The guys on the ice laughed, and Jett reigned in his excitement as they set up for another play. He knew Mike wanted to hit a couple of bars after their game, but he needed to take five minutes to ask Townsend a few questions before they left.
“What the hell, man?” Mike slid to a stop next to him, frowning deeply. “Why are you playing like shit today? Townsend is nothing compared to you. You should have easily won that face-off.”
Jett smirked and ignored the critique. “This is for fun, man. Don’t take it so seriously.”
Mike’s frown twisted into something even more ugly, and Jett fought to keep his smile radiant and carefree.
“It’s not fun unless we fucking win. I can’t brag about how I lost a game against Townsend when I haveyouplaying with me. That’s just fucking sad.”
Jett couldn’t see the big deal, but maybe Mike was used to winning. It wouldn’t take much to get cocky with someone like Townsend playing on the team. The guy was going places, probably fast.
Still, on his next face-off against Townsend, he made sure to win it and put the puck in the net to give Mike his bragging rights.
After a good game and a solid win, they headed to the locker room to shower and change. The guys were friendly and talkative, and between Mike answering all their questions and horsing around, he didn’t have to put much effort into making friends.
He saw Townsend grabbing his bag and ducking out, and everyone was so engrossed in conversation that Jett managed to sneak away and catch him before he could leave the building.
“Townsend.”
Townsend stopped so quickly he nearly stumbled, then shot him a sheepish grin that Jett had seen on hundreds of Killinger’s posters. The grin disappeared when he saw it was Jett who had spoken.
“Oh, hey. About the name calling—”
Jett threw his head back and laughed. “Holy shit. I’m not mad at you for telling me to fuck off or calling me a hoser.”
“Fuck, did I do that?”
Jett couldn’t believe this guy. “Twice. You also checked me into the boards and called me a bitch.”
Townsend’s face went red again. “I’m really frigging sorry. I get like, possessed on the ice or something. It’s like a Skinwalker takes over my body and turns me into an asshole.”
“I don’t think that’s how that works, but how about we start over?” Jett held out his hand and waited for Townsend to take it before giving it a firm shake. “My name is Jett Fraser, and I’m one of the right wingers for the Toronto Sunbursts.”
“Arlo Townsend,” said Townsend with an upward tilt of his lips. “Center for the Acadia Wolves.”
“Not Killinger?” Jett asked. He knew it was probably rude, but curiosity was eating away at him. He wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight if he didn’t know.
“We’re cousins,” said Arlo. “Our parents are siblings.”
“You look like you could be brothers.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. Arlo wasn’t as tall as Killinger, and he was more pretty than handsome, but he still had the same presence on the ice his cousin had. They both played center too, so Townsend or not, Arlo was Mini Killinger in his mind.
“We get that a lot,” said Arlo. He blew a strand of inky, black hair out of his eyes and made a face. “We don’t look like the rest of our family. We’re literally the black sheep.”
Or the black bear in Killinger’s case. Scruff was sexy on a guy, but when the hair began to become sentient and take control, he drew a line.
“I know this is weird in a thousand ways,” Jett began, stopping to breathe because he wasnervous. “I’m sure you heard what happened after we made our escape yesterday—”
The smirk on Townsend’s face suggested he was correct.
“But Ireallywant to talk to Killinger and apologize for yesterday.” Jett could feel his cheeks heating up before continuing his next sentence. He had spoken about this in a hundred interviews, but saying it to someone who knew Killinger felt different.
“I also…look up to him. He was always out of reach when we were younger, and I never had the guts to approach him, especially after…everything.”
Jett tried not to linger on the subject in case it brought bad memories to the surface.
“I never thought I would have the chance to meet him. I can’t remember what I said yesterday, but it must have been bad to get dumped on the side of the highway. That being said, could you give me his number so I can send an apology text?”
