Snowball's Chance (An Evanston River Otters Holiday Short) - eBook

Chapter One

Shane Hurst tromped down the tunnel toward the dressing room in Evanston’s practice facility.

He could hear Dean Tremblay still sniping pucks into the net behind him but nearly everyone else had cleared out after the morning’s skate, eager to get home for the holidays. Dean was undoubtedly eager to do the same, but he hadn’t been happy with his performance in the last game and wanted to refine his technique.

When Shane turned the corner, he came face to face with John Buchanan, the new head of HR for the Evanston River Otters ice hockey team.

John’s face brightened. “Oh, hey, just the man I’m looking for.”

Shane raised an eyebrow. “Hey. What’s up?”

“You got a business degree from Cornell University, right?”

“Uh, yeah.” Shane leaned his stick against the wall, tucked his gloves under his arm, and unstrapped his helmet.

“Why?”

“Well. This is probably a long shot, but you didn’t know a Noel Sutton while you were there, did you?”

Shane snorted. “Yeah. He tutored me in stats.”

John let out a thoughtful little hum. “Well, you know how we’ve been expanding our data analysis department, right?”

Shane nodded.

“We just hired Noel as the new stats guy.”

“Oh, sweet.” Shane grinned. “That’s great. He’s a huge data nerd. I’m sure he’ll kill it at a job like this.”

“We’re hopeful. God knows we could use all of the help we can get this season,” John said with a rueful laugh.

Shane nodded. It had been a rough start, that was for sure.

After the Otters entire top line retired at the end of last season and another player had been arrested, the team roster had changed drastically.

The head office had undergone some major changes as well and the team had been trying to find its groove since the season began. They’d known going into it that it would be a huge rebuild and Shane was supposed to be a part of that as their new second line center.

He was trying his best but there were definitely still some missing pieces, and they’d been talking about expanding their data analytics department for a while.

Hopefully they’d be able to figure out what the fuck was wrong with their special teams. Their penalty kill and power play units were a mess.

"Well, I'm sure you’ll be in good hands with Sutton.” Shane grinned as he thought about how easy statistics had seemed to a guy like Noel. “He’s the only reason I was still eligible to play in college.”

John laughed too. “Good to hear. But before you go, I didn’t just stop you to tell you about his hiring. I actually need to ask you a favor.”

“Oh. Sure.” Shane was even more confused now.

John rubbed his neck. “We’re, uh, in a bit of a situation. We’ve lined up housing for Sutton but the power’s out at the apartment complex due to the ice storm. We’d typically just put him up in a hotel until that gets resolved, but with the holidays and all of the flights being canceled all over the place … there’s no room at the inn now, I’m afraid.”

Shane nodded, grimacing. No surprise there. Shane definitely wasn’t making it out to Seattle to visit his family like he’d planned. “I hear you. Well, maybe Sutton’s flight will also be cancelled and you won’t have to worry about it.”

“Well, see, that’s the thing. Noel’s lease is up in St. Louis so he’d already turned in his keys when we found out about the power outage. He’s driving here now and he should make it to the Chicago area in about an hour or so. Maybe a little longer with the weather but we’re running short on time to find him a place.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah. My wife and I would offer him our spare room but the in-laws are in town. We thought you might be willing to put Sutton up for a few days. We were gonna ask a few guys around the office but when I realized you’d both gone to the same school, it seemed like a no-brainer to ask if you’d be up for letting him stay with you.”

“Sure,” Shane said with a shrug. “I’m gonna be on my own for the holidays anyway. It’s no problem. Sutton can definitely crash in my spare room for a bit.”

The relief on John’s face was clear. He clapped Shane on the shoulder. “Great. You mind sticking around until he arrives? The snow is starting to pick up but it’s not supposed to really hit Chicago for a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, no problem. I was going to get a little time in stretching, then hit the showers anyway, so that should be perfect.”

“Great.” John clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll find you once Noel arrives.”

“Sounds good.”

“And thanks, Hurst. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Seriously. No prob.” Shane gave him a smile. “It’s the holidays. No one should spend that alone in a strange city.”

***

“We’re really excited to have you here, Noel,” John said as they wound their way through the practice facility.

“Thanks. I’m excited to be here.” Noel smiled as they went around yet another corner.

It was going to take him a while to adjust to the layout.

Noel had been working with the St. Louis organization for several years and it was like starting from scratch again.

The people here seemed friendly though, so that was something.

“And that’s the tunnel to the main practice rink.” John gestured to the right, then picked up their earlier conversation again. “Sorry about the issues with housing. Normally, we have a good system in place but everything’s been a mess with these back-to-back storms.”

“Hey, I get it,” Noel said with a little shrug.

A winter storm had hit hard a few days ago, followed by a second huge snowstorm that had swept down from Canada, through Montana and Colorado, then hooked around to head north again, aiming straight for Illinois.

Noel had gotten out of St. Louis as quickly as he could, but he’d been trying to outrace the fast-moving snow and he’d spent hours battling that weather just to get here. It had caught up to him at one point and he’d barely been able to see I-55 as he drove north.

He could still feel the tension in his shoulders and neck from struggling to keep his car on the road, and a headache was starting.

Probably didn’t help that it had been hours since he’d ingested anything but gas station food and shitty coffee.

But he’d made it here in one piece and they’d figured out a place for him to stay, which was all that mattered.

“So, who am I staying with?” Noel asked as they approached the dressing room.

“Well, that’s what I’m about to tell you,” John shot back with a grin. “Do you remember Shane Hurst?”

Noel’s stomach dropped. Oh no. God, he hoped he was wrong about what John was about to suggest.

He smiled tightly. “Yeah. I tutored him in college.”

John beamed. “That’s what he said. Said he’d never have made it here without you. When I found out you went to the same school in New York, it seemed like fate. He has a spare bedroom he’s happy to let you crash in and he’ll be staying in town over the holidays. It looks like you’ll be able to catch up, huh?”

Noel stifled a sigh. Of all of the people at this organization, it had to be Shane Fucking Hurst that Noel was going to spend the holidays with.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

Obviously, Noel knew Shane was one of the restricted free agents the Evanston River Otters had picked up this summer to plug the gaping holes in their lineup.

Everyone in the NHL was following their rebuild.

And when Noel had interviewed with the organization, he’d known if he took the job, he’d probably run into Shane occasionally.

But working in the front office, he’d never expected to spend serious one-on-one time with any of the players, least of all the guy he’d hated since college.

And now with a storm bearing down on them and no options to go anywhere else, Noel was going to be trapped in an apartment with the dude for days.

Great. Just fucking great.

“Let me just see if Shane is here in the dressing room.”

John knocked on one of the double doors before he opened it and peered in. “Hey, Shane. I’m showing Noel around the facility. You mind if we pop in to chat?”

“Nope. Come on in.”

Noel’s stomach tightened at the sound of the familiar voice.

John threw open the doors with a grin, revealing a shirtless man dressed in a pair of snug underwear and nothing else. His pale skin was pink and his blond hair was still darkened from the shower.

Fuck. Shane had gotten even better looking.

Noel hadn’t really kept up with Shane’s career much. He’d seen games on TV of course and he knew his stats, but he’d tried to ignore Shane whenever the camera panned to him on the bench or he popped up on social media or whatever.

It was hard to ignore him now though. He looked … fuck, he looked good.

Shane had been twenty-two when they saw each other last and he’d filled out a lot in the past five years.

His shoulders and arms were, unfortunately, mesmerizing.

Noel forced himself to keep his eyes glued on Shane’s upper half, but he could still see the sculpted planes of Shane’s stomach and the tight muscles of his arms as he tugged sweats on.

But Noel made sure his gaze never moved lower. No matter how tempting it was.

There was a certain etiquette to being around guys in a locker room that Noel had learned years ago. You never, ever let your gaze wander or linger too long because a straight guy might take it the wrong way.

Even now that there were out players in the league, it was a habit Noel hadn’t outgrown.

And well, there was the fact that Shane had dated his sister and Noel really hated his guts for the way he’d broken her heart.

“Hey, it’s great to see you, Noel,” Shane said when he had pants on, sticking out a hand to shake and slapping his shoulder with the other, all smiles. “Been a while, huh?”

“Hurst,” Noel said tersely as they shook hands, grateful Shane had some clothes on now.

Shane’s expression fell a little and he let out a small, puzzled laugh. “I mean, I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, but you can call me Shane.”

Noel cleared his throat. “Sure. Sounds good. And uh, yeah, it’s definitely been a while, Shane.”

John glanced between them, a little frown furrowing the spot between his brows. “Everything okay here?”

“Yes,” Noel said, lying through his teeth. “Definitely. Just, uh, getting a bit of a headache, I think.”

“Oh shit. You need some water or painkillers or something?” Shane asked, his tone concerned. “I’ve got both in my bag.”

“No. I’ll get something later. Thanks though.” Noel smiled tightly.

“Congrats on the new job, by the way,” Shane said, his easy smile returning as he stepped back toward his locker and reached for a T-shirt. “I told John the team is going to be in great hands now. We need a data nerd like you.”

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Noel said as politely as he could manage.

“Are you guys all set here?” John asked as he glanced at his phone with a grimace. “I hate to run but we’ve got a full house of in-laws and the kids are home from school. It’s probably a zoo there and my wife is holding down the fort …”

“Yeah, we can take it from here,” Noel assured him. “Thanks for sticking around. I really appreciate it.”

A relieved look crossed John’s face. “Sure, no problem. Hope you have a great Christmas and enjoy catching up on the college days. Great to have you on board, Noel. Welcome to the Evanston River Otters.”

“Merry Christmas,” Noel said with a smile as he shook John’s hand. “I’m looking forward to my first day at work next week.”

With a few more pleasantries, John excused himself and it was just Noel and Shane in the locker room.

A shower ran in the background and an equipment guy had just left, wheeling out a cart filled with dirty laundry.

So they weren’t alone, but it felt like they were, and Noel’s tension ramped up.

“So, did John tell you that you’d be staying with me for the next few days?” Shane pulled on a hoodie, his voice temporarily muffled. He tugged it down, then smoothed his damp hair, smiling.

Noel stifled a sigh. It was really unfortunate that he looked so good in the team’s colors. Teal was a great shade on a guy with a fair complexion, blond hair, and blue eyes.

“Yeah. Uh, thanks for letting me crash there. It’s nice of you,” Noel said stiffly. “I really appreciate it.”

Shane shot him a puzzled frown but didn’t say anything as he slipped socks and shoes on.

“So, uh.” Shane cleared his throat, tossing a few things in a duffel. “I’m just about ready to head out if you are.”

“I have nowhere else to go,” Noel said with a rueful little laugh that definitely came out more bitter than he’d been aiming for. “Sorry for imposing on you though.”

Shane gave him a lazy shrug, reaching for a parka. “Hey, I get it. Trades are a bitch and I can’t imagine relocating for a job in the head office is any easier. I stayed with Dean Tremblay and his family when I got here.”

“Oh nice,” Noel said, his curiosity to learn more about the team overriding his dislike of Shane. “I’ve heard great stuff about Tremblay. I was glad they gave him the captaincy after Zane Murphy retired.”

“Yeah, Dean’s unreal.” Shane shot him a little grin as he hefted his duffel onto his shoulder, then walked to the door. “The whole Tremblay family is. I was a little sorry when I left their house, actually. The whole family is awesome and they have a great dog. Probably just as well I moved out though. His wife, Naomi, makes killer cupcakes and I was having a tough time sticking to my diet, you know?”

Noel chuckled and followed Shane out of the room.

Damn. He’d forgotten how charming Shane could be. He was one of those likeable guys who people were always drawn to. And, well, Noel had never been immune to his charms. But he also hadn’t forgotten what a number he’d done on his sister, Adrienne, either.

She was only a year older than him and they’d always looked out for one another.

At some point, Noel was going to give Shane an earful about how he’d treated her.

“So what made you decide to take the job here?” Shane asked.

Noel shrugged. “Just needed a change of pace and they had a great position open up.”

He certainly wasn’t going to tell Shane that last summer he’d broken up with his boyfriend of two years and had hated rattling around his empty apartment or going to downtown St. Louis and being smacked in the face with reminders of the way the relationship had ended.

Shane knew he was gay, of course. Noel had never hidden it, but that didn’t mean he was eager to open up about his personal life.

Shane nodded. “I get that. It was pretty much the same for me.”

They both fell silent for a moment.

“How was your drive up here?” Shane asked as they passed the weight room.

“It sucked,” Noel admitted when they reached the exit doors. He peered outside. All he could see was white.
“Roads were already bad and they’re definitely not improving.”

Shane grimaced. “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to the drive to my place but at least it’s not far. Are you planning to follow me?”

“I don’t know that I’ll be able to if visibility gets any worse. Maybe you should give me your address, just in case I lose you?”

“Sure.” Shane pulled out his phone. “We should exchange numbers too.”

After that was all done and Noel had programmed the address into his navigation app, he caught a glimpse of Shane studying him intently.

“What?” he asked, self-conscious.

Shane tilted his head. “You look really different.”

“Five years will do that to a guy.”

“No, it’s more than that.” Shane frowned. “I don’t quite know how to put my finger on it but you really have changed.”

“Well, let me know if you figure it out.” Noel glanced away. “So are we going now, or what?”

The exhaustion was hitting him hard, his head still ached, and he needed food. He was losing patience by the second.

Shane gestured between the two of them, frowning. “Hey, am I imagining this?”

“Imagining what?”

“That you’re, uh, not real happy to see me.”

“Sorry,” Noel said, aware it came out sounding totally insincere. “It’s just been a long day, you know?”

Shane stared at him. “Are you sure that’s all? You seem … really weird.”

“Well, maybe I wasn’t exactly thrilled to find out I was staying with you of all people,” Noel said with a grimace. Apparently, they were doing this now.

“Me of all people? What the fuck does that mean?” Shane asked.

“Oh come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

But Shane looked baffled. “I really don’t.”

Noel snorted. “Of course it was no big deal to you.”

“What was no big deal? I seriously don’t know why you’re so pissed at me.”

Noel let out a bitter laugh and pushed the door open, the wind nearly snatching it from his hand as he called over his shoulder, “Oh, let me think. Maybe because you broke my sister’s heart, you asshole.”

This ebook contains scenes discussing the fact that Shane was previously involved with Noel's sister.

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