SlapShot Sweetheart (Pucks and Promises #2)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

THEO

“I love ‘er,” Theo nodded, looking at his teammates sheepishly. They were all sitting in the locker room, removing their gear after a hard practice. He hadn’t stopped smiling since he left Aimee’s side yesterday and was looking forward to their first official – actual – date on Saturday night. “I never thought I’d see the day, but she’s the one for me.”

“Are you sure?” Thierry asked nervously as Coeur shook his head, muttering under his breath. Lafreniere stared at him, emotionless, while Boucher shook his head in disbelief. Giroux was the only one smiling broadly and grinning like a mad fool.

“I’m happy for ya’, brother,” he beamed. “Becca has changed my world, and I know it will be the same for you.”

“She has no idea,” Theo laughed enthusiastically, grinning and wiping his eyes. He had moved quickly to pull off a treat for the two of them, suspecting how his precious Aimee would react to such a thing. “Look at me, getting all emotional – eh? I wanted to tell you first because you are my family, mon freres.”

“There’s no closer family,” Coeur said quietly, looking around the room quietly, nodding. For his friend, whose own family was two thousand miles away, it had to seem that way in the literal manner.

“Some families you should cut off or let the limb die…” Boucher grumbled, looking away.

“Not everyone has a family like yours,” Lafreniere retorted, throwing an empty paper cup at the grumpy man and hitting Coeur in the head instead, causing the man to frown as he gave the goalie the middle finger.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Thank goodness nobody else has a family like mine,” Boucher said, getting up and walking out of the room as every set of eyes swung back to Theo, almost in a silent apology for bringing down the room.

“He’s upset.”

“He’s moody.”

“The coach threatened to trade him.”

“What?” Theo and Giroux hissed in unison, looking shocked that Lafreniere seemed to know all the dirt before anyone else.

“That’s why he hasn’t been late, hasn’t missed a practice, and has been doing more signings. He’s trying to sweeten the crowd’s feelings toward him.”

“They know what a grumpy tete du cochon he is,” Theo chuckled and saw Coeur’s knowing grin.

“He is a pig-headed guy, isn’t he?”

“The worst.”

“The best defense though…”

“Ahem,” Thierry cleared his throat loudly, giving Lafreniere a pointed look.

“Right defense,” the man clarified, grinning. “Boucher is the best right defense.”

“Thank you,” the blond man who skated left defense replied primly, causing everyone to laugh easily as the mood in the room lifted slightly. While no one was happy about Boucher being on the verge of getting traded, the man was awfully quiet and kept to himself sometimes.

“I’m going to surprise ‘er tomorrow night.”

“Seriously?”

“Dude, take it slow.”

“What if you change your mind?”

“I say ‘go for it,’” Giroux said simply, shrugging as the others stared at him in disbelief. “Life’s too short, and no one knows when you are ready to take the next step – except you. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be married with a baby on the way, I would have thought it to be a joke… but we are truly happy.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

“Always.”

“And Boucher has a divorce attorney on speed dial.”

“Coeur!”

“Dannnng bro, that was cold…”

“Skeptical much?”

“Very. She just doesn’t seem like Theo’s type. Two years ago he was all over every blonde woman he could find and never asked their names.”

“Two years ago, we were all like that and drunk most of the time.”

“C’est vrai…”

“Truth…”

“People change, feelings change, and I think she has brought out the best in me.”

“You sound like a lovesick fool.”

“And who looks like one with the pom-pom on your head?” Theo grinned, pretending to pat a man-bun that wasn’t there.

“Didn’t man-buns go out of style ten years ago?”

“You’re just jealous I have more hair than you, Thierry…”

“Yup.”

“We need to set up Boucher…”

“What?”

“He needs something to turn people’s hearts, making him sound like a ‘hometown hero’ or something.”

“I’ve got just the thing,” Lafreniere said with a slow smile spreading on his face. “But he’s not going to be happy about it.”

“Is he ever happy?” Giroux added, making several of them chuckle and smile in awareness. Oh yes, a plan was coming together he realized. They had his back helping him with Aimee and now his brothers, his friends, were going to step up and help another member of the team.

“What can I do to ‘elp?” Theo volunteered.

C oeur pulled him aside the moment he was leaving the locker room. His friend grabbed him by the arm, catching him by surprise.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Why not?”

“She’s going to be expecting something special, and it’s going to backfire in your face – that’s ‘why not,’” the man said emphatically, making the man-bun bob slightly. “You can’t do something like this and then… pfffw .” He stuck out his tongue and made a weird farting sound with his lips that came out flat.

“ Pffffw ?” he mocked, fighting back a grin as he made the same sound.

“Ka-Blah… meh… pfffw,” Coeur began again, holding out his hands in an empty motion and shrugging before making the farting sound again with his mouth. It would have been funny, if the man hadn’t seemed so earnest and worried. “I’m not the best with girls nowadays since we aren’t barhopping like we used to, but even I know that with no ‘kaboom’ – then to her, the entire thing will be…”

“Oh,” Theo interrupted quietly, his eyes widening. “No pfffw ?”

“Nope, no pfffw .”

“Crap.”

“I know.”

“What am I going to do?”

“You need to come up with a kaboom … and not a ka-blah .”

“Duuude.”

“I knoooow.”

The two men were squared off, staring at each other in realized horror as laughter echoed in the hallway nearby, followed by a slow clap. Both heads turned as if on a swivel to see Thierry and Giroux standing there.

“You aren’t taking advice from Fart-Face, are you?” Thierry grinned.

“Are you hiding?” Coeur interrupted, grinning.

“Hiding?”

“Noooo!” Thierry blurted out before looking around quickly. “Why? Do you see her?”

“See who?”

“He’s afraid of the new physical therapist.”

“What?”

“You’re kidding me…”

“Is the dude mean?”

“The ‘dudette’ is really nice,” Coeur grinned, making a shapely motion with his hands. “Hair black as night, curves for miles, and the softest hands…”

“She’s mean!” Thierry snarled and got in Coeur’s face, surprise written all over their expressions at the sudden change in the man. “You quit trying to fool around with anything that jiggles.”

“I’m not touching you with Batiste’s junk, much less my own… poochie,” Couer grinned and poked Thierry right in the belly, making him let out a giggle that only served to piss off the blond giant even more.

“How’s she mean?”

“She is! She’s just awful and thinks that she knows everything…”

“Dude, she’s ahhhmazing and actually freed up that kink in my back before showing me some stretches that could help.”

“I thought she was nice too.”

“I didn’t realize we had a new PT person…”

“Yup,” Giroux nodded emphatically. “She’s helping my knees with some strength training and kinesics tape…”

“I wish she’d tape Coeur’s mouth shut…”

“Awww, is ‘Mr. Clairol’ a widdle sensitive about his poochy-woochy in front of his widdle tootsie-wootsie?” Coeur mocked, and Theo saw that Thierry was about two seconds from putting the man in a body cast – a guy he adored, because if not, he’d probably kill Coeur for all the ribbing and teasing.

“That’s enough, Coeur.”

“She cruel. I don’t need a physical therapist, and besides - I hate the woman. I’m not scared of her either because I’d have to care about what she thinks… and I don’t,” Thierry snarled, leaning over Coeur as if his brute size could further strengthen his words. “I don’t need a PT – especially one that looks like a Barbie doll spawned from the pits of Hell.”

“Um, Thierry…” Coeur said quietly, pointing over his shoulder, and Theo craned his neck to see what was going on right before he heard Thierry’s panicked whisper.

“Oh gawwwsh, she’s not standing there – is she?”

“Dude, you have it so bad for her… and it’s obvious!” Coeur laughed openly – before bolting down the hallway as Thierry’s mouth dropped open. Within a moment, Thierry took off after the man racing away with his man bun bouncing on his head… and Theo laughed. He couldn’t help it, but it was funny to see the big lummox running after the other man for getting caught crushing on the new physical therapist.

“I’m gonna kill you, Coeur!”

“Gotta catch me first, Fat Clairol …” The two men took off down the hallway, yelling at each other and running around like a pair of crazy men. Coeur darted to the left, then the right, as Thierry did the same thing. The only reason Coeur got away was because an office door opened and closed nearby, making the larger blond turn around and look to make sure it wasn’t the new physical therapist.

“Thierry has a thing for the new PT girl?” Giroux asked, surprised.

“I don’t think so,” Lafreniere added, joining into the conversation.

“Oh?”

“Yep – and he probably does think she’s mean.”

“Why?”

“I guess the coach wants him to be a little lighter on his feet. The new PT has got Thierry doing more strength training and core exercises than most of us, plus she talked to the nutritionist about his portion sizes. Thierry was pissed about his spinach salad.”

“Whoa boy…”

“Yup. No more doughnuts in the locker room.”

“Says who…?”

“ Wait – did you say, ‘ no more doughnuts’ ?”

“In the locker room ,” Lafreniére stressed, chuckling. “You think I’m taking money from my sister? No way… we’re just moving the doughnuts to the lounge instead.”

“But we don’t go in the… ohhh ,” Theo chuckled, realizing that they would have to make it a point to sneak a doughnut and keep them out of sight, but the treats would still be there regardless. Lafreniere tapped his forehead, grinning.

“Scary smart – eh?”

“Oui,” Theo replied easily and then glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to get moving, or I will be late. Don’t worry about Boucher, I’ll remember my part. I’m more worried about Coeur if Thierry catches him.”

“The man is a slippery twerp with an attitude. He’ll be just fine.”

Nodding, Theo hefted his duffel bag onto his shoulder, heading toward his Jeep as the plans began to unfurl in his mind. No, this weekend was going to be all about his sweet Aimee and winning her heart.