Uncle Jordan turns to Uncle Luc. “Can you look up what Sports Net is saying about Conner so Callie will stop talking sex?”
“They say a source has both the Vancouver Comets and the Portland Riptide interested,” Luc says as he stares at his phone.
This is exactly what I did not want. My entire family sitting here, waiting for something to happen to my career. Because what if nothing happens? What if Twitter is right andI'm on a farm team in twenty-four hours when the waivers end?
“Take a seat, Con,” Theo advises, sitting up and stretching out his long limbs, which were all over one of the couches, to give me space.
“Can I get you a latte, kiddo?” Callie asks. “I have that Speculous syrup you love.”
“I’m gonna head to the gym,” I tell her as I shake my head. “Maybe later.”
My dad shoots me a concerned glance, finally pulling his eyes off his phone. "Shouldn't you stay here, in case Clark calls with news."
“He can tell you,” I reply. “You know where I’ll be.”
Grady stands up. He’s in sweats too, but his are labeled with the Seattle Winterhawks logo. I have already shoved all my Barons clothing into a garbage bag which is tucked into the corner of my closet. “I’ll go with. I need to train.”
"No, you don't," I reply flatly. "You're injured. Don't placate me."
“I can still lift some weights. And I just don’t want to sit around here listening to everyone natter on,” Grady admits. “They’re giving me a headache.”
“Thanks,” Tate says.
“Ouch!” Callie adds.
“Douche,” Theo mutters.
"Who needs a black sheep of the family when you have a redheaded one," Tenley snarks. Her gaze turns to me. "Might as well let him come with you. Mac is at work so if you're lying and want a booty call to get your mind off of this, you're out of luck."
“I know she’s at work,” I reply and now all my aunts are staring at me with intensely curious stares. “Because we’refriends.”
“With benefits?” Callie asks, her eyes hopeful. I swear she’s the only ‘mom’ on the planet that supports bed buddies.
“Going to the gym,” I repeat. “If Clark calls, come find me. In the meantime, continue to annoy your virgin daughter and leave my sex life, or lack of one, alone.”
“Conner! Fuck you!” Liv yells at me while I leave but it’s hard to hear her over the laughter of everyone else in the family. At least my generation. The uncles definitely do not want to discuss Liv’s virginity.
I love my sister and don't judge her for her celibacy, but I needed a diversion to get the hell out of this house without another word about my career. Grady follows and I don't object when he grabs his coat and shoes and gets in my car.
We drive in comfortable silence to the barn gym. It’s absolutely miserable outside today. The sky is a stark depressing gray and the snow, which had been white and fluffy, is now hard with ice and tinged a grubby gray on the sides of the road. It’s as bleak outside as it is in my soul at the moment.
The gym is a comfortable temperature even though it’s cold outside because Jordan and Jessie installed heated flooring. I shrug out of my coat and walk right over to the treadmill. Grady makes his way to the padded mats in the corner and does some stretching. I probably should have too but I’m too agitated.
“Music?” he asks.
“Whatever you want.”
He nods and gives me a lopsided smile. “You might regret that.”
A second later, after punching a few buttons on his phone and connecting to the Bluetooth sound system, the speakers in every corner of the room start blasting pop music. Taylor Swift, Lola Jaymes, Lexi Jade, Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga. Grady is a basic teenage girl when it comes to his musical palette and has been our whole lives. Theo and Tate teased him mercilesslywhen we were kids and he listened to the Jonas Brothers and Shawn Mendes non-stop. I actually don’t mind his music though.
After twenty minutes of running hard, I slow the machine and use my shirt to wipe the sweat from my face. Grady has moved from stretching to the bench press, his face almost as red as his hair as he pushes a mind-blowing amount of weight. His bicep muscles bulge with the effort.
I get off the treadmill and walk over to the hanging leg lift to do ab work. Grady puts down the weights and starts singing along with some song about being scorned by a lover as he gets off the leg press and walks over to the fridge in the corner of the room. He grabs two Gatorades and walks over to me and places one by me. As he walks back to the mats he cracks his drink, chugs half of it, and picks up the free weights. I do forty crunches before I notice he's just standing there like a statue, a ten-pound barbell in one hand and his phone in the other.
“Trying to find a new sugary pop dance tune to inflict on me?” I ask, a small smile tugging at my mouth. Grady is good company and the endorphins from the workout are starting to hit my brain, thankfully.
“No… I… Nope.” He drops his phone on the mat and reaches for the second weight.