Read On the Fly (Crimson Romance) for Free Online Page A

her head back, and closed her eyes. “I’m trying, Dad.”
    But what if it wasn’t enough?
    • • •
    Monday, September 19th
    Carter arrived at the arena early, taking the underground players’ entrance to the locker room. He couldn’t seem to stop shaking his head. How the hell had he’d gotten here, and why he wasn’t in Chicago? He laced up his skates, distracted until Reese slapped him on the shoulder.
    “Dude. What are you doing?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You’re shaking your head like you did something stupid and you still can’t believe it.” Reese, in all his goalie gear, managed to lower himself onto the bench.
    “Not me. Our new boss.”
    “Vaughn Junior? What did she — ”
    “All right, gentlemen, let’s get the bitch fest over with.” Nealy pushed into the room in a Sinners’ jogging suit and hockey skates. The team broke out in laughter until she lifted a whistle to her lips and blew out twenty-four sets of eardrums.
    She waited for everyone to take their hands away from their heads before launching her speech. “All right, that’s enough. I know you’re used to ignoring my sideline comments during practice, but I’ll be out there with you now, and it’ll be your job to listen. I know this sport. I’ve known it since before most of you were born, so don’t second-guess me. I want this team to succeed just like you. Anyone has a problem with that, anyone has a problem with me, speak now or forever hold your peace.” Stunned silence. Even the assistant coaches — Peabo especially — looked too shocked to even be angry.
    “Fine. I’ll see you on the ice.” And off she stomped down the tunnel.
    Whispers rose among the men. Reese leaned over and dipped his head, as though still afraid Nealy would hear. “What just happened?”
    Carter pulled on his practice jersey then smoothed it over his pads. “I think we just got married to our new coach. For better or worse.”
    It was worse. Nealy had him — the whole damn team — panting and hunched over after the first half hour. And they were world-class athletes. She drilled them until they dropped. Then she ordered them up and had them run systems, trying to find the most effective one for their varying talents. Or lack thereof, as she put it. Her new approach made her previous backseat coaching look tame. Carter dodged her as she skated amongst them, weaving in and out and chirping orders. He couldn’t stand it. Finley had been an ass, but nothing was worse than Nealy’s tiny voice hurling insults that made even the graybeards blush.
    By the end of the practice, most of the men could barely stand. Reese remained in goal but ass-on-ice, legs splayed and head leaning against one of the posts. His chest pads moved in and out with his ragged breathing. Carter skated by, grabbed the green water bottle off the top of the goal netting, then swung around and squirted some through Reese’s mask. His friend sputtered and waved his blocker glove. “Go … away. Dead to me.”
    Carter laughed, returned the bottle then skated toward the tunnel to the locker room. He couldn’t feel his legs, but he suspected he’d regret it when that changed. Nealy worked them harder than Finley ever had. How long could they last?

Chapter Six
    Saturday, September 24th
    Jacey sat on her garage steps, lacing up her Rollerblades. The first month in Nevada had gone fast, and in-line stress relief called to her. Tough as it had been, the staff had begun to adjust to the new regime.
    She did her best to adjust to working so closely with the brother she’d only seen in short visits the last several years. She hadn’t been his full-time sister/babysitter since she was eighteen, but they’d been close before she left for college. Madden could be a secretive pain in the ass, but he knew a lot about hockey, and he could turn on the charm and win over anyone — when he so wished. Which wasn’t often. As a personal assistant, he assisted when it suited him, but