Shelly Laurenston: Bear Meets Girl

Cella ran her hands through her still sweat-drenched hair and slowly faced the wolf. “You want me to be coach?”

“Assistant to start and when Reynolds retires ... head coach.”

Cella just had to ask, “Why?”

“There’s lots of reasons. I can sit here and rhapsodize about your skill on the ice, your ability to train and get the best out of the rookies, your amazing eye for talent ... I mean, I love Hannah, but I would have never thought of her for the team. But really, it comes down to one thing ...”

Cella couldn’t help but smile a little. “Novikov?”

“You handle Novikov and he lets you. That alone is worth its weight in gold. Because if you can handle that man, you can handle anyone .”

“That’s true. I can handle anyone.”

“And Novikov isn’t going anywhere. Blayne wants to stay in New York and whether he disgusts me or not, he loves her. So he’s not going anywhere. And even if I wanted to fire him, I can’t because he flippin’ wins.”

“Yeah, but we’re probably not going to quite hit the play-offs this year.”

“I know, which means he’s going to be hell to deal with next year. Which is the reason I’m sure Reynolds is getting out while the gettin’ is good. You can’t desert me, Cella. You can’t. We’re friends. You’re friends with my mate. I’m a nice guy. And unless Bert’s around, I have trouble separating that idiot and Lock. So you can’t go. You might not be able to play on the team with your knee, but you can coach and you are probably the only thing that will keep us from ganging up on Novikov and beating him like they did to Vincent D’Onofrio’s character in Full Metal Jacket .”

Cella laughed, her body relaxing against her locker, her hand covering her mouth.

“Yeah. Sure. Funny to you. You’re the only one I know, besides Blayne, who gets along with Novikov. And no matter what other offer you get, I’ll beat it.”

Cella held up her hand. “Other offers?”

Van Holtz rolled his eyes. “From the Philly team, the Boston team, the San Francisco team. I think there’s a couple more. As soon as they heard you were out as a player, they began salivating.” He placed his hand against his upper chest. “But you’re my friend. You wouldn’t betray me, would you?”

“You about to threaten me with your mate?”

“If I have to.”

“Well—”

“Just think about it before you turn me down.”

“I was just going to—”

“Think about your situation. Your daughter’s staying in New York to go to school. So you’ll be near her. And Crushek’s here. He, for some unknown reason considering how much the rest of us like him, also gets along with Novikov. Maybe all his experience working with sociopathic drug dealers or something.”

“Novikov is not that bad! He’s just ... myopic.”

“Like a fighting dog?” When Cella rolled her eyes, “Hey, he was the one who threw bleachers at Reed and the other guys.”

“I know, I know. I already talked to him about that. Told him it wasn’t good for the team or morale.”

Van Holtz smirked at her, one eyebrow up.

“All right, all right. How about I give you a tentative yes?”

“Will you sign something?”

“ No . I gotta talk to my own agent and my kid and my dad.”

“And Crushek?”

“Maybe.”

“Because he’s part of your life now?”

“What are you, Van Holtz? A girl?”

“According to Dee-Ann’s father? Yes, I am.”

Crush watched Cella skating around the rink. She was alone. Just her, the ice, her stick, and the puck. While she moved, he could hear her singing the traditional Irish song, “I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day,” her voice sweeter than he ever thought it could be.

“She’s in a good mood.”

Crush shook his head and asked, “Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to sneak up on bears?”

Dee-Ann Smith rested her arms on the low part of the training rink’s wall and watched Cella skate.

“Y’all call it sneakin’. I don’t call it sneakin’.”

“What do you call it?”

“Amblin’.”

Crush chuckled. “Good to know.”

“New coach of the Carnivores, huh?”

“That’s what your mate tells me.”

“What do you think?”

“I told him it was about time.”

He could see Smith look at him a few times before she said, “What about KZS?”

“What about it?”

“You going to talk her out of working for them now? So she can devote herself to all things hockey.”

Crush laughed. A lot. So much so that Smith finally asked, “What’s so funny?”

“That you think I can talk that woman out of anything she wants to do.” He patted her back. “You’re a funny little She-wolf.”

Smith grinned. “You’ll have to forgive me, son. I didn’t realize you were one of those evolved males.”

“I don’t need to evolve. I’m a bear.” He shrugged. “Bears are already perfect. It’s the rest of you that need to catch up.”

Cella turned and skated over to them. When she stopped, she looked past Crush and Smith.

“So I walked up to Crushek,” Dez said from behind him, “and started telling him how Baissier took out the taxidermist not too long ago.”

Wondering what she was talking about since MacDermot hadn’t told him anything like that since the last time he’d seen her, Crush turned around and immediately snarled at the sight of his brothers.

“When,” Dez continued, “ another Crushek walked up to me and said to the first one, ‘Who’s the babe?’ to which the other one replied, ‘Don’t know, but nice tits.’ ”

“It was a compliment,” Gray stupidly stated, which got him the punch to the balls from Dez that he so richly deserved.

“Why are you here?” Crush demanded of Chazz since Gray was currently on his knees, hands between his legs.

“Word is you’re looking for that full-human ... Whitlan.”

“What? Are you here to warn us off for Baissier?”

“No. We’re here to warn you that she’s almost got him.”

Crush glanced back at Cella. “That’s why she took out the taxidermist. She knows where Whitlan is.” Looking back at his brothers, he asked, “But why are you telling me?”

“Because of what she did,” Chazz replied, his face solemn.

“What she did to me?”

Now Chazz looked disgusted. “You? Who gives a shit about you ? I’m talking about what she did to ... to ... Bare Knuckles.”

Crush’s eyes crossed and Smith quickly ducked her head, her shoulders shaking.

“That was her going too far?” Crush snarled. “ That? ”

“You don’t mess with the home team. You’re a complete idiot, but even you know that.”

Crush took a step toward his brother, but Dez got between them. “How does she know where Whitlan is?” she asked Chazz.

He shrugged. “I heard she got it out of some girl.”

Smith looked up. “What girl?”

“Don’t know? Some full-human.”

Crush shook his head at Dez. “That can’t be Sophie DiMarco.”

“It might be,” Smith said and when they all stared at her, she added, “I tracked her down in Atlantic City earlier today.”

Cella skated around and then walked over until she was in front of Smith. “You did what?”

“Why are you lookin’ at me like that for?”

“Because,” Cella snarled, “you goddamn hick! I promised the Callahans she wouldn’t get hurt!”

“I didn’t hurt her! I just wanted her to take me to where she found Callahan, and I’m thinking that’s where Whitlan is. And when we were done, I put her back on the train to Atlantic City.”

“Did you see her get on the train?” Crush asked.