Practice continued like that for two hours. Every time we crossed paths, it was a battle. I was extra aggressive, extra cold. I ignored his passes. I barked orders at the team that purposefully left him out of the play.
By the time I got back to the locker room, the guys were already talking.
"Damn, Simpson," Toby said, pulling off his helmet. "You really laid into him today. I guess that chemistry talk was just a fluke, huh?"
"I told you," I said, heading for the showers. "It’s business. He’s a center. I’m a wing. If he can’t handle the hit, he shouldn't be on the ice."
I walked into the shower area, the steam filling the room. I stood under the hot water, letting it wash away the sweat and the guilt. I felt a presence behind me. I knew the scent of his soap. I knew the sound of his f
