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When we all have our drinks in hand, Alex stands up and looks at me "You’ve been an inspiration to this team, Ryker I may be the captain, but your veteran experience and wisdoether last month I have no clue where we’re headed in the playoffs--"

"We’re going all the fucking way, baby," Garrett chimes in

"--but I know our best chance of success is because we have the hottest goalie in the league right noho also happens to be a legend already by way of his past record We’re going to hurt without you next year, man, but I have to say…I think you have a hell of a woman to compensate"

"Hear! Hear!" Zack says We all raise our bottles, tapping the long necks against each other

I take a sip, feel it’s a little hard to s past the lump in my throat This decision made, I can now start to mourn the loss of my career and then be able to put all of irl

Chapter 26

Gray

As I drive into htly, but today has been so stressful I hope Ryker brings two bottles of wine and asms with him My shoulders are stiff with tension andthat happened today, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to do s to me

To say the o well is an understatement From the moment he walked intooff of him Frank felt it too, because he shot me a wary look as we all sat down at the round table that sat four comfortably I found it was more conducive to honesty if we sat around an inti between us

Frank sat to ave hilareclose to hatred of me flicker It rease

I decided not to pull any punches or atte to offer affirht off him So I went in for the kill, sharp and fast

"Claude…I know you abhorI represent, but I also know one thing you can’t argue with is your plus-"

He narrows his eyes at ue has used this particular sports statistic since the 1960s to measure player impact It’s pretty simple Your score is increased by one for every tioal is scored, and decreased by one if you’re on the ice when your teaoal

Claude’s is at a ue It’s the absolute lowest on our team