My Hockey Alpha



Enzo and I climbed into our rental car and began making our way toward the restaurant. As Enzo drove, his eyes were on the road, but it seemed as though his attention was somewhere else entirely. The team, perhaps.

"So," I began, wanting to fill the silence, "Mila seems... interesting."

He chuckled. "Yeah, that she is. She's very serious about her job, though. I can respect that."

"Was she this friendly with you last time you visited?" I blurted out.

Enzo paused, then shrugged. "About the same, I guess. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," I said, trying to keep my voice nonchalant. "She just seemed invested in our relationship. I figured maybe you talked to her about us last time."

Enzo laughed. "I did a little. It's funny, she actually mentioned my wedding ring within the first five minutes of our meeting last time I visited."

I joined in his laughter, although there was a sinking feeling in my chest. "Well, you should make sure to keep it on. Women in this city will look at you and see you as prime real estate."

Enzo reached across the center console and took my hand, pulling me closer and pressing my fingers to his lips. His hand was warm and comforting, something that I needed after today. "Don't worry, Nina. This ring only comes off on the ice, and that's just to keep it safe."

"I know," I replied. But deep inside, a tiny seed of worry had sprouted. Mila had looked at Enzo a certain way, a way that irked me. I didn't mention it to Enzo. It felt petty, especially given the total trust between us.

We fell into a pleasant lull, both lost in our thoughts as the car weaved through the congested streets.

"This city is so different," I finally said, breaking the silence.

"You can say that again. Everything is so fast-paced, it's a complete shift from our little town."

"Do you think you could get used to it? You know, for the next six months?"

He thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess time will tell, but I'm willing to give it a shot." "That's good to hear," I said, squeezing his hand. "It's going to be an adventure for both of us."

"Absolutely. And hey, you're getting a taste of the big city now, and we haven't even hit the restaurant yet." "I'm eager to see if the food lives up to the hype," I replied, recalling Mila's comment about 'small town potlucks'. Enzo grinned. "Oh, trust me, the team picked out a fantastic spot. You're gonna love it."

"And the team, what are they like?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He grinned. "Oh, they're a bunch of characters, to say the least. They all have promise, though. They're one of the reasons I was willing to take this job."

"I can tell that you've made quite the impression on them already," I mused. "They looked up to you like a god today,"

"I guess so," he replied, squeezing my hand again. "But I think you'll make just as big of an impression tonight. They're eager to talk with you."

"Oh, stop it," I said, blushing. "I'm just excited to meet the people you'll be spending so much time with." "Likewise," he said as he guided the car into a busy parking lot. "But remember, no matter how many new people we meet or how big this city is, it's always going to be you and me."

After he parked the car, he leaned in and kissed me softly, and for a brief moment, I forgot all about Mila and the city and the changes ahead. It was just us, and that felt like home.

As the car slowed down, indicating we were close to our destination, I took a deep breath.

"You ready for this?" Enzo asked.

"As I'll ever be," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

He chuckled. "Don't worry. You'll love it."

The minute Enzo and I stepped into the restaurant, a wave of lively chatter and laughter hit us. The ambiance was buzzing, warm light softly illuminating the plush velvet chairs and polished wooden tables. The team had already started to gather, and their faces lit up when they saw Enzo walk in.

"Hey, Enzo! Over here!" one player called out.

We made our way over, and Tim, ever the gregarious host, greeted us. "Enzo, Nina, so glad you could make it. Please, have a seat."

I felt a sense of pride swell within me as I looked around the table. These were the men Enzo would be mentoring, and it was easy to see how excited they were to have him. We took our seats... but much to my chagrin, I ended up next to Mila. She shot me a sideways glance as I sat down, but said nothing.