“I want to know how you did it. You missed a whole season.How’d you keep yourself from going crazy? Didn’t you worry you’d never getpicked up by another team?”
“God, yeah. All. The. Time. I still pinch myself the Flyersgave me a shot. I kept my nose clean, took full advantage of the opportunitythey gave me, and had a choice of teams when my time with them was up.” Millertwirled his mostly full glass. “Your contract is still in force. Just keepworking hard and don’t fuck up. Don’t give them any more reasons to ditch yourass. It sucks now, but use the time to assess.”
T.J. chuffed, staring at his empty glass. Not being able toplay out the season didn’t just suck; it sucked canal water. The unbiddenthought that May might not play out the season either poked at him. Hell, whatif the guy could never play again?Shit, where did that come from? Not my problem. Never liked the cocky son of abitch anyway. T.J. pushed the question aside and signaled thewaitress. He needed another drink.
Miller continued. “What’s done is done, Shanny.All you can do is take care of here and now, make sure your house is in order,and figure out how to do better going forward. You have money stashed away,right?”
T.J. nodded, growing more morose at the thought of a loominglawsuit. “Yeah, for now anyway.”
Miller gave him a nod of approval. “Good. You’re smarter thanI was. Any word on May’s condition?”
T.J. scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “He’s back in Denver, atCraig Hospital. Other than that, I don’t know much. My information comes from abuddy of a buddy, so it’s a little vague. Obviously, his team’s not interestedin keeping me up-to-date.” T.J. pointed at Miller’s glass as the waitresssashayed over. “Want another one?”
“No, thanks. My limit’s one when I’m playing.”
T.J. placed his order, adding a double shot of Jameson. Whenthe waitress left, he turned back to Miller. “Is the drink limit part ofcleaning up your act?”
Miller gave him a half-smile. “I guess you could say that.The body can’t take the punishment like it used to. I’m trying to preserve itfor better things, and I see no reason to add abuse that’s entirely avoidable.”Though Miller hadn’t said it, T.J. couldn’t help believing part of thatstatement was directed at him,and heat flared in him again. He swallowed it down.
“So you plan on staying in Arizona?”
Miller shook his head. “Arizona’s a stopover. Colorado’s home. When my career’s done, I’ll settle therepermanently.”
The waitress delivered T.J.’s drinks, and Miller shook hishead when she asked if he was ready for another.
T.J. blew out a breath. “I’ve been thinking about selling myplace in Denver. Seems like a waste to have it sit empty, and this would be agood time to take care of loose ends.” A thought struck him. “Hey, you soldyour place a while back. Did you like your agent?”
Beckett let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, I liked her. So muchI married her.”
“Fuck me! I didn’t realize … When?”
“Last June. Name’s Paige.” Miller glanced at the ceiling andsprouted an uncharacteristically idiotic grin. “My gorgeous, green-eyed littleredhead. I have no fucking clue why she puts up with me, but I thank Christevery day she does. You met her once—at Marty and Claudia’s.”
A pretty, petite woman in a bright summer dress floatedthrough T.J.’s mind. She’d been at a barbecue hosted by the Colorado Blizzard’shead coach, Marty LeBrun, and his wife. “I rememberher. She with you in Arizona?”
“I wish. No, I married a businesswoman with lots of irons inthe fire,” he said proudly. “I don’t have much time left in the NHL, so weagreed she stays there, and we get together when we can, like on this trip forinstance. I’m stopping over for a night on my way back. We make it work.”
And now T.J. thought he understood why Miller wasn’tchecking out the wildlife in the bar. “She still selling real estate? Could shemaybe help me out?”
“She’s throwing a party for her construction crew a fewweeks from now while I’m home for a stretch. Make a trip out and meet her. Youcan talk to her about it then.” Miller took a sip.
Suddenly, the room was abuzz. The puck bunnies’ eyes flew tothe bar’s entrance. T.J. glanced over to see what had captured their attention.A half-dozen Arizona players spotted Miller and ambledover, turning female heads as they went. Miller introduced them, and T.J. felttheir disapproving eyes on him. Though Miller invited his teammates to jointhem, they opted for seats at a different table. There was no mistaking therebuff, and it cut to the core. He was being kicked off the island, summarilybanned from his own brotherhood.
“Whaddya say, Shanny?”Miller’s voice sounded almost sympathetic. “Stop by. We can do some morecatching up then.”
“Sure, why not? I’d like to get better acquainted withSuperwoman.”
A puck bunny broke away from her gal pals and struttedtoward the Arizona players’ table. When her sisters saw the warm reception theplayers gave her, they streamed over like penguins jumping off an ice floe.
Miller threw back his beer, stood, and grasped T.J.’sshoulder. “Time for me to take off. T.J., great to see you.” He pointed at histeammates. “Boys, don’t be late for morning skate.”
As Miller turned away, a smoking-hot Kendall Jenner knockoffblocked his path, laying her hand on his arm.
“Beckett Miller. I’ve been dying to meet you. I was hopingwe could get to know each other tonight,” she purred.
Narrowing his eyes at her, Miller pulled back slowly, andthe woman’s entire body shimmied. Actually shimmied. Probably because she’djust dropped her panties. Seriously?Jesus, how does he do that? T.J. had always held a grudgingadmiration for the guy’s ability to attract women, but now he was justdisappointed—Miller was married after all.
Christ,is every pledge of fidelity just a two-bit promise you put away, then trot outagain when it’s convenient? Just like—
“Not interested,” Miller said in a low voice.
T.J. found himself surprisingly buoyed.
Undaunted, the woman continued as if Miller hadn’t justgiven her the brush-off. “I lovethe long hair on you.”
Miller straightened before her outstretched fingers couldreach said hair and, without missing a beat, declared,
