The cop took out his keys and started our way with Viper right behind him.

“Holy shit! Viperrrrr!” one of the drunk guys in the other cell yelled out as Viper walked past them.

“What up, dudes?” Viper waved, stopping to shake their hands through the cell bars.

I stepped back, allowing the officer access to the lock. Brody was watching Viper and the guys with an impassive look on his face. The jingling of the keys in the lock pulled his attention away from them and he stared right at me.

Through me.

The cell door swung open, but Brody didn’t budge. He kept his eyes glued to mine but turned his head just a hint toward the officer. “He’s gonna be a minute, right?”

The cop turned and looked at Viper who was high-fiving and chatting with the now wide-awake group. “Looks like it.”

A smirk started at the corner of Brody’s mouth and rose to his eyes as he reached out and grabbed the collar of my hoodie. He pulled me into a bear hug and squeezed tight. “Then close the door and give us a minute too.”

I buried my face in his shirt and let go of all the pent-up emotion from the last several days. I sobbed and sobbed, overwhelmingly relieved that he wasn’t walking away from me. From us.

Suspensions fucking suck. There’s no other way to say it, they just do.

The fight during the game earned me a game misconduct penalty, which forced me to sit out not only the game I was kicked out of, but the next game too. Rather than appeal the decision and go in front of the Commissioner, Collins and I decided it was still early enough in the season for me to just serve out the suspension, pay the fine, and move on. Well, move on from the league’s perspective, but I was far from done with trouble.

Due to my little testosterone outburst in the bar, and my resulting arrest, the Wild suspended me two extra games. The only good thing to come from that arrest was Collins hauling my ass into his office for a long talk the next afternoon. I explained everything that had been going on, without making excuses for my performances.

“Murphy, I plucked you right out of college because there was something special about you. You’re a hell of a hockey player, but it’s more than just that. You were a crazy, immature kid who has grown into a remarkable man right in front of me. I would like to think I had something to do with that, but we both know I can’t take the credit.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk, pulling his hands up to his mouth. “You’ve had some stuff going on in your personal life, I get that. Take these few days off and get your head screwed on straight.”

I looked down at the ground and nodded, fidgeting uncomfortably in my chair like I was a kid in the principal’s office. “Have you heard any trade whispers in the front office?”

My chest was tight with anticipation of his next sentence. I didn’t really want the answer, but I had to ask the question.

“No. Nothing. And believe me, I’ve had my people listening.”

I exhaled a deep breath and stood up to leave. Collins followed me to the door.

“Hang in there, kid. This is just a small bump in the very long road of your career.” He patted my shoulder as I opened the door.

“See you later, Coach.” I waved.

“Wait. I have to know… the bar fight. Why did it start?”

“Viper was in the bathroom and I was sitting there drinking my beer, not bothering anybody, but still pretty wound up from the fight and the game. Guy started telling everyone I was a goalie because I didn’t know how to throw a punch.” I shrugged. “He poked me in the back, so I proved him wrong. Then I proved him wrong again. Then again.”

“Wait a minute.” Collins frowned in confusion. “Viper wasn’t arrested, but his knuckles are all banged up. How did he get involved?”

I tried to hide my grin unsuccessfully. “He came out of the bathroom and I was fighting like four guys. I remember him yelling my name, asking who he should hit first. I didn’t answer, so he just started swinging.”

Collins sighed and shook his head. “You two are like Dumb and Dumber on ice skates. Go. We’ll talk in a couple days.”

I opened the door to my truck and looked across to the passenger seat as I climbed up.

Kacie jumped as her eyes snapped open.

“Sorry. Were you sleeping?”

She pushed her arms out in front of her and stretched her neck side to side. “I must have dozed.”

“I feel bad that you’re so tired today. It’s my fault.”

“Eh.” She winked at me. “You’re worth it.”

“So.” I sighed. “What’s the plan for today?”

Please don’t say you’re going home. Please don’t say you’re going home.

“Well, I should probably go home.” She craned her neck to look at the time on my dashboard. “Mom put the girls on the bus for me, but I need a shower desperately.”

“I don’t know…” My eyes lazily traveled the length of her body and back up to her face. “You look pretty hot in your pink pajama pants with little yellow ducks on them.”

She reached across and swatted my arm. “Shut up. I was in a rush to save my boyfriend from the clink. Anyway, about this going home thing, do you wanna come with me?”

“I do. Really bad.”

A lazy smile crawled across her lips. “I was hoping you’d say that. We’re gonna have to drive separately. My car is still here, remember?”

“No problem. I’ll follow you.” I peeked at her out of the corner of my eye and squeezed her hand. “It’s usually a good view from back there.”

She looked at me and raised a playful eyebrow. “Your back end isn’t so bad either, Murphy.”

We drove to my house in silence, content with just holding hands and being together again.

I pulled into my garage and parked in the space next to her Jeep. She didn’t make any immediate move for the handle, not that I was in a rush to get rid of her.

“So, I was thinking…” She paused.

Uh oh.

“How about we go to my house, I get cleaned up and get Lucy and Piper settled in—”

“Sounds good,” I interrupted.

“And then,” she continued, pretending not to hear me, “I was thinking we drive out to your parents so you can talk to them.”

“No.” I shook my head adamantly. “I’m not in the mood for that shit today.”

“Brody, hear me out.” She put her hand on my forearm, rubbing it gently with her thumb. “They’re still your parents whether they’re together or not, and you love them just as much as you did last week before you found this out. I think you’ll feel better if you just talk to them, especially your mom. I can tell from what you told me about your phone conversation you’re mostly mad at her.”

How does she always know this shit?

I clamped my jaw together and stared straight ahead at the concrete wall in front of my truck.

“Knowing what I know about your mom, she’s losing her mind right now over you not talking to her. I’m actually surprised after your game last night that she wasn’t sitting in the hallway outside your condo this morning.” She giggled.

I shot her a ‘not-funny’ glare and her smile disappeared.