Prologue
Luca Moretti
I sat in our GM's office.
Alan Jones.
My head coach Brian Willis beside him.
It was never good getting sent to the GM's office and the Coach there with him.
They glared at me.
I know.
I've been a complete fuck up all season.
It wasn’t one mistake.
It was months of them.
One after another.
Making me...
Bitter
That’s what happens when your father has an affair...
And suddenly the whole town knows you have a brother nobody ever talked about.
When you become the laughing stock of the town.
Your dad throws hush money out to keep the secret buried.
But the people in town knew.
Rhett left when he hit eighteen.
I spent the next decade trying to become the son everyone expected.
Turns out...
I never had a chance.
All it got me...
Was sitting in this office.
Waiting on my judgment.
"Luca." Coach said in a frustrated sigh.
I met his eyes.
"You've been a mess this season."
I knew it.
I looked away.
"I know you lost Reese."
Hearing her name stung.
I might have started with her as a fuck you to my brother.
But somewhere along the way...
I took her for granted.
She loved me.
I loved her.
But I was the worst excuse for a boyfriend she’d ever had.
I didn’t lose Reese.
I pushed her away.
“I did lose her,” I admitted.
Meeting Coach’s eyes.
Coach sat down on Mr. Jones’s desk.
He studied me for a long moment.
“Son...”
“Yes, sir.”
“We can’t cover for you anymore.”
My leg started bouncing beneath the chair.
“I get it,” I said.
Coach pushed off the desk and stepped right into my space.
“You know what?” His jaw tightened. “I actually don’t think you fucking do.”
Instinctively, I leaned back.
My hackles rose.
“You’ve been late.”
“You’ve skipped team events.”
“You’ve mouthed off to the media.”
“You’ve taken stupid penalties because you can’t control your temper.”
He jabbed a finger toward my chest.
“And every damn time, we’ve stood in front of a microphone and tried to explain it away.”
His voice dropped.
“I’m done doing that.”
I looked away.
Because Coach was right.
I’d done every bit of it.
The organization covered for me.
Didn’t stop the media from reporting it.
They did.
I read every article.
Every headline.
Every comment.
I’d spiraled.
Especially after my dad chose Rhett.
That was the excuse I kept telling myself, anyway.
It was easier to blame him...
Than admit I’d become the problem.
I met Coaches eyes.
"Alan. Now do you want to tell Moretti his judgment."
I tapped my leg nervously again.
Because I knew what was coming.
We’re trading you.
You’re fired.
I was the fuck up.
They were finally done with me.
I met Mr. Jones’s eyes.
“Moretti.”
“Sir.”
“You have to earn your spot back on this team.”
My chest tightened.
I swallowed.
“You’ve fucked us out of a lot this year.”
I had.
I knew I had.
“Yes, sir.”
“We’re done with that shit.”
I nodded.
Neither Mr. Jones nor Coach said anything.
The silence twisted my stomach into knots.
Here it comes.
Then Mr. Jones leaned forward.
“Now it’s your turn to get fucked.”
My eyes snapped to his.
“...What does that even mean, sir?”
“Congratulations.”
“You’re spending your entire offseason with the Carolina Youth Hockey Foundation.”
Luca blinked.
“...I’m sorry?”
“Monday through Friday.”
Coach folded his arms.
“Eight to four.”
“You’re volunteering.”
“With kids.”
“Absolutely fucking not.”
Mr. Jones looked toward his secretary.
“Go ahead and bring her in.”
Her?
Her who?
The door swung open.
A tall blonde woman walked into the office carrying a clipboard.
She didn’t even spare me a glance.
“Morning, Alan.”
“Avery.” Mr. Jones nodded. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.”
Mr. Jones gestured toward me.
“This is Luca Moretti.”
She finally looked at me.
“I know.”
I leaned back.
Flashing my usual cocky grin.
“Fan?”
She looked me up and down for less than a second.
Then inspected her fingernails like they were infinitely more interesting.
“No.”
I frowned.
“Then what?”
Her eyes met mine again.
“For the next three months... I'm your employer.”
Employer?
What the fuck?
“Your first day is Monday.”
“I won’t be there.”
She grabs the folder from Mr. Jones's desk.
“You will.”
“I’ve got other things to do”
“You’ll train after four.”
“I’ve got endorsements.”
“You’ll endorse them after four.”
“I’ve got—”
She closes the folder.
“Mr. Moretti.”
I stop talking.
“You have mistaken this for a negotiation.”
She leaned forward.
A beautiful pair of grey-blue eyes staring me down.
“Congratulations. I’m Avery. I’ll be supervising your community service until I decide you’ve earned the privilege of representing this organization again.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No.”
“You’re following me around all summer?”
“Think of me as your shadow.”
“That sounds awful.”
“For one of us.”
She straighted up.
Smiling sweetly at me.
"See you Monday Mr. Moretti."
Then she was gone.
I glared at my GM and my Coach.
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Dead fucking serious." Mr. Jones stated.
“You have two choices.”
“You can spend the summer proving you deserve to wear this logo...”
“...or I’ll find someone who does.”
"You are dismissed." Mr. Jones says.
