"Meaning, trade me or sign me." All along everyone had been speculating that the team couldn't afford to keep both of them with the salary cap.
"Fuck yeah. This is bullshit, how they're stringing us along."
"Are we asking too much?" His dad's words came back to him. "I told you before, I don't want to screw things up." Those doubts crowded back in, eating away at him.
"I know your numbers, Tanner. I know what you're willing to move on and what you're not. I'm not going to screw this up for you. But if they seriously want to move you … " He sighed. "I'm coming to Chicago this week. Friday."
"Okay. We're in Buffalo tonight and Detroit Wednesday. I'll be back Thursday."
"Okay, I'll call you. We'll do lunch or something."
"Sure."
Tanner ended the call and tipped his head back. Then he opened the browser on his phone and went on Twitter. It only took a few seconds to find the news about Boosh. It was true.
Not that he'd doubted Kevin.
He fired off a quick text to Boosh and then retweeted one of the messages, adding his congratulations "to a great friend and player, so happy for you, Boosh."
And he was. He really was. Boosh was a talented player who totally deserved that, and it kept the Aces strong on the left wing, so it was great news for the team too.
He needed to remember that it was the team that was important. The Aces management was making the best decisions for the team. He'd always felt valued and respected by the organization in his time there, from the meeting he'd had with GM, Ian Yarish, the day he'd arrived there from New York, telling him why they'd wanted him and what they were expecting him to be able to do for the team. He'd tried his damnedest to live up to those expectations and he thought he had. He needed to stop making this all about him.
At the airport, he left his vehicle for team staff to park and carried his duffel bag onto the plane. He made his way down the aisle, the guys who were there settling into their seats with laptops or handheld games, Duper with a hardcover book about enhancing sports performance.
Boosh was there and Tanner greeted him with a big high-five and a smile. "Congrats, man."
Boosh grinned. "Thanks. Happy that's done with."
"Awesome." Tanner shoved his bag into the overhead compartment and swung himself down into the seat next to Boosh.
"You'll be next," Boosh said. "I know it."
Tanner laughed. "I'll be the next one on a plane to Anaheim."
Boosh frowned. "Not gonna happen."
Tanner shrugged. "What happens, happens." His casual words belied the knot in his gut, though.
Everyone else congratulated Boosh as they boarded the plane, and soon they taxied down the runway and lifted off on their flight to Buffalo.
Tanner channeled his adrenaline and frustration into his game, battling hard in the corners, even scoring a goal. When one of the Sabres came at him, he stood his ground, letting the smaller dude bounce off him and hit the ice hard. It was a completely legal play, but the Sabres on the ice immediately swarmed him, looking for a fight. The Aces all stepped in too, but Tanner kept his gloves on, not wanting to be drawn into that. Not now.
They flew to Detroit right after the game so they could sleep and have a light game-day skate the next morning. He called Katelyn when he was in his room and out of his suit and tie.
"Did you hear the news?" he asked her.
"What news?"
"About Boosh. Signing a new contract."
"Ack, I didn't. I've been so busy getting ready for the party at Belmondo tomorrow night."
Christ. She didn't even know, didn't even realize the significance of this. "Yeah, well, everyone was saying the team can't afford to keep both of us, so I guess the writing's on the wall as far as I'm concerned."
After a beat of silence, she said, "It does kind of look that way."
Her easy acceptance of that took him aback.
"Are you okay?" she asked gently.
He frowned. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" His words came out more tersely than he'd intended. This conversation was grating on him. "Kevin's coming to sort this shit out."
"So the deadline is Monday, right?"
"Right."
"Well, it won't be long before you find out, one way or another."
He frowned at her breezy tone. "True." Then he matched her light tone. "Did you watch the game?"
She didn't answer right away. "Yes. I was working and watching at the same time. You played great."