Chasing a Blond Moon Read Online Free

stick is Fitzhenry. Projected to be a top-ten draft pick this year. Your boy’s been kicking his ass every day since he got here and things just come to a head. You embarrass any player long enough, he’s gonna try to get his pride back.”
    Service said, “Somebody ought to run a short stick up that kid’s ass.”
    Nantz squeezed his arm.
    Bernard said, “I talked to the doc and he says they’re doing this thing with a laparoscope, same as a knee, eh? He’ll be out of the hospital in a day or two and he’ll feel better in a few days, but he can’t do anything strenuous for two to six weeks. Take a lot longer to get him back to full play. Truth is, I can’t carry an untested kid. He had the team made, but now I can’t take ’im. Next year he’ll have a spot for sure. If he don’t join the marines,” he added sarcastically.
    Service was dumbfounded. The boy had had a future and now he was out. How would he handle it?
    Bernard started to leave. “Where you going?” Service asked.
    â€œGotta talk to the stepfather,” he said.
    â€œHis stepfather doesn’t want him back,” Service said.
    â€œI still gotta call him. He’s legally responsible.”
    After Bernard stepped down the hall with his cell phone, Nantz pulled Service aside.
    â€œI don’t know the game, Grady, but even I can see that this kid seems born to do this.”
    â€œNot this season. You heard Bernard.”
    â€œWe can’t let him enlist.”
    â€œIt’s his choice.”
    â€œLike hell,” she said, her voice hardening. “Sometimes a kid has choices but no brain to use in making them. He goes off to the marines now, well . . .” She didn’t finish her statement.
    â€œWhat am I supposed to do?”
    â€œTell him who you are, take him home with us.”
    â€œAre you crazy?”
    â€œJust like you,” Treebone said, chiming in.
    When Walter Commando came out of the anesthetic he found Grady Service and Maridly Nantz in the recovery room.
    â€œThirsty,” was his first word.
    Service gave him a cup filled with cracked ice, which made the boy smile. “Just the way Scotty Bowman likes it,” he said.
    â€œI guess I’m your father,” Grady Service said.
    â€œI know,” the boy said, avoiding his father’s eyes.
    â€œYou knew?” Nantz said.
    â€œSheba told me a long time ago.”
    â€œI didn’t know,” Service said.
    â€œShe said you didn’t deserve to know,” Walter said.
    â€œYour mother told your stepdad that your father was a man named Parker,” Nantz said.
    The boy shrugged. “My stepdad is a jerk. Sheba gave him a name, knowing he’d check it out. She said the Parker guy was a total loser and that J. T. wouldn’t be threatened.”
    â€œWhy didn’t she tell me about you?” Service asked.
    â€œI’m just her son,” Walter said. “Sheba Pope did things for her own reasons. She didn’t confide much in me. She gave me what she thought I needed, but that was it. We didn’t exactly sit down for a lot of heart-to-hearts,” the boy added, his voice cracking.
    Service touched his son’s shoulder. “We’d like for you to come home with us.”
    The boy said, “I’ve got hockey.”
    â€œNot this season. Bernard said you had the team made, but you’ll be out too long to help the club.”
    â€œThat’s not fair,” the boy said, his eyes reddening and tearing.
    â€œWelcome to life,” his father said. “Next time you go to a new team, try not to humiliate their best player.”
    â€œWhat was I supposed to do? I wanted to be noticed.”
    â€œYou got noticed all right,” Service said. “Then you got targeted.”
    â€œI kicked his ass,” the boy said with a grimace.
    â€œYou won the battle and lost the war.”
    â€œI didn’t lose the