บททั้งหมดของ Pucking Around with Fate: บทที่ 141 - บทที่ 150

POV: GunnerKhyle had showed up, of course. A little late, and friendly enough, but with that unreadable look in his eye from across the room that Gunner took to mean he still wasn't quite done flipping him the bird yet.Gunner smiled at that.The next few days blew by in a hurry that suited him fine. He and Khyle had no problems working together and reading each other during practice.Practice in general had gone well. No problems to be found. And he'd been cleared to play. That mothballed stuff was done and gone. And it was finally game time again.Purr.Throughout practice, Cooper's teachings, the sense memory of finding his feet against the coach, the rally of resolve from that accomplishment, it had been playing strong in his mind. Before they'd left that day, Cooper had quietly bestowed on him one other detail that Gunner had been curious about. He hadn't elaborated on Khyle's personal stake on the subject, but what he had explained was enough to have Gunner acting like some sor

POV: GunnerThe game had been good but there was one thing that bothered Gunner. Their coach.They'd won the game and he'd looked about as happy as a salmon, which meant he really was happy. But afterwards, along with a pat on the back, the coach had told him casually to ease off the goal-getting so he wouldn't miss the opportunity to enforce and put the opposing team on the defense. He wanted their team to stay healthy. And that sounded reasonable on the surface.He'd said it friendly enough. Just a nudge. But Gunner could read the stuff between the friendly lines. The guy actually meant it. He didn't even want Gunner to bother trying to score, just enforce. And wasn't that just the stupidest type of thinking.It wasn't changing Gunner's game plan one bit, of course. He didn't need to be told how to play hockey. So he would just continue to set out to prove his worth on all fronts. The coach could like it or not.It was just a few games later when the problems started.They'd pulled

POV: GunnerIt was a good night on the ice, and the deep, almost cicada-like buzz of the large, busy bar on the third floor of the Reapers arena was a testament to that.The Reapers Bar and Grill was at capacity. Not unusual on game night, and a definite on a winning night. Both bars were lined hip to elbow with eligible hockey fans, some looking for a drink to discuss, sometimes heatedly, the merits of the game, the reffing, and the plays. Some were just looking to pick up another fan. And a few were planning their approach. Their end game, the hockey team. And in some cases, nearly any player would do.Whether you were a winner, or a watcher, either way, tonight, somebody was going to get lucky.The early birds of the Reaper's hockey team had grabbed a couple of long tables in a cozy corner close to the entrance, across from one of two long bars that entertained the large and well-filled establishment. There was plenty of room at the largest table for most of the guys, one side line

POV: GunnerTheir food arrived and they all tucked in. Gunner ate a few bites, but left the rest to Kensei. Normally the food here was top notch, but it just seemed bland and uninteresting. He scoured the table, looking to see if there was something else that appealed to him that he could order. Then he noticed Shane leave his seat to accost more women, leaving Khyle to a huge pile of fried chicken wings in some kind of sauce. They looked like they were good if Khyle's fixed determination was anything to go by.He took the opportunity and slipped out of his seat.A moment later, he landed in the booth at the head of the table and waited until Khyle looked up, stalling mid chew with a little dab of sauce decorating each corner of his mouth.Gunner felt some of his tension dissolve. It was cute.He noted that the word arrived without irony. He had not reached for it as a joke or a deflection. It had just been the accurate word, plain and true, and he had let it be that for a full second

POV: GunnerThings weren't all going Gunner's way this evening. Or going Gunner's way at all.He wasn't sure anymore. He'd lost track after drink three, thirteen, something.Top hat gone, back into the wilds from whence it came, Shane had found his way back to their table, been forced to eat something and have coffee and water, and was now sitting across from him, between Kyle and Marcus, going through his photos of the team's last road trip while he sobered a little.Photos Gunner didn't even know he'd taken.Being in snapshots and newspapers didn't bother him on principle or anything. It was part of being in the spotlight they all shared. But Shane Harlow was sometimes full of odd surprises. It seemed he'd used some forethought, and had clearly been saving his cards up for a time just like this. And now he was playing his ace.It might have been retaliation for Gunner's constant badgering tonight, but Shane had seemed not too bothered about it on the whole. The final straw was proba