| �Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be one of the bigger mistakes I�ve ever made?� Brielle muttered to herself as she got out of her car outside of the arena. Steve followed her lead and slammed the passenger door shut. �What�s that?� he asked, trying to suppress a slight grin. �Nothing,� Brielle muttered, tugging her hockey bag from the trunk of the car. Steve�s took up most of the back seat. �Something about a mistake?� Steve asked, smirking. Brielle looked at him and frowned, but he continued. �This isn�t a mistake. I can tell you what was one of your bigger mistakes though. Dating Chouinard." Brielle rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Tell me something I don't know. Why is he still at the hotel, again?" Steve shrugged. "He said he didn't want to get in the team's way, that he didn't want to change anything about the way they practiced." Brielle placed her hand on her hip. "How about the real reason?" "He doesn't want to see you with Colby." "I thought so." Steve paused for a moment. "Maybe Marc wasn't such a huge mistake. You are at least on speaking terms with him. But dating Peyton was definitely one of your bigger mistakes.� Brielle winced when Steve mentioned her ex boyfriend, Chris Peyton. Chris was a defensemen for the Long Beach Ice Dogs, the WCHL team Brielle had coached, and they dated for a year and a half before breaking up. The weekend after they broke up, Brielle got the call from Wilkes-Barre about the Assistant Coaching position. Eager to get away from California and leave the life she shared with Chris behind, she jumped at the chance to coach in Pennsylvania, consequently putting most of the United States between her and her old life. She had always welcomed challenges, and after looking over the Baby Pens� website and checking out game footage sent to her by Glenn through e-mail on the plane ride from Anaheim to Pittsburgh and on the connecting flight from Pittsburgh to Scranton, she realized that coaching the struggling AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins would be one hell of a challenge. Especially coaching Meloche. �Could you please not bring up the asshole formerly known as my lap dog?� Brielle asked, dropping her hockey bag on the ground and slamming the trunk shut. Steve laughed. �Your lap dog?� �He followed me around everywhere, and you know it,� Brielle muttered, slinging the somewhat heavy bag over her shoulder and leading Steve into the nether regions of the First Union Arena, the arena that Brielle had grown to love and had recently started to call her second home. �That was part of why I broke up with him.� �And the other part was because he was an asshole,� Steve said. �Yep.� Brielle turned toward the tunnel to the ice. �Changing room�s that way, get suited up. I�m gonna go talk to the boys and make sure they don�t do anything dumb, and I�ll get suited up in my office. I�ll see you on the ice.� �Always a coach,� Steve muttered, walking in the direction Brielle had pointed out with the end of her stick. �Damn straight,� Brielle laughed, hearing Steve�s grumbles. Steve gave her the finger behind her back, but Brielle was prepared for that, as well. �Yeah, yeah, fuck you too,� she said, without even turning around. �I hate it when you do that!� ~*~*~ An informal gathering of the team were skating around on the ice, taking laps, when Brielle walked toward the bench. There was an optional scrimmage that night, and Brielle didn�t expect many of the players to come. She hadn�t told any of them, other than Colby, that Steve was going to be playing alongside of them, hopefully teaching them something in the process. Steve was a eight-year NHL veteran, and had been playing center for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks since their Inaugural Season in 1994. Having him as an older brother had taught Brielle quite a bit about the game of hockey, and she had picked up most of her coaching skills from her brother; he had held the Alternate Captain spot on the Ducks for the past 5 years. Along with the usual group of forwards, Colby, Shane, Toby, MacDonald, Beech, Murley, Meloche, Kostopolous, Matt Hussey, Michal Sivek and Milan Kraft, there were six defensemen skating along the boards, Darcy Robinson, Rob Scuderi, Brendan Buckley, Ross Lupaschuk, Brooks Orpik and Francis Leroux. She was surprised that they showed up, usually Defense never showed up for optional practices. Hell, it was a wonder Scuderi showed up for the mandatory practices. Brielle usually had to call him and threaten to bench him if he didn�t show. Brielle watched them for a few minutes, taking in how they were skating, if they were nursing an injury, and if they needed improvement on anything in particular. Once she was satisfied with what she saw, she decided to make her presence known. �Guys,� Brielle said, getting their attention. �I have a little surprise for you guys.� Scuderi raised his eyebrows. �Does it involve you in a bikini and some chocolate syrup?� he asked, smirking and crossing his arms over his chest. Colby raised an eyebrow and looked at Scuderi. �Scudsi. Mine.� Rob laughed along with the rest of the team. �You know I�m kidding.� Brielle rolled her eyes. �Yeah, okay, whatever. No, Scudsi, it doesn�t involve myself in a bikini and chocolate syrup. Sorry. It involves someone from the NHL scrimmaging with us tonight.� �Your brother?� Toby asked. Brielle nodded her head. �He�s suiting up now. So do yourselves a favor and be good tonight. And do me a favor and make it look like you guys actually listen to me and don�t let everything I say go in one ear and out the other, okay?� The men nodded. �Yes master,� Eric said in a robotic voice. �Anything you say, master. Your wish is my command, master.� Brielle rolled her eyes at Eric�s comment and shook her head while the team laughed. Lately she had been picking and choosing her battles with Eric, and this one was not worth fighting for. �Eric Meloche?� Before he even turned around, Eric recognized the voice. He turned around to see Steve standing at the edge of the tunnel, wearing his Away Ducks jersey. �That would be I,� Eric said, playing dumb. Steve�s eyes widened. �Holy shit, you�re the same-� �OKAY,� Brielle shouted, cutting off Steve. �Guys, my brother Steve, Steve, these are my boys.� She turned to the team, who was giving her looks of confusion. �Guys, just get out there and do a few drills, I�ll be back in a little while,� she said, turning to go to her office to change into her gear. �Which ones?� Colby asked. �Surprise me,� she called over her shoulder, before stopping and saying to Steve in a low voice, �No one knows about Montreal. Be the one to tell them about it, and I will have you hanging from the nearest tree by your balls.� |
 |
|
|
|