Bear Meets Girl
Page 106
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Wheres Jai? Crush asked Barb, which was starting to annoy Cella. Why was he talking to her mother?
On her way.
Hello? Cella snapped. I am right here. Mind not ignoring me?
Crush glanced at her. How much longer can you stand on one leg like that?
No idea.
If you put weight on that leg too soon, Cella, youre going to risk permanently damaging it.
That sounds like my problem, not yours.
Good point. Besides, who cares? Youre off the team anyway. Out on your ass. Thats gotta hurt.
Cellas eyes narrowed, locking on the bear, while her mother and aunts backed up a little farther.
Crush jerked his finger over his shoulder. Mr. Novikov brought you flowers.
Its Bo, you geek. Bo. Not Mr. Novikov.
Hes planning to go without an enforcer now that youre out. I told him to go with Gene Martin.
Are you insane? Cella demanded, wondering what had gotten into the bear.
Whats wrong with him?
Everything! First off, hes second string for a reason. Second, he should still be in the minors. The only reason hes not is because his father pulled strings to get him in. And third, he gets even the tiniest cut and hes ready to go straight to a hospital bed. Hes weak and kind of stupid. Theres no way he can replace me.
Who would you suggest?
The Reed kid.
The flowers were suddenly flung to the side, revealing Novikov. Hed brought her flowers? Really sweet, but she was sure hed only done that because Blayne must have talked him into it.
Reed? Novikov growled. Are you fucking kidding me?
The kid has real potential and wolves are great enforcers. Remember my Uncle Jimmy?
Uncle Jimmy? Crush blinked. Do you mean Jimmy Caufield?
Uh-huh.
Jimmy I maul because it pleases me Caufield? That Jimmy Caufield?
Well ... I just call him Uncle Jimmy. Hes one of my godfathers. He bought me my first car when I was stationed in Korea that year. Why are you staring at me like that?
Because I think part of me hates you right now.
You had to buy your own first car?
Well, yeah, but thats not what Im ... forget it.
Novikov pushed past Crush. You cant be serious about Reed.
Im completely serious about Reed. Dont let that hillbilly accent fool you
Hey! Dee-Ann complained from the hallway.
hes good. And he could prove that to you if you gave him the chance.
No one gave me the chance and I proved myself.
Only because youre a friendless loser who never worries about how he might come off to people.
I am not friendless.
Then name two friends you have that arent Blayne Thorpe.
Well
And dont mention those two Eurotrash foxes you sometimes have hanging around.
Theyre not Eurotrash. Theyre from Maine.
Whatever. Here. Ill make it easy on you. Name one friend you have thats not a fox financially living off you or a crazed wolfdog who thinks her derby team is more important than my hockey team.
Novikov looked around, saw not only Cella waiting for his answer, but her mother and all her aunts. Thats when he suddenly pointed at Crush.
Him.
Him? You dont even know his name.
Its Crushek.
First name?
Watching Novikov try to remember what she was sure Blayne had told him, Cella bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.
Lou, he finally answered. Lou Crushek. Crush for short. Novikov scowled at Crush. Right?
His mouth hanging open, Crush stared at his current favorite player. Huh?
Thats your name, right? And were friends, right? Novikov pushed between clenched teeth.
Uh ... yeah. Okay. Sure.
See? Novikov said to Cella, clearly feeling triumphant. I have friends.
Clearly. It must also help hes not really a threat since he doesnt play hockey professionally. Unlike Reed.
Are you saying that some flea-bitten wolf referred to as one of the Reed boys is a threat to me?
Thats why youre not giving him a chance, right? Because youre afraid hell make you look bad?
Like hell hell
Then give him a shot. Cella shrugged, trying to keep it all casual. It couldnt hurt.
He needs work.
Cella can help him, Crush volunteered.
I can?
You can. When your legs healed.
But Im off the team.
Doesnt mean you cant help the hillbilly.
Perhaps Im too devastated by this entire tragedy to
Yeah. Blah, blah, blah, Novikov cut in. The least you can do is work with the guy.
On her way.
Hello? Cella snapped. I am right here. Mind not ignoring me?
Crush glanced at her. How much longer can you stand on one leg like that?
No idea.
If you put weight on that leg too soon, Cella, youre going to risk permanently damaging it.
That sounds like my problem, not yours.
Good point. Besides, who cares? Youre off the team anyway. Out on your ass. Thats gotta hurt.
Cellas eyes narrowed, locking on the bear, while her mother and aunts backed up a little farther.
Crush jerked his finger over his shoulder. Mr. Novikov brought you flowers.
Its Bo, you geek. Bo. Not Mr. Novikov.
Hes planning to go without an enforcer now that youre out. I told him to go with Gene Martin.
Are you insane? Cella demanded, wondering what had gotten into the bear.
Whats wrong with him?
Everything! First off, hes second string for a reason. Second, he should still be in the minors. The only reason hes not is because his father pulled strings to get him in. And third, he gets even the tiniest cut and hes ready to go straight to a hospital bed. Hes weak and kind of stupid. Theres no way he can replace me.
Who would you suggest?
The Reed kid.
The flowers were suddenly flung to the side, revealing Novikov. Hed brought her flowers? Really sweet, but she was sure hed only done that because Blayne must have talked him into it.
Reed? Novikov growled. Are you fucking kidding me?
The kid has real potential and wolves are great enforcers. Remember my Uncle Jimmy?
Uncle Jimmy? Crush blinked. Do you mean Jimmy Caufield?
Uh-huh.
Jimmy I maul because it pleases me Caufield? That Jimmy Caufield?
Well ... I just call him Uncle Jimmy. Hes one of my godfathers. He bought me my first car when I was stationed in Korea that year. Why are you staring at me like that?
Because I think part of me hates you right now.
You had to buy your own first car?
Well, yeah, but thats not what Im ... forget it.
Novikov pushed past Crush. You cant be serious about Reed.
Im completely serious about Reed. Dont let that hillbilly accent fool you
Hey! Dee-Ann complained from the hallway.
hes good. And he could prove that to you if you gave him the chance.
No one gave me the chance and I proved myself.
Only because youre a friendless loser who never worries about how he might come off to people.
I am not friendless.
Then name two friends you have that arent Blayne Thorpe.
Well
And dont mention those two Eurotrash foxes you sometimes have hanging around.
Theyre not Eurotrash. Theyre from Maine.
Whatever. Here. Ill make it easy on you. Name one friend you have thats not a fox financially living off you or a crazed wolfdog who thinks her derby team is more important than my hockey team.
Novikov looked around, saw not only Cella waiting for his answer, but her mother and all her aunts. Thats when he suddenly pointed at Crush.
Him.
Him? You dont even know his name.
Its Crushek.
First name?
Watching Novikov try to remember what she was sure Blayne had told him, Cella bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.
Lou, he finally answered. Lou Crushek. Crush for short. Novikov scowled at Crush. Right?
His mouth hanging open, Crush stared at his current favorite player. Huh?
Thats your name, right? And were friends, right? Novikov pushed between clenched teeth.
Uh ... yeah. Okay. Sure.
See? Novikov said to Cella, clearly feeling triumphant. I have friends.
Clearly. It must also help hes not really a threat since he doesnt play hockey professionally. Unlike Reed.
Are you saying that some flea-bitten wolf referred to as one of the Reed boys is a threat to me?
Thats why youre not giving him a chance, right? Because youre afraid hell make you look bad?
Like hell hell
Then give him a shot. Cella shrugged, trying to keep it all casual. It couldnt hurt.
He needs work.
Cella can help him, Crush volunteered.
I can?
You can. When your legs healed.
But Im off the team.
Doesnt mean you cant help the hillbilly.
Perhaps Im too devastated by this entire tragedy to
Yeah. Blah, blah, blah, Novikov cut in. The least you can do is work with the guy.
