1. Emma

Chapter 1

Emma

" F uck it!" I snarl. "Fuck it all to hell and back!" I shake the PC monitor, and it wobbles precariously on its perch, aggravating me further as I re-read the email for the tenth time.

To Miss Thornton,

I hereby resign from my position as coach of the Nessie Warriors. I cannot work under these circumstances so it's best that I leave effective immediately.

Colin McCrae

"You slimy fucker!" Storming from the office, I slam the door behind me, making the partitioned office walls shake under the force of my anger. How dare he? How dare he do this to the Warriors? I knew he didn't like me, but jeez, this is taking it a bit too far. Who knew middle-aged Scottish men were so fucking dramatic? Well, he wants drama? I can give him a Shakespearean performance in front of a crowd.

"Colin!" I bellow, taking the stairs two at a time, my titties bouncing around, practically knocking me out in my haste. "Colin!"

Lachlan meets me at the side of the rink as I march through the arena, a concerned expression adorning his adorable face. "Emma? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I say stiffly, not ready to throw accusations about just yet. I want to speak to Colin first. Okay, I want to yell at him and tell him to quit being a baby and pull his finger out of his arse for the team. I don't give a flying fuck if he doesn't like me, this is unacceptable behaviour. "Where's Colin?" I add.

Lachlan furrows his brow. "He left about five minutes ago. He said something came up, and he had to go. Emma, what's going on?"

I clench my fists, frustration and anger bubbling up inside me. "That coward! He quit, Lachlan. He sent me an email quitting, effective immediately."

"What?" Lachlan's eyes widen in disbelief. "He can't do that. We're weeks away from the start of the season! And we have that friendly tomorrow!"

"Well, he did," I growl, looking all around as if that will make Colin magically appear out of thin air.

Spoiler Alert: it doesn't.

"Damn him," I mutter, teetering on the verge of tears. "What am I going to do?"

I look up into Lachlan's worried blue eyes, our time in the office a close memory, making me all lusty and nymph-like. He grips my shoulders as he sees the tears pooling. "Don't panic. This is something we can get through. It's not as bad as it seems."

"No? You were panicking a second ago." I point the finger at him, much to his chagrin. He gives me a sheepish smile.

"Panicking is such a strong word. I was marginally concerned."

I snort. "Yeah, sure, okay, big man."

He grins, and suddenly, I feel like this might be okay. Things don't seem to be doom and gloom in the face of that dazzling smile.

I shake my head. "Lachlan, you always know how to make me feel better. But we're still fucked. We can't just conjure a new coach out of thin air."

"No shit," he jokes. "But, you forget, Emma. You have a team that has experience and expertise. We've got this."

I nod. It's comforting, knowing that despite this new chaos, I've got this solid wall of a man willing to stand beside me, both on and off the ice.

"Right then," I say, rolling up my sleeves as if that will physically help me with the mental work ahead. "We need an interim coach for tomorrow's match against the Castle Arrows."

An impish grin spreads across Lachlan's face. "Well, as team Captain, and seeing as we've no one else daft enough to step into Colin's place at short notice, I'll do it."

"You?" My eyebrows shoot up. "A player-coach?"

"Why not?" He shrugs, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Look around this rink. These lads are my family; I know them better than anyone."

I can't argue with that. His knowledge of the game and our players is unmatched, and besides, we really don't have any other options.

"Fine." I sigh dramatically, but can't keep the smile from tugging at my lips. "You've got the conch."

He gives me a grossed-out look. "I fucking hated that book."

"Me too," I giggle, "but it works for our purpose."

"Right then," Lachlan says, clapping his hands together. "Let's get cracking."

I glance at him. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

He nods firmly. "Absolutely sure. We can get through this."

Turning to head back up to my office to attempt to find a new Coach and leave Lachlan to handle the fallout down here, I realise, I'm being a bit of a coward too. I need to pull my big girl knickers up and face the team like my dad would.

Spotting Keir striding towards us, his green eyes flicking between me and Lachlan, I take a deep breath. He smiles softly and kisses the top of my head in a cute gesture, which would normally make me all gooey inside, but today, I'm too nervous. He frowns down at me. "What's wrong?" he asks.

"Colin quit," I blurt out before Lachlan can say anything.

Keir's eyebrows go skyward. "What? Is this for real? He just buggered off?"

"Yeah," I say tightly. "Guess he couldn't handle the heat."

Keir exchanges a look with Lachlan before nodding slowly. "Okay then. What now?"

"We move forward, that's what," Lachlan says decisively. He turns to face both of us, his broad shoulders square and resolute. "I'm stepping in as interim coach for tomorrow's match."

Keir's eyes widen a fraction before he nods, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Well, if anyone can do it, it's you."

The three of us stand there for a moment, the tension easing slightly. I take a deep breath, feeling a little lighter, knowing that I'm not alone in this mess.

"Lachlan," I say softly, meeting those piercing blue eyes. "Thank you."

He gives me a lopsided grin. "Anytime, baby girl."

My cheeks heat up as he calls me that in the middle of where everyone can hear him, and he chuckles wickedly, enjoying my discomfort. Clearing my throat, I say, "Can you gather the team while I email the League Officials, so I can give them the news? They'll need to know."

"Sure thing," he says and squeezes my hand before he and Keir amble off and I head back up to the office.

Back at my desk, I sit down and start drafting an email to the League Officials about Colin's sudden resignation and our temporary coaching arrangement. My focus sharpens as I type, knowing that every word counts. This is my chance to prove myself not just to the team, but to everyone doubting my capabilities.

Once I hit send, I take a deep breath with my eyes closed, gathering myself for a moment. There are going to be a lot of questions and a lot of animosity chucked at me for making Colin leave. I know that's how it's going to go down. I don't have to be a genius to figure this shit out. But somehow, I have to handle it like a professional and not cry when they accuse me of being a liability to this team who knows jack shit about the game or anything else, probably.

My heart thumps as I open my eyes and rise, stalking out of the office with my head held high. There will be time enough later to cry about how mean everyone was to me at home with Anna and a bottle of vino. Oh, and pizza and fries. Maybe some chicken wings…

Shaking my head to refocus, I take the stairs a little less hastily this time, keeping the girls in check and bunching my sweaty hands into tight fists. Licking my dry lips, I walk around the rink, shivering from the icy cold and nerves.

As I approach the locker room with caution, I stamp my feet a bit louder and start coughing to announce my arrival before I thump loudly on the open door.

The team looks up at me, making a racket, like I've lost my marbles, and I figure this has not got off on the right foot.

"Hey guys," I say lamely. So much for projecting confidence and Dad-like attitude. I inwardly roll my eyes at myself and clear my throat with force, nearly making myself choke. "I've got some news. Colin has quit as team coach, leaving us in a bit of a pickle."

Pickle?

Fucking pickle?

I loathe myself…

The room falls silent as the lads exchange glances, their expressions ranging from shock to disbelief. Lachlan steps forward, taking over the reins, and I'm not sure if I appreciate it or not.

"Right, listen up!" His voice cuts through the silence with the authority of a seasoned leader, pulling everyone's attention back from their thoughts. "Until we find a new coach," he continues, "I'll be stepping in as interim coach for our match against the Castle Arrows tomorrow."

A murmur ripples through the team. Some are nodding in approval, others still processing the news. Keir stands by Lachlan, his enforcer face in place as his fierce glare dares anyone to make a comment that isn't to his liking.

An awkward silence stretches until the player Anna was flirting with, Jamie, raises his hand like he's back in school. "So, does this mean fewer shuttleruns during practice?"

Laughter erupts around the room, breaking some of the tension. Lachlan grins and shakes his head. "Not a chance, Jamie-lad. You lot still need to work your arses off if we're going to crush the Arrows."

I watch as Lachlan seamlessly steps into his dual role with ease and confidence, leaving me standing here like a… like a...

Pickle?

Fuck you, brain. Fuck you.

The team follows Lachlan's lead as he outlines tomorrow's game plan with sternness and humour that keeps everyone engaged. He is a natural with charisma coming out of his arse.

Keir catches my gaze and mouthes, "You're doing great."

I glower at him, and he presses his lips together, trying not to laugh. He knows the score: Lachlan 10—Emma (big fat) 0.

As Lachlan finishes up, I grow a pair and take the skates by their blades. "We'll get through this as a team," I say, my voice stronger now. "I know it's a shock, and trust me, it's not ideal. But we're the Warriors. We face challenges head-on and come out stronger."

The lads nod, some more enthusiastically than others. The tension is still there, but there's also a current of determination rippling through them.

Keir claps his hands together, drawing attention. "Okay, lads! Time to hit the ice with Lachlan leading us."

A chorus of cheers rise, and the team get their arses in gear, stripping off to gear up. My eyes widen as I just stand there, practically drooling at all the hotness surrounding me. Lachlan tries to hide his snort of amusement but fails miserably.

"Time to leave, baby girl," he murmurs. "You don't get to see them naked."

"Boo to you," I murmur, but back out anyway as Keir gives me a quick wink before turning to pull his tee off.

Stumbling on the mat by the locker room door, I grip the doorway and hope no one noticed me as I turn on my heel and scamper off as fast as I can. The day is far from over. There's still so much to do: press releases about Colin's departure, putting feelers out for a new coach, figuring out where those feelers are meant to go and look and most importantly, keeping my shit together in the face of this diarrhoea storm where there is no place to hide.

Fun times.