Power Play (45 page)

543

“You’re eloping in Vegas?” Davy gasped.

“Don’t make it sound so tawdry.”

“That’s three days after the Rebels’ Casino Night,” Troy said.

“I’ll still be your date,” Alex assured him. “Jax has no problem with you taking me.”

“Fans and reporters will have a field day with your sudden marriage. Al, at least give more thought to whether or not you really want to go through with this.”

“I have and still drew the same conclusion.”

“Be careful, love,” Davy soothingly advised her. “Just be careful what you’re doing.”

“If money matters are concerning you two, I agreed to sign a pre-nup since his net worth outweighs mine. I don’t want his family thinking I’m some gold digger only after his substantial net worth.”

“At least you made one rational decision,” Troy replied.

544

“Can either of you at least pretend to be happy for me?”

“I don’t feel comfortable with any of this, Al, but if you’re determined to marry Jax, I adhere to my earlier promise to support you in any decisions made.”

Davy nodded. “Ring either of us if you ever need anything or just chat.”

“Thanks, guys.” She spotted their dinner tab and slid it across the table. “I believe this is your responsibility tonight, Mr. St. Cloud.”

***

545

Chapter 88

Alex traveled with the team on their charter plane to New York. She looked forward to visiting friends on her old stomping grounds. While she grew to love Pittsburgh, a small part still missed the bright lights and quicker pace of New York.

She felt queasy with early pregnancy but avoided vomiting most of the trip, thanks to Davy supplying her with plenty of ginger ale and soda crackers before takeoff.

“They helped Mum when she was preggers with me,” he whispered.

Jax put a protective arm around Alex.
“Jsi v pořádku? Je dítě takže budete nemocný?”

“Budu v pořádku. Ranní nevolnost je normální v této fázi těhotenství.”

“Vy buďte opatrní. Nepoužívejte zdůraznit příliš mnoho.”

“Budu v pořádku, Jax.”

546

“Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” Troy teased them.

“Not today,” Jax answered with a grin. “Quit being so damn nosy.”

“I only wanted to check on Al.”

“What, you don’t trust me? You are one paranoid soul, Talmadge.”

“I’m okay, Troy,” Alex said. “Jax is doing a good job. You don’t have hover over me.”

“Talmadge gives new meaning to the term ‘helicopter parent’,” Marty cracked. “Or helicopter team captain in this case.”

“Someone has to help Coach keep you all in line,” Troy replied and returned to his seat beside Pierre.

“Yeah, but you sometimes go over the top.”

“You’ve become more of a smart ass for a guy whose contract is about to expire.”

Alex turned in her seat. “Are you returning next year?”

547

“Depends on the Rebels’ salary cap issues and whatever deal my agent works out,” Marty said. “He’s also fielding a couple other offers.”

“In other words, O’Freel’s agent is working hard to make him another team’s headache,” Brian joked.

“He’s following the money. Nobody’s interested in me just for my model good looks, you know.”

Alex laughed. “Don’t flatter yourself, Howdy Doody.”

“Admit it, Galloway; you’ll miss me if I leave. Who else will you heckle?”

“I doubt there will be a problem finding another victim.”

“Looks like you aren’t irreplaceable as you think, Marty,” Brian said.

“I love you too, Donahue.”

“Speaking of people who recently departed our fine organization, has anyone heard how Faust is doing?”

“He’ll be New York’s new starting goalie,” Lenny answered. “So I presume he’s adjusting well.”

548

“Poor guy; seems he’s kicked to a different team every year, but getting traded, released, or a better offer is all part of the game.”

“A $3.3 million starting goalie contract from New York played a role. I can’t blame Faust for accepting.”

“How about you, Hebert? Is your agent still considering the offer from Montreal?” Marty asked.

Reggie shrugged. “Probably, depends on what they have in mind.”

“I never leave,” Boris said. “This my team always.”

“Never say never, Furishnykov,” Lenny replied. “I spent five years in Carolina before getting traded to Pittsburgh.”

“Hey, guys.” Pierre held up a feather and gestured toward a now-sleeping Troy. “How about knocking off all the depressing trade and contract negotiation talk? Let’s have some fun.”

Lenny, Johann, Vince and Marty began snickering.

549

“Holy hell,” Reggie commented. “Captain’s snoring like a chain saw.”

“Try share room,” Boris said. “Troy snore all the time. Sometimes I no sleep unless use ear plugs. Then he have nerve to complain about me!”

Lenny pulled out his phone and caught video of the feather fluttering up and down near Troy’s lips. “I’m putting this on my blog. Talmadge’s fan girls and boys will love it.”

Troy awoke several minutes into the prank. “Huh? I must’ve dozed off…” He noticed the feather and grabbed it from Pierre. “Hilarious. You should think about finding another hobby.”

“I could’ve done worse and turned your face into an art canvas,” Pierre replied. “I brought Sharpies.”

“I swear to Christ if you much as place the tip of a Sharpie onto my skin, your ass will be kicked all the way back to Quebec.”

“Guys, leave the poor man alone,” Alex scolded. “The last few days have been exhausting for him.”

550

Byron looked up from his Bible with a quizzical expression. “Y’all need Jesus.”

“Welcome back to reality, Preacher,” Pierre said. “We almost thought you were left behind. You’ve been quiet since takeoff.”

“Flying to games is my devotion and meditation time, gentlemen.”

They were interrupted by an acrid odor filling the cabin, which silenced everyone else.

“Jesus!” Troy exclaimed and covered his nose with his shirt. “What the fuck crawled on board and died?”

Byron and Brian held their noses, ready to gag.

Davy fanned the air. “All right, which one of you blokes puffed?”

“Smells like one of Marty’s,” Reggie suggested.

Marty glared at him. “Oh hell no, Hebert; you are not
blaming that nastiness on
me.”

Vince cracked a smile. “Lenny’s the mad farter.”

“You dick!” Lenny cried. “I did no such thing.”

551

“Someone better claim what they aimed because the stink made Alex
zvracet
,” Jax barked.

“Do
what?”
Marty asked. “In English, Ivanka.”

“Barf! She had to use one of the barf bags.”

“Why not just say that in the first place?”

Johann confessed to the offensive aroma with a red face. “Sorry, everyone; the nutritionist put me on a new high-fiber diet and…well…never mind.”

“Damn, Baby Finn, you’re the last person we would’ve suspected,” Brian said. “That must be one hell of a diet if it makes your gas bad enough for Alex to lose her lunch.”

“It’s not fun for me either, dude.”

Alex wiped her face with a wet towelette. “Don’t be hard on Jo, guys. I’m okay.” She turned to Jax. “
Radost z časném těhotenství.”

He rubbed her shoulder. “
Relax nyní; nemůžete riskovat nic, co by mohlo zranit dítě.”

552

“Jsi tak roztomilá chová jako ustaraným táta.”

Jax grinned at her.
“Pokud si myslíte, že jsem teď roztomilý, počkejte, až budete rodit.”

Pierre leaned near Troy. “Do those two ever converse in English?”

“I have a feeling they do when no one else is present.”

“Is Alex really all right? She’s been sick a lot recently. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was–”

Troy clapped a hand over the goalie’s mouth. “Don’t say anything else!” He lowered his voice and spoke French.
“Si vous êtes en supposant que je pense que vous êtes, alors vous avez raison. Il suffit de ne pas dire à quelqu'un d'autre ou encore elle aura ma tête sur un plateau.”

“Oh merde, Troy. Elle est enceinte?”

“Oui, et devinez qui est le papa?”

“Voilà donc la ‘condition médicale non divulgué’ nos patrons gardent sous le boisseau?”

“Oui, mais encore une fois, garder les choses calme.”

553

Pierre nodded.
"Je pensais plutôt ce qui est arrivé depuis que je suis dans la même voie, pour ainsi dire, mais il est pas quelque chose qui peut être caché pour longtemps, alors pourquoi tout ce secret?"

“Elle va probablement faire une annoucement après le mariage.”

“Mariage? Quoi? Êtes-vous sérieux?”

“Ils ont l'intention de se marier après le bénéfice Casino Nuit semaine prochaine.”

“Si tôt?”

“Elle ne peut pas cacher son état à jamais.”

Pierre nodded.
“Bon point. Où sont-ils se marier?”

“Soit avant ou après nous jouons la Fortune à Las Vegas.”

“Voilà ce que je dirais un mariage de fusil de chasse!”

“Ne soyez pas brut. Son idée, pas le sien, par la manière.”

554

“Savez-vous si ils ont invité quelqu'un?”

“Non, ils veulent tout garder privé. Ils vont peut-être avoir une autre cérémonie, une fois que tout est à l'air libre.”

Pierre shook his head.
“Pas le genre de nouvelles que je attendait.”

“Imaginez comment je me sentais quand elle m'a dit qu'elle était enceinte.”

“Tu devais été choqué au-delà de la croyance.”

“Pour mettre à la légère. Si il ne veut pas être dans la photo, je voulais lui demander de me marier et d'adopter le bébé.”

“Vous seriez pris sur ce genre de responsabilité?”

“Oui; Je marche à travers le feu pour Al, pour ne pas mentionner combien je adore les enfants.”

Pierre patted Troy’s thigh. “You’re a good man.”

“Phew; a few were beginning to wonder if we got on the wrong plane,” Vince said.