Shutout

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWODominic

He tossed his helmet into his locker and pulled off his pads. Dominic Zanetti was one of the goaltenders for the Pittsburgh Renegades. As usual, today’s practice had him on one end of the ice, and Kaden O’Conner, the other goalie, on the opposite end. It had been a long and grueling hour full of suicide drills, multiple laps around the ice, and working on line maneuvers and one-timer shots on goal. It was physically and mentally exhausting, just the way he liked it. Pushing himself to the limit gave him a sense of accomplishment like no other.

His muscles ached, and he was overheated from the workout, yet chilled from the ice. Sweat caused his Under Armour t-shirt to cling to his torso; he really needed a shower. Looking around the room, he saw that most of the men were taking their time getting undressed. The lucky guys hit the showers first, no chance to run out of hot water, and today was his lucky day.

The veteran players typically forced the rookies to get the last of the hot water and usually a cold finish to their shower, and he’d had too many cold showers as a newbie. Dom was a rookie no longer; Torin, Kyler and Mateo now had that role. He ditched his nasty clothes, grabbed his towel and headed to the shower stall.

The only guys who followed him were Tyler, Kaden, Matt, Patrick and Kris. They filled the room, leaving large gaps between each man. As in typical man-child style, no one man wanted to stand directly next to another. It would only end in twelve-year-old boy humor and a pissing contest, so if the guys knew any better, they just avoided it.

Quickly Dom soaped up, washed his hair, and rinsed before grabbing his towel to dry off. Hurrying back to the locker area, he noticed that the equipment manager had already been through the lockers gathering dirty laundry, so luckily all their sweaty and rank gear had been cleared out, along with the accompanying odor. It was quiet for a moment, but echoes of laughter and crude jokes filled the room as Tyler, Patrick, and Matt filed in. Kaden soon followed.

“Where’d Dom run to?” Matt asked.

“Dunno, but do you blame him for hurrying out of there? Trust me, no one wants to look at your wrinkled old a*s any longer than they have to!” Patrick joked as they walked into the locker area. He nodded to Dom.

“How do you know it’s wrinkled? Stop looking at my a*s, Pat,” Matt said as he adjusted his towel, unfortunately flashing Kaden and Dom.

“Whoa! Dude! Put that away. Damn.” Kaden covered his eyes in jest.

“Jealous, O’Conner?” Matt grinned as he covered himself up.

“Hardly. More like scarred for life at how wrinkly it was. Is your junk supposed to look like that? Maybe you should consult a doctor or something.”

“Kaden, at his age, things do wrinkle,” Tyler said dryly, hiding his smile.

“f**k all of you!” Matt yelled before stomping to his locker, purposely dropping his towel altogether. The guys let out a collective groan.

Dom stood facing his locker, quickly dropped his towel and pulled up his boxer briefs in the same movement. His mocha brown hair was shaved on the sides and back, but longer on top. He typically liked to mess around with styles; sometimes he’d spike it, sometimes it was a mohawk, other times it just fell to the side. But right now it was still dripping wet. He grabbed his towel and rubbed his hair until most of the moisture was gone.

Grabbing his hair dryer, he walked barefoot in only his boxer briefs over to the mirrors. He ignored the chatter behind him and ran his fingers through his damp hair while the warm air started to dry the strands. Turning the blow dryer off for a moment, he sprayed a pile of mousse into his palm, then worked it through his mini mane before continuing to dry it. He ran his fingers through his hair as he styled it. The look was messy, just the way he liked it.

He admired his tattoos in the mirror before returning to his locker. His newest tattoo on his neck had healed nicely, a brilliant orange and black tiger with its mouth open showing its teeth, snarling. He had his last name, ZANETTI, curved around his neckline. The hockey logos for Toronto and New York graced his back on his shoulders, with the Renegades logo at the base of his neck. The word “Dynasty” was inked across his shoulders between the two logos. Various designs covered his arms down to his wrists. He had Z-DYNASTY inked by the knuckles of his fingers.

His family values were solid, instilled in him since childhood, plus he was proud of their hockey legacy. His mom hated his tattoos, but she loved him. She was his rock. All those years his dad was traveling with the team, it was just the two of them, until his brother Dante came along. By then his dad had decided to retire to concentrate on Dom’s hockey quest. His two sisters were older than he was and when he was growing up they were always off playing sports or out with friends.

The logos were in honor of his grandad, who used to play for Toronto, and his dad, who had played for New York. His little brother Dante was being scouted already. Soon they’d add another to their hockey legacy. They were, no doubt, the Zanetti hockey dynasty.

His nephews now played ice hockey, and even though their last name wasn’t Zanetti, someday they’d follow in the family footsteps too. The one girl in the family, his niece Mikayla, even played Lacrosse.

“Yo, Dom! You looked good out there today,” Tyler called from in front of his locker. His was on the other side of the room, facing Dom and Kaden’s lockers.

“Yeah, you were on point this morning, Meatball,” Patrick added, using the nickname some of the guys called him, since he was from an Italian family. “And don’t worry, superstar, your hair looks beautiful as always.”

Kaden laughed as his blond hair fell into his face. He had the typical overgrown and shaggy “hockey hair” and the ladies loved it. He was already dressed; the reporters would be in any minute.

“Your hair takes as long as mine, Kaden, so shut the hell up.”

“I think our goalies have the best hair in the league,” Kris said.

“Can they quote you on that?” Paige Martin, the Renegades PR assistant asked from the doorway. With a pen tucked behind one ear, and dark blond hair up in a bun, she commanded everyone’s attention. Her tight business style skirt hugged her curves, and her high heels accentuated her shapely legs, but no guy dared ogle her — she was Tyler’s girl. “Kidding, of course. Gentleman, this way.”

She motioned for the media folks to enter the locker room, winking at Tyler before she continued. “Okay folks, like I told you earlier, the players you can talk to are as follows: Kaden, Kris, Dominic. Coach Walker is available as well.” She motioned to the men scattered around the locker room.

“No Tyler Kidd? That’s not fair!” one reporter called, and a few groaned.

Tyler gave a nod before Paige gave the okay to the media. “Remember, non-game day interviews are quick; we’re not staying here all day. So just a few questions, and when I say time’s up, you’re done.”

Paige never gave the media much choice in the matter; what she said went. Period. If they didn’t like her rules, she showed them the door or threatened to pull their credentials.

Melanie, Paige’s boss, entered the room. She was tall with dark hair. Her business skirt was not form fitting like Paige’s, but no one really thought of Mel as ‘sexy’. She was more like their sister. “The rest of you men can leave if you’d like. No reason for you to hang around.”

“Thanks, Mel, but we like listening to the boys talk,” Patrick joked. “It’s so motivational.” His voice laced with sarcasm.

Melanie rolled her eyes and stifled a chuckle. “Suit yourselves. Paige, I’ll be in Coach’s office if you need me.”

“Dominic,” one reporter called for his attention. “Do you think you’ll start next game?”

“I won’t know until I know, and by then you’ll already know, I’m sure.” He laughed, because the media seemed to know things even before the players did.

“Dominic,” someone else called from the crowd. “You looked good out there this morning. Any health issues at all?”

“Nope. I’m ready to play.” Odd question.

“Dom, any new tattoos?” A young woman’s voice squeaked out from the crowd.

The reporters were supposed to stick to hockey questions; when they got off topic, it pissed Paige off. Before he could glance at Paige, he heard her heels clicking on the locker room floor as she walked towards the crowd of reporters. “Dom, everything going okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded to her and directed his attention and trademark smile to the crowd.

“Dom, your contract is up at the end of the year. Are you hoping to stay on or maybe get a starting goaltender position with another team? Wouldn’t you rather be a starting goalie?”

Really? Sometimes these f*****g questions are so annoying. Being a starting goalie would be great, but right now he and Kaden were doing great goaltending in tandem. They both got equal ice time because of it, plus neither of them was labeled ‘backup goalie’. Typically, the backup goaltender got the most criticism, and wasn’t the favorite amongst fans, in his experience anyway.

Dom pasted a grin on his face. God, how he hated these question and answer sessions. Give him an old-fashioned, one-on-one interview with a single reporter any day. “Haha, I want to stay here in Pittsburgh, absolutely. I think Kaden and I make a great duo, and I have no interest in going elsewhere.”

The reporters slowly dwindled, moving on to other players with their questions. It was only practice this morning; there wasn’t much to ask about.

As the last one left the locker room, Paige waved to the guys before following him out. Tyler got up and followed her out of the room, before returning quickly.

“So guys, you all are coming to my bachelor party tomorrow night, right?” Tyler asked, while zipping up his gym bag.

“The big day is coming up soon huh, Ty?” Patrick asked, as he finished putting on his shoes.

“Yep, few weeks.”

“Dom, you’re going to the party, aren’t you?” Kaden asked, his blond hair hanging in his eyes.

Dominic shrugged. “I guess.”

Kaden lowered his voice. “You have to go. Trust me. I backed out of the bachelor party they had for Kris, and they still don’t let me forget it.”

“Yo, K-dog! You coming to celebrate Ty’s freedom? Maybe I should say the demise of his freedom. Or are you backing out of this one, too?” Matt yelled across the locker room.

All eyes focused on Kaden for a moment, except Dom. He was watching the quiet response from the team. It was as if they were giving Matt the attention he craved and ignoring him all at the same time.

“I’ll be there,” Kaden grumbled, his glare meeting Dom’s. Kaden was always a team player, but for some reason he had a low tolerance for Matt.

“Good, I thought you might be getting your hair done or some girly a*s thing like that.” Matt smirked.

Tyler passed by Dom’s locker, half dressed. He tapped Dom’s leg as he paused. “Don’t worry, it’ll be a good time.”

Dom thought about how he could back out of going, but knew it wouldn’t work. Not with these guys. Strip clubs weren’t his thing, a bar maybe. He could drink with the best of them. But strippers? It wasn’t like he was going to go home with one; he didn’t need used goods and he certainly never had to pay for it. Even though he was unattached at the moment, that was an option he’d never consider.

His eyes caught the calendar on the wall. Tomorrow was the twentieth. Hailee’s birthday, his high school sweetheart. His one regret. According to her, he had been stifling her. Since when is wanting to take care of someone for the rest of their lives being stifling?

She had walked out when he’d proposed, leaving a gaping hole in his heart and his trust. He never had understood what he’d done to make her to leave, and he missed her. He hadn’t looked at a girl the same way since.

Hailee was gorgeous — big blue eyes that always seemed to look right through him, long light brown hair, the softest hair he had ever touched, and her lips, they were always light pink from her favorite go-to lip gloss.

That last moment with Hailee, him on one knee, holding out an engagement ring and waiting for her answer was burned into his memory. It still made him sick to his stomach to think about the look on her face, and her answer that tore a hole in his heart.

He’d wanted her and hockey, that was all. Was that really so much to ask for? He wanted a wife that was proud of him and a houseful of mini-hockey players, well, eventually. Hockey was important to him and his family; he had to make sure he lived up to the family tradition. But then Hailee was gone, and before long, he’d been traded to Pittsburgh.

Leaving everything in his past back in Canada was his best move yet. A fresh start with a new team hadn’t healed his trust issues, but who needed trust when he had so many bunnies who didn’t want more than a few hours of his attention? He was a hot new name in the league, and they knew that; a night with him meant serious bunny status for them.

No one back home talked about Hailee, and he was fairly sure they were all under a hush order from her brother. He could be a bully when he wanted; he was large and bulky and could look scary. The one time Dom did try to reach out to her, her number was disconnected. There was no trace of her anywhere — if she’d wanted to get lost, she had sure accomplished that. She was even nonexistent on social media, and nowadays that was hard to do.

He was a different story. Paige was good at cleaning up the messes that the team got themselves into, but it wasn’t always so easy. The girls, the alcohol, the parties, it could all be ugly if it got on social media. Being pegged a party boy was the one thing the Renegades wanted to avoid — Dominic Zanetti was their franchise’s future.

Alcohol sounded like the perfect way to spend tomorrow evening, and honestly, the female attention would surely be welcome. His last girlfriend was more of a distraction than anything — because she wasn’t Hailee — and that wasn’t enough for her, not that he blamed her. He wasn’t ready to trust anyone else with his heart yet. His only interest was a hot body to tend to his, all night. That was the end of that.

Focusing back on reality, Dom found the locker room was full of energy, everyone high-fiving Tyler and voicing that they’d be there.

“So, you going?” Kaden asked.

“Not sure…”

Before the words exited his mouth, Matt was badgering him. “Of course you’re going, Meatball! I’ll even buy you a lap dance.”

“Nah I’m good, Matt. Thanks anyways.” Some bimbo dancing up on guy after guy, then on me? No thanks. He could find his own girl to take home, and not one from the strip club. All he had to do was look out into the parking lot of the arena.

“Yeah, Dom, even Kris and Pat are being let out of the house to go, so you better be there too!” Tyler called from across the room.

“It’s not like we needed permission or something, damn.” Kris shook his head. Tyler always ragged on them about that.

“Maybe you didn’t…” Patrick laughed. Patrick had a bad history of womanizing before meeting his wife, Gia. And his new missus didn’t like taking chances with him, even though he had proven his love to her over and over. He was a love-struck fool and everyone knew it, even his new wife.

“Yeah, that couldn’t have been easy, considering…” Tyler commented with a laugh. Everyone knew the history. Gia used to be with Tyler. Long story short: after an ugly situation with Pat and Tyler, she ended up as Mrs. Patrick Dubois. The details of what happened were no longer important, since the two men had made amends, and Tyler had met the real woman of his dreams, so now it was Tyler’s turn to get hitched.

“Dom, if I’m going, you are too. I’ll keep you out of trouble.” Patrick winked. For some reason, Patrick saying he’d keep Dom out of trouble was laughable. Pat used to be the guy that needed kept out of trouble. He was a media nightmare when he stole Tyler’s girlfriend. But somehow, everything worked out.

“I’m not sure how I feel about that,” Dom responded. Getting drunk and leaving his fate in Pat’s hands didn’t seem like a very responsible decision. “Kris, you got my back, right?”

“Absolutely, my friend,” Kris said.

Over the last year, Dom and Kris had found what the media liked to call a real bromance. Maybe it was their Canadian heritage, or maybe it was just because Dom was the newbie and Kris was an upstanding teammate, always willing to lend a hand.

Or maybe it was because once, very briefly, Kris had thought his girl Kat, now his wife, was having an affair with Dom. When Kris finally learned she was just writing a story about Dom and his family, that was when the two men started to bond. That article got Kat a promotion and a spot as a feature writer for a popular hockey magazine.

Dom always thought Kris felt bad for his assumptions, and Dom being the newbie on the team, Kris had gone out of his way to make him a big part of the Renegades. But all that was in the past. This team had more drama than an afternoon talk show.

“Great, it’s settled!” Tyler, now fully dressed, swung his hockey bag over his shoulder, grabbed his stick and headed to the door. “I’ll see you all tomorrow night!”