Dreams (New Beginnings Book 3) Read Online Free

looking at some of his other teammates. “Did you?” They all shook their heads, grinning.
    The corner of Mack’s mouth tilted up as he poked Zak in the chest. “Maybe that’s because too many pucks get by you on defence.”
    “Nah,” Josh laughed. “It’s all you, man.”
    “Screw you guys.”
    “Alright, guys,” Olle Isaksson, the team’s captain, yelled, trying to quiet the room. “Coach had a family emergency so our new assistant, Coach Scott, is leading practice today. Coach James will be there too. So lace ‘em up and get out on the ice.”
    When they stepped onto the ice surrounded by thousands of empty seats, all the joking from the locker room was gone. This was business, but it was more than that. After a long summer, coming back to the arena, back to the team, felt like coming home.
    Coach Scott introduced himself. Josh thought the way he spoke at the gathering after the memorial service for Danny was because he was upset. Now he wasn’t so sure. He had that no-nonsense, kind of harsh way about him.
    After a few minutes, he had the team line up at the blue line and begin their skating drills.
    “Pick it up!” he yelled.
    It wasn’t long before Josh’s shirt was soaked. No matter how hard you train in the off-season, these conditioning days kill you.
    Mack was wheezing beside him, and Josh had to hide his grin. There was a chink in the All-Star’s game after all.
    About the time Coach Peterson would have had them quit, Coach Scott started ramping it up. Looking down the line at his teammates, Josh noticed a few that looked like they were ready to keel over.
    Josh had just passed center ice when an intense wave of dizziness came over him. His heart slammed in his chest as he stumbled, unable to regain his balance. And then it was gone.
    “You okay, Walker?” Coach Scott asked.
    “Yeah,” he lied. “Fine.”
    “Okay, then. You guys are done for today.”
    After their showers, Josh and Mack sat side by side in their lockers, putting on their shoes. Mack looked sideways at him, but Josh gave him a ‘don’t ask’ glare in return.
    It wasn’t the first time it had happened. A little over a year ago, when he was training in New York, he’d started getting light-headed during practice., He’d assumed it was because he was training too hard. He backed off and it didn’t happen again until a game that October. He didn’t think it was a big deal, so he didn’t tell his team doctor. It hadn’t caused any problems.
    For a guy like him, playing in a grinder roll on the third line, missing games because of injury or illness could derail his season, which would some of the guys in the AHL the chance to take his spot. He knew many of them were better than him. Heck, some were projected first-liners. He didn’t want to give them the chance to prove they were NHL ready. He’d worked too hard for that.
    “Let’s go grab some lunch before the team meeting this afternoon,” Mack said, standing and stretching his arms.
    “Sounds good.”
    Josh grabbed his phone from his bag and checked it. No more missed calls. He wondered if Ethan had given up. He stuffed the phone in his pocket, realizing he couldn’t let Ethan get to him, and followed Mack.
     
     
    ###
     
    Taylor fingered her hair for the millionth time. It was amazing how different a haircut could make you feel. She wanted different. She didn’t want to be herself anymore.
    Well, this hair was definitely not Taylor Scott. Her long locks were gone, leaving behind a pixie cut that was short on the sides and longer on top. Her mom was going to hate it, but she wasn’t going to get mad at her. No, apparently it wouldn’t do to yell at the sad little grieving girl. She wanted someone to yell at her. Maybe if they start treating her normally, she would eventually feel normal again.
    No. Nothing was ever going to be normal - at least not the normal she wanted.
    But she was here, in Columbus, Ohio. That Josh boy had been right. It wasn’t