The Brick Wall

Chapter 23

Curtis POV

  I walked away with a shutout.

  It wasn't a pretty win.  We were tied at zero through the end of the third period which meant overtime. Our overtime is a three on three five minute period, first to score wins. But as luck would have it, we held our own through the round, leading us to a shootout.

  Thanks to my quick glove and a fancy deke from Thaddeus, we won.

  "Nice shot!" I slap at the back of Thad's helmet as the rest of the guys join us on ice to celebrate.

  His grin is wide and bright, "Just doing my job."

  I was flying high, we all were.  And tonight, I had nothing to hurry and get home to other than an empty hotel bed and a call I couldn't make because it was definitely too late. "Hotel bar?" I ask Blake as we dress back in our suits.

  "No way," Thad speaks, coming closer. "Are you actually wanting to go out tonight? To join us in a celebration?"  The idiot looks shocked, and I can't argue that, this isn't a normal occurrence for me.

  "I mean, I don't have-"

  "He's just worried you'll pull before him," Blake chimes in. "And honestly, between the two of you, my money's on you, Everett."

  "Your money is on him? Dude, where's your loyalty?" Thad whines.  "Everett probably doesn't even know how to talk to a woman. Look how he was with Mandy, and she practically gave the guy a lap dance! He's got no game, I guarantee it."

  "Morgan," I snap back quickly while tying my shoes.

  "What?" he snickers.

  "The woman's name was Morgan." I stand to full height, pulling my foot off the bench. "Pardon me, while I'm not interested in someone who appeared to have been passed around the team a bit much for my liking."  I glance around the room, a  handful of the guys giving me the look that tells me my assessment was correct.

  Thad nods as he walks over closer, his voice carrying through the room. "Okay, alright. I'll give you that one. But tonight, we bet."

  Nothing good can ever come from the word 'bet.'

  "What do you say man?"

  I don't get a word out before a first year rookie is asking, "What's the conditions?"

  Thad squares off at me from the middle of the room. "Five hundred bucks says The Wall can't get a girl back to his room."

  Immediately this time I speak up, ignoring the 'oohs' coming from my teammates. "Not happening."  No one is coming back to my room, bet or no bet.

  "Oh, no!" He starts laughing. "That's it. You can't get it up! That explains the high and mighty, holier than thou act you put on that night with Melissa."

  Another handful of the guys start chiming in, nudging each other to take in the show before them. I grind my teeth. "Her name was Morgan, dickhead."

  "And yet you're not denying your little problem." He laughs. "Emphasis on the little."

  "What I can and can't do with a woman is none of your business, Cap," his title comes out bitterly on my tongue. "Maybe you should be a little more concerned about your time on the ice rather than getting into some girl's pants."

  I took only a small blow with my comment. I could've aimed higher given the information Blake told me earlier.

  The aforementioned man comes to my rescue in a way as I see Thad's chest start to puff out. I'm not scared of the guy, I've got a couple inches and at least thirty pounds on the guy without my gear.  "Let's keep the bet, but maybe not such high stakes," Blake offers.