Relief eased through his body. He headed toward his fellow native Philadelphian. They had grown up playing on the some of the same youth hockey teams, and worked together on the league's Inclusion Initiative board. Vince had also supplied Dylan's phone number after that horrible game.
Vince smiled, not a full-on grin, but definitely friendly. "Hey, man. How's it going? How's your brother?"
Leo accepted the combination half-hug and half-handshake. Vince had been at the Pride parade, had called for an ambulance while Leo supported Ryan's head and tried to stop the bleeding, and in the months since, had been a source of support throughout Ryan's recovery. "Ryan's good. Thanks."
"Glad to hear it. It's good to have you here."
"Yeah?" Leo surveyed his locker. The equipment staff had hooked him up with all the gear he needed. "I just want to get on the ice."
Things would be better once he was on the smooth surface. No matter where the rink was, in a way, it was home.
He dressed and taped his stick, listening to Vince give him the rundown on the best places to eat in the city. Having a friend with him, one who was an alternate captain for the team, would go a long way toward making the transition easier.
He hoped.
Once in the rink, the smell of the ice and the sound of sticks hitting pucks soothed him. They ran through some skating drills and his tension eased with the familiar routine. Then Coach paired him with Jon Kreider and Anton Celek for a scrimmage. Taking Dylan's place on the top line with his line mates felt odd, too much of a reminder of why he was there and what had happened to Dylan. He felt like he was skating under a spotlight with a target on his back.
He lined up for the face off against Slater Knox, a fourth line center who nearly matched him in size. Ignoring Slater's sneer, he focused on the puck drop, and won the face off, knocking it in Celek's direction. Celek chased the puck along the boards and into the corner. Leo rushed in to help. Celek kicked the puck free of a tangle of skates and onto his stick. Leo turned and shot the puck to Kreider, in scoring position in front of the net.
In the corner of his vision, a black jersey flew at him. Leo braced and turned. Slater slammed into him, sending him backward and into the boards. The glass rattled and shook. He cursed as the air left his lungs and pain bloomed in his shoulder.
Gulping air, he pushed away from the boards. Anger fired through his muscles. That check was too hard for a typical practice. The way the punk's skates had left the ice, he'd definitely get called for a penalty in a game. Fists raised, Leo advanced on a smirking Slater. "What the hell?"
Slater's gloves met his, pushing hard, and aiming for Leo's chest. "Too hard for you? Thought you were tough."
Leo glared at the rookie. "Cheap shots are for cowards or assholes."
"You'd know about that, taking out Dylan." Righteous indignation shined on the redhead's baby face.
"That wasn't a cheap shot and you know it." Damn, he felt old staring down the twenty-one-year-old. "Do you know how many fights I've been in over the last fifteen seasons, rook? Or how many times I've led my team in penalty minutes? Trust me, you don't want to mess with me."
Coach LeClair pushed in between them and placed a hand over each of their chests, moving them further apart. "Enough. You're on the same team now."
Leo's gaze roamed from Slater to the rest of his new teammates. If a fight broke out, would any of them be on his side?
Vince skated to his side and touched his shoulder. "Come on, man."
Then Celek followed and grabbed Slater's arm. "Let's go, Knoxie. That's not how we play up here."
With the alternate captains restoring order, the rest of the team returned to their positions for the next face off.
For the remainder of practice, Leo kept his eyes peeled and his guard up. It was fucking awful when a guy couldn't even trust his own teammates.
He took his time in the shower, giving his teammates plenty of time to clear out, then tugged on his clothes in the empty locker room. If his luggage wasn't waiting for him at the hotel, he'd have to go shopping to buy clothes and stuff. Maybe he should stop somewhere on his way home, just in case.
Vince met him in the hall. "You need a ride?"
Gratitude warmed through him like a hot coffee. Leo shifted his hold on his travel bag. "Kelsey's taking me to deal with the rental car."
Vince's brows rose. "Cool. Well, see you tomorrow then. Once you get a game under your belt, things will get better."
"As long as I only have to worry about the other team gunning for me." He shook his head, still keyed up from practice.
Vince clapped him on the back. "I'm sorry about Slater. He's immature and his temper matches his hair."
"I didn't expect anyone to roll out a welcome mat for me. But yeah, I wasn't expecting the rookie to come at me either."
Soft footsteps sounded at his back and Leo turned, half expecting to see Slater again.
Kelsey strode toward them, buttoning a gray pea coat. "Hey, Vince. Leo, are you ready to go?"
With one look at her, the worries and complications of the day fell away. Desire tumbled into something deeper and sharper that he couldn't name, and the impact of both slammed into him like a wave crashing onto the shore. He nodded and then cleared his throat. "Sure."
He waved to Vince and held the door for Kelsey. Cold wind billowed around them and sleet fell in steady sheets. Mentally adding a coat and hat to his to-buy list, he ducked his head and
