Rhett

I'm meeting my team at the rink today for our first practice and I'm a little nervous but mostly excited. I also have dinner for Winnie's birthday tonight. I've been reliving our moonlight catchup in the backyard on repeat the last few days. I need to have a conversation with her. Whatever we had years ago is still there and I want to try again. Now that we're older I'm wishing I could take her out alone tonight but we'll be going with Marigold and my brother, too.

I roll my eyes because I don't know if Alder's coming to get a rise out of me or if he and Winnie have gotten close over the years. When I asked him Thursday while we were biking, he wouldn't give me a straight answer. My brothers really know how to get under my skin.

I walk into the rink and it feels like home. I'm an hour early because I wanted to warm up a little before all the boys got here. My knee still gets really sore and I know it will be tight today after not skating for a few months. It was killing me after a couple hours of biking. I drop my bag in my office and grab my skates and stick. Being back on the ice feels like I never left. I do a couple line drills and laps until I'm feeling good. Then I set up some cones and work through a couple drills I want the team to do today. I want to see who stands out and who may need a little help. I'm starting to sweat a little when I hear the side entrance door shut and I look up to see a group forming.

I skate over to them and stop just at the wall.

"Hey guys. Why don't you all get laced up and meet me back here on the ice?" There's a lot of head bobbing and a couple ‘Yes, Sir's'. That's gonna take some getting used to. I shake my head and smile to myself as I skate back to center ice. I'm warmed up and ready to see what this team has got.

I have them run through a handful of drills and I'm pleasantly surprised with the talent. There's a few that are head and shoulders above the rest, but for the most part there's a quality group of boys here. After drills I have them scrimmage to see how they think in a game situation. There's definitely some work to be done but we may have a shot at a winning season. I'm impressed and I'm genuinely excited about coaching this team.

To be honest I wasn't sure how I would feel from the sidelines and not being in the action. I show a couple of the boys some techniques to help with handling the puck and a better hold on their stick. My goalies are fairly solid but I have them take turns in the net blocking shots from everyone else for the last 20 minutes we're here. I blow my whistle and have them all circle up. They take a knee and stare at me. I feel a little pressure now having them look to me for words of encouragement and wisdom.

"You all looked good out there today. I can tell you've been putting in the work and our next season is going to show it, too."

"Woop!" "That's right!" "Let's go!" they all yell.

"I'm excited to keep seeing that hard work over these next few weeks. I know the season hasn't quite started yet but I've put together a weekly training and practice schedule along with some community events that I expect to see you all at." No groaning or complaining at that. They all look ready. I'm feeling pretty lucky that this is my team. Pride swells in my chest.

"Grab your schedule on your way out and everyone stay out of trouble." I see a couple of them exchange looks and that lets me know who I may have to keep my eye on. I change into my sneakers and by the time I have my duffle and I'm in the parking lot my knee is aching and I'm starting to limp a little. I told dad I would help him at the ranch this afternoon before getting ready to go out for Winnie's birthday so I pop a couple ibuprofen and drive out there.

He's out by the barn when I pull up, so I park as close as I can, not wanting to have to push my knee any farther today.

"Hey, son! How'd practice with the team go?"

"Good. Really good actually. They're a solid group. I'm excited to get to work with them and see how far I can push them. They've got talent and most of them seem to have the drive."

"Ah, a lot like you then?" He smiles and claps my back. "I'm really proud of you Rhett. I had worried you may not settle back in so easy after your injury but you really seem to be doing well."

"It's always been part of the dream to be back here, you know that. My injury just fast tracked that part."

"You're a good man, Rhett." He starts toward the four wheelers that he already has loaded with tools to mend some fence. I follow and turn his words over as I do.

"I don't know about all that." At least we won't be riding horses, they sold all of them years ago but dad still has about 300 head of cattle out here.

"Why would you say that? You're a great son, brother, friend, soon to be coach. What's got you thinking less of yourself?" I contemplate lying but know he can spot BS from any of us kids a mile away. I blow a raspberry and lean against the ATV.

"That bad huh?" He chuckles and it helps to lighten the mood a little.

"I'm not sure if it's bad or not really. It doesn't feel that way but I'm not sure if everyone involved would feel that way." He nods, thoughtfully.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you can work through it."

"I'm into Winnie." His booming laugh startles me. "Why is that funny?" That makes him laugh harder. What is going on with him? He's acting like I just told him the punch line from one of his joke books.

"I'm sorry son—it's just, I didn't realize you thought that was a secret." He's wiping his eyes with his handkerchief as his chuckles slow.

"What are you talking about? I've never once said anything about her or so much as held her hand in front of anyone."

"Oh, I know. You may have never spoken the words but I've seen the way you've looked at her since you were both teenagers. I've seen the way she's looked at you, too." I'm surprised by him knowing how long I've had a thing for Winnie. "But why does having feelings for that gem of a woman mean you aren't a good man? I'd say it makes you a good man with better sense."

"Because Colt is my best friend and even though he's never come out and said it, he's hinted that she's off limits." Dad scratches his head then and adjusts his ball cap.

"You're 33 years old Rhett. I would have thought someone telling you who to date was a thing of the past." Dad always knows how to cut to the heart of the matter.

"He's not just someone though and I get why he may not want me to date his sister. I don't exactly have a sparkling clean past with women."

"I think that's an excuse."

"It's just a fact."

"And you're supposed to be perfect? I think you're not giving anyone else in this equation a chance to decide for themselves." I thought about that. "…and maybe if you let them make up their own minds, the way they feel might surprise you." He gets on his own ATV and starts it up so I do the same. Tom Holloway is a wise man. He's given me advice my whole life and not once had it lead me down a road that wasn't the right one. Would Colt understand if I told him I wanted to be with his sister? Would he believe me if I said I wouldn't hurt her? I ask myself these questions and more as I help dad mend fence the rest of the afternoon.

I'm beat and in need of a shower when I get back to my house. My knee is starting to throb again and I take two more ibuprofen. I need to ice it for as long as possible. I know if I don't I'll regret it later, so I go downstairs and get my ice pack from the freezer.

I take the fastest shower I've ever taken, throw on some shorts and shirt, then sit on the small couch I have in my bedroom to ice my knee for 20 minutes. I'm supposed to meet Winnie, Alder, and Mare in 45 minutes, so that gives me plenty of time. I lay my head on the back of the couch and let the ice go to work.

My lap is covered in long dark hair that smells like sugar and vanilla. I can hear giggling. Winnie's giggling. One of my hands is tangled in her dark hair and the other is on her side lightly squeezing. She turns to look up at me and her warm whiskey eyes are full of laughter. Her grin is so adorable that the only thing I want to do is kiss that mouth. Her pink lips are pulled up at the corners and she raises a brow at me. I lean in and just as I touch my lips to hers?—

I'm startled awake by my phone vibrating. I lift my head and grab at the back of my neck, why is it so stiff? Then I look around my now dark room. Wait, why is it so dark? I grab for my phone and check the time. It's 8:15. Also, a text from Winnie. No, no, no. I was supposed to have already been at dinner for her birthday. I have three missed calls from Alder so I tap his name, hoping they're still out.

"Where are you?" Is his answer, it"s loud in the background.

"I fell asleep icing my knee, I'm getting dressed now. Are you still at dinner?" He scoffs.

"No, we're at AJ's and if you want to stand a chance I would get over here."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about and you're not the only guy in town tonight that also feels that way." He chuckles.

"What the hell does that mean?" I growl into the phone, already having a decent idea.

"It means, you idiot, that Winnie is hot and more than one man has noticed that tonight and bought her a birthday drink." Shit. I don't like the sound of that.

"I'm on my way." I end the call and am putting on my shoes when there's a knock. Who could that be? I race down the stairs and open my door to see Colt standing on my porch.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I'm heading to AJ's to see Winnie for her birthday and thought I would stop by to see if you wanted to come with. How was practice today?" Any other day this would be a welcome invitation but tonight I was on a mission and it was to let Winnie know how I felt. That would be hard to do with her brother sitting next to me all night, but there wasn't anything I could do about that now.

"Sounds good, I was heading there anyway." I grab my keys and wallet and we take Colt's truck down the road and park on the street in front of AJ's. I walk in and look around the crowded space. I spot Winnie as soon as I pass the threshold, she's giggling just like she was in my dream earlier only instead of looking up at me, she's looking at someone else.