sockeyes offered him a one-year contract at the end of last season. He’d talked it over with Sarah. She’d insisted he sign, and next thing he knew, he’d been plus a team and minus a girlfriend. Not exactly how he’d planned things to work out.
He understood Sarah’s position. They’d fallen hard and fast for each other, but circumstances didn’t bode well for their future. His future had been hockey because that’s all he knew, while hers had been dedicated to her veterinary practice on Madrona Island, a practice she’d taken over from her father. As a life-long resident and the island’s only veterinarian, she took her job seriously and was committed to the community and the animals. She would never move, while he didn’t have a life on that island. They parted amicably, admitting their relationship couldn’t possibly work out, leaving Blake with nothing except hockey. And now it appeared he didn’t have hockey.
He glanced up as Ethan peeked his head out the door and waved him inside. Blake gingerly took a seat at the conference table and smiled grimly at the people seated around it, including Ethan’s fiancé Lauren Schneider, the director of player personnel; Garret Calhoun, the general manager; Mike Gorst, the head coach; and Cooper Black, the team captain.
They smiled back at him as if everything was wonderful when Blake knew it wasn’t even close.
Ethan sat back, letting Garrett do the talking while Ethan observed Blake’s reactions.
“Blake, what are your plans?” Garrett asked.
“I—uh—” Fuck if he knew. He wanted to play, as unrealistic as that particular want might be. “I’m working hard to rehab, but I’ve had some setbacks.”
“Have you considered hanging up the skates and taking on a support role such as coaching?”
Blake shook his head. The team was putting him out to pasture as gently as possible, but nothing could be gentle about the demise of his career, even though common sense practically screamed in his ears that he was old for a defenseman. They’d already replaced him and never missed a beat.
His career was over. Blake wasn’t going back on the ice as an NHL skater. The sooner he pounded the cold hard facts into his thick skull, the better.
“Blake,” Coach Gorst said gently for him. “Your playing days are over, but the team sees great value in your knowledge of hockey, the patience you’ve shown with the younger guys, and your work ethic.”
Ethan jumped in. “We want you to be part of the Sockeye family for years to come. Coaching is perfect for your skill set.”
“I hadn’t thought about coaching,” Blake admitted, knowing he’d been in denial too long.
“We don’t expect a decision right away,” Lauren added. “In fact, we’re willing to work with your timeframe. If you’d like to start tomorrow, we’re good with that. If you want to wait a few months,
As much as he attempted to remain positive, these past five years his life body-slammed him to the ground every time he tried to get back up, starting with the death of his entire family in a floatplane crash on Christmas Eve five years ago.
After meeting Sarah, the love of his life, last Christmas Eve, he’d thought his life had finally turned a corner, and things were looking up. She, too, was an orphan so to speak, an only child whose parents were both dead.
Then the Sockeyes had come calling, needing a defenseman to replace an injured player. Newly cut from his last team, Blake had jumped at the chance to return to the ice for one final season. Only it hadn’t been final. The Sockeyes offered him a one-year contract at the end of last season. He’d talked it over with Sarah. She’d insisted he sign, and next thing he knew, he’d been plus a team and minus a girlfriend. Not exactly how he’d planned things to work out.
He understood Sarah’s position. They’d fallen hard and fast for each other, but circumstances didn’t bode well for their future. His future had been hockey because that’s all he knew, while hers had been dedicated to her veterinary practice on Madrona Island, a practice she’d taken over from her father. As a life-long resident and the island’s only veterinarian, she took her job seriously and was committed to the community and the animals. She would never move, while he didn’t have a life on that island. They parted amicably, admitting their relationship couldn’t possibly work out, leaving Blake with nothing except hockey. And now it appeared he didn’t have hockey.
He glanced up as Ethan peeked his head out the door and waved him inside. Blake gingerly took a seat at the conference table and smiled grimly at the people seated around it, including Ethan’s fiancé Lauren Schneider, the director of player personnel; Garret Calhoun, the general manager; Mike Gorst, the head coach; and Cooper Black, the team captain.
They smiled back at him as if everything was wonderful when Blake knew it wasn’t even close.
Ethan sat back, letting Garrett do the talking while Ethan observed Blake’s reactions.
“Blake, what are your plans?” Garrett asked.
“I—uh—” Fuck if he knew. He wanted to play, as unrealistic as that particular want might be. “I’m working hard to rehab, but I’ve had some setbacks.”
“Have you considered hanging up the skates and taking on a support role such as coaching?”
Blake shook his head. The team was putting him out to pasture as gently as possible, but nothing could be gentle about the demise of his career, even though common sense practically screamed in his ears that he was old for a defenseman. They’d already replaced him and never missed a beat.
His career was over. Blake wasn’t going back on the ice as an NHL skater. The sooner he pounded the cold hard facts into his thick skull, the better.
“Blake,” Coach Gorst said gently for him. “Your playing days are over, but the team sees great value in your knowledge of hockey, the patience you’ve shown with the younger guys, and your work ethic.”
Ethan jumped in. “We want you to be part of the Sockeye family for years to come. Coaching is perfect for your skill set.”
“I hadn’t thought about coaching,” Blake admitted, knowing he’d been in denial too long.
“We don’t expect a decision right away,” Lauren added. “In fact, we’re willing to work with your timeframe. If you’d like to start tomorrow, we’re good with that. If you want to wait a few months,
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