Playing to Win

No matter how gorgeous he was.

One good thing about my dad being my coach, I already knew a lot of the players on the team like I knew my own brothers. In fact, one of them was my brother.

Joe skated over as soon as my blades hit the ice. “You ready for this?”

“It’s just hockey, Joe. I’ve been playing since I was five same as you.” I jabbed my stick into the side of his skates, tripping him up and making him laugh. No mercy in the Parks family when it came to our favorite sport.

“You meet the new guy?” I followed his gaze to the place where Asher waited for practice to start, one elbow propped on the wall in front of the bench. He already wore his helmet making it difficult to see his face clearly even without a face mask.

“At school. He took my parking spot.”

Joe snorted. “Want me to beat him up for you?”

“I know. It’s silly.”

Joe hooked his arm around my neck. “You miss us.” I knew Joe would understand. “Wanna move in with Bobby and me?”

I wrinkled my nose and pushed his arm off. “Ew. No. Even if Mom and Dad would let me, it was bad enough when you lived at home and Mom made you guys clean up. I can’t even imagine what your apartment looks like let alone the smell.”

Joe cringed. “It is pretty bad. Especially, now-”

He didn’t have to finish his thought, I knew what he meant. Now he and Chelle, his girlfriend of two years, had broken up, he didn’t bother keeping the apartment clean.

“Sorry, Joe-Joe,” I reached up to ruffle his hair.

“It’s my own fault.” He batted my hand away from his head. “So, what do you know about the new guy?” He shot me a look. “Other than he took your parking spot.”

“Not much. His name’s Asher Sloane.” And he’s hot. Not something I’d admit to my brother. “He’s a senior.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw my dad stride out onto the ice, and put on my helmet. Kevin Parks waited for no man, or woman, if you weren’t ready when he said go, you could count on skating until your legs gave out and then he’d make you skate some more. “He had a guitar.”

“Huh. A guitar playing hockey player. Classy.”

Rolling my eyes, I adjusted my chin strap. Honestly, it had nothing to do with whether or not Asher played the guitar, he just didn’t fit the profile of a hockey player I had after years of being around a bunch of meat heads. He was just too pretty.

Joe skated in front of me and set his gloved hands on my shoulders. “Seriously, Jord, it’s cool you’re doing this. I’m excited your on our team. Don’t let these jokers give you a hard time. Play like we taught you and you’ll do just fine.”

“Thanks, Joe.” The sincerity in his eyes threatened to bring tears to my eyes. Thankfully, he broke up the moment by returning to his usual pain in the butt self.

“I’m not going to take it easy on you, though, just because you’re a girl and my sister. As team captain, it’s my job to make sure we play to win. No slacking.”

I pushed his shoulder. “When have I ever been a slacker?”

Joe laughed as he skated away from me to center ice where everyone else waited. Everyone except Asher.

And me.

Two outsiders.

Dad blew his whistle. “Line up!”

Asher

I watched Jordan flirt with one of the guys on the team and tried to ignore the stupid pang of jealousy making my heart feel heavy in my chest. At least, until the guy skated away and I got a good look at his face. Joe Parks. Her brother.

The relief I felt was just as stupid as the jealousy.

I wasn’t here to pick up a girlfriend. I wasn’t even here to play hockey. I’d shown up to practice for one reason and one reason only, the deal I made with my dad, the one where he let me keep pursuing my music if I kept playing hockey.

Pushing thoughts of my dad to the back of my mind, I focused instead on Jordan. I’d been right. Seeing her in hockey gear and skates was way hotter than it should have been. Hockey uniforms weren’t sexy. At. All. But I knew what it took to play against guys like the ones on this team and the fact she could keep up with them?

Hot.

I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. Which was how I ended up beside her on the goal line when Coach began calling out drills.