Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Hope’s POV

The Rhodes pair looked at me like I had suddenly grown another head.

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Across the table, Delaney stared at me in complete disbelief. Lia’s eyes had widened slightly, Beth nearly choked on her coffee, and beside me, Aiden looked seconds away from bursting into laughter.

There was a soft clap that resonated in the room, and when I turned back to Aiden, I saw him slowly applauding under the table with the most entertained expression on his face.

Delaney shot him a murderous glare. He immediately stopped, covering his mouth with his hand to hide his grin.

Delaney inhaled deeply and pasted on a painfully sweet smile.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that suggestion,” she said, folding her hands together. “Anyway, Daddy and I already discussed that Levi will play for at least two periods-”

“He can’t do that.”

The words left my mouth before she could finish. The room froze again. This time, Delaney’s composure visibly cracked.

Her smile twitched.

“Excuse me?”

“He can’t play,” I repeated, calmer this time, even though my heartbeat was pounding against my ribs. “Levi’s been playing almost nonstop for years. He’s the face of the franchise, but that’s exactly why you should be protecting him.”

I leaned forward slightly.

“You need to think about his longevity, not just maintaining the current momentum.”

I continued before anyone else could interrupt.

“Mrs. Tundra specifically wants Levi in peak condition for the start of the Winter’s Crown. If that’s the goal, then resting him during practice games is the smartest decision.”

Delaney slowly sat back down in her chair. Her pen hit the table repeatedly as she stared at me.

“You’re only looking at one side of the situation, Hope,” she said tightly. “Honestly, it’s obvious you’re not very familiar with hockey.”

I resisted the urge to react.

“I’ve worked in this industry longer than you’ve probably watched the sport,” she continued. “I understand how this works from every angle.”

Her eyes sharpened.

“If Levi suddenly stops playing-even for one game-the fans will lose their minds. Isn’t that right, Lia?”

Lia hesitated.

“Yes, but-”

Delaney cut her off immediately.

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Chapter 33

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“And it’s not just the fans,” she continued. “What about sponsors? Do you think they’ll just sit quietly? Do you think ticket sales won’t be affected?”

She smiled at me again, except this smile had teeth, both literally and figuratively.

“You have no idea how these things work, Hope.”

I pursed my lips. Maybe she was right. Maybe I didn’t fully understand the business side of things.

However, I understood exactly what happened when people pushed athletes beyond their limits because everyone cared more about profits than recovery.

“You keep saying you’re looking at all sides,” I said carefully, “but I don’t think you’re actually looking at your players.”

The tapping of her pen stopped.

“Not just Levi,” I continued. “The entire team.”

I looked around the room.

“You’re putting too much weight on Levi’s shoulders and not enough trust in the rest of the roster.”

“They’re the Glaciers too,” I said firmly. “Not just Levi.”

Delaney crossed her arms tightly.

“You also have new players this season,” I added. “Wouldn’t you want your boyfriend to gain more experience during practice games?”

I tilted my head slightly.

“Or do you not trust Connor enough to handle the center?”

Aiden audibly inhaled beside me.

“It’s Connor’s first year,” she snapped. “He’s not ready yet.”

“Then when will he be ready?” I asked instantly. “During actual league games?”

She opened her mouth, but I didn’t let her speak.

“Practice games exist for a reason,” I continued. “Players improve when they’re actually on the ice. Connor needs experience now, while mistakes still have lower stakes.”

Delaney’s jaw tightened.

“I’m already telling you that fans won’t like it.”

“Are fans really going to care more about practice games than the actual season?” I challenged. “Most hockey fans would rather have a healthy Levi during important matches than a worn-out Levi before the season even starts.”

“Damn,” Aiden whispered beside me. “You’re terrifying.”

I ignored him. Mostly because I was too focused on Delaney glaring at me.

Delaney finally turned toward her father.

“Daddy,” she said sharply, expecting backup.

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Chapter 33

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Coach Dennis had been silent the entire time, observing everything carefully. Now, he finally cleared his throat.

“Hope, right?”

I nodded softly.

“I understand your intentions,” he said calmly. “And I agree that Levi’s health is important.”

“However, I’ve also seen situations like this before. Professional athletes can’t simply stop. Even two weeks affects the body.”

He tapped his fingers against the table thoughtfully.

“The body forgets rhythm.”

“And,” he added, “my daughter is correct about the sponsors. Fans aside, Apollo especially would not react well to Levi siging out.”

I had already thought about that while rushing to this meeting.

Honestly, sponsors were the biggest obstacle.

Well–the sponsors and Levi himself. But unlike everyone else in this room, I had actually prepared for this conversation.

“I already thought about that,” I said.

Delaney rolled her eyes.

“I have a plan for the sponsors,” I continued before she could interrupt. “Right, Beth?”

Beth immediately looked at me in complete confusion. I knew she had no idea what I was talking about, but after one second of staring at me, she slowly nodded.

“Yeah,” she said cautiously. “That’s right.”

I sighed in relief. Thank goodness.

“With regard to Levi losing rhythm,” I said, “that won’t happen within two weeks. Especially not under supervised recovery.”

I sat straighter.

“As the team’s physical therapist, I’ll make sure he continues strict conditioning and training while resting the injury itself.”

Coach Dennis listened carefully while Delaney still looked unconvinced. So, I kept going before she could cut me off again.

“I know this team is under pressure,” I admitted. “Last season’s finals against the Pucks nearly ended badly. Fortunately, they won during the seventh game.”

The room quieted slightly. Nobody liked discussing that near loss.

“A lot of people are already saying the Glaciers are declining,” I continued. “There are articles questioning the team. Questioning management. Even questioning your coaching.”

Coach Dennis frowned at that, but he didn’t deny it.

“So because of that,” I said, “everyone’s panicking.”

I looked directly at Coach Dennis.

“You’re trying to prove something this year, but this is exactly why Levi needs rest now.”

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