Las Vegas Sidewinders: Dominic Read Free

what to say. Friendship was one thing, but Cody
putting his own career on the line took everything to another level. He was
grateful but didn’t feel like he deserved it.
    When Cody was ready to go,
they wandered out of the building and down the street, walking towards the
adjacent block where he had parked.
    “The coffee place over there
has fresh scones and croissants every morning—really amazing,” said Cody.
"Suze sends me down here sometimes on weekends for a dozen of them and
freezes them so we have a few during the week.”
    “Good to know.”
    Cody pointed out an art
gallery that had fun Friday night exhibits that included alcohol and lots of
eligible women, as well as a few restaurants and a store that sold vintage
sports paraphernalia.
    When they ran out of small
talk, Cody said evenly, “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but don’t you
think we should?”
    “Talk about what?” Dom ran a
hand through his tousled dark brown hair; it fell to his shoulders and often
stuck up when he didn’t want it to. The longer it got, the better it behaved, but
he’d gotten a bad haircut before he left Nashville and now was anxious for it
to grow out.
    “Maybe it’s time to forget
the past and move past all this,” Cody said. “Find a good shrink and talk it
out. It could be time to focus on finding a nice girl, settling down…”
    “Yeah, right. Aside from the
puck bunnies that are after either my bank account or bragging rights about
banging an NHL player, there’s no decent woman out there who’s going to want my
messed-up life.”
    “You’re a smart,
good-looking guy who makes a ton of money. How do you know there’s no one out
there? Just because you have some anger issues on the ice doesn’t mean you
would ever take it out on a woman.”
    “Who the hell knows what I
would do if I spent a lot of time with someone?”
    “You know, the doom and
gloom is getting old already. You have to look at this as a second chance—the
NHL is letting you play. Coach brought us here to start a whole new franchise.
New city, new fans, new teammates—”
    “Oh, give it a rest!” Dom
snapped. “We’re all a hot mess and you know it! Look at you and Suze—I mean,
she had a one-night-stand with her fiancé’s best friend, got knocked up and
wound up being married to a guy she doesn’t love! How is that less fucked up
than my life?”
    “First of all—” Cody’s voice
went cold “—don’t talk about my wife like that. We were grieving. We made a
mistake, but we got married and are raising a beautiful little boy who we love
very much. We’ve moved on, though, while you’re still floundering and getting
in trouble.”
    “Look,” Dom took a deep
breath; he didn’t want to fight with Cody. “I appreciate your putting in a good
word for me—”
    “I didn’t. Coach called me
and asked if I’d come. He said you were coming—this was your last chance and he
didn’t know if you could get through it without someone like me here to have
your back. Suze didn’t care about Toronto one way or the other, so here we are.
We thought all of us being together might be healing for all of us. We’ve moved
on, but you’re right—it hasn’t been the same, and Suze and I have had our share
of problems. Being here together could be cathartic, damn it, so you’re going
to try, even if I have to beat you into submission.”
    Dom rolled his eyes. “That
didn’t work in college, and I’m pretty sure it’s not going to work on the
dirtiest player in the NHL either.”
    Cody grinned. “Oh, but I’ve
been watching, my friend—and I’m onto you!”
    They chuckled, a moment of
familiarity washing over them. Finally, Dom cleared his throat. “I know I’ve
been a dick the last few years. I haven’t been a very good friend, but you know
that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you guys—you’re all the family I have,
and even though I don’t always act like it, I love you.”
    “We know that. Suze