“I know. And you can’t tell your friends that I’m bad.”
I clenched my jaw, fighting the stinging behind my nose. “My friends won’t know.”
Chapter 23
Nick
NOVEMBER | Tarot: Page of Swords
I was back at work, still feeling crummy, but we couldn’t afford another loss from the backup goalie. I was doing the bare minimum to stop pucks and nothing more. It was still early in the season, having just turned to November, but it would be bad for morale for us to start dropping too much this early. We were having an optional practice before taking off for a few days on the road.
“You’re quiet, Rook. Still sick?” Sorrento asked.
“Kinda. Not too bad,” I said. “And I’m not the rook anymore.”
“Sorry my kids gave you the plague. I owe you big time for that one.”
“It’s cool. I couldn’t resist Bella feeding me.”
I continued getting dressed, returning to my silence.
“No, he’s never really acted like this,” Mikey said. “Something else going on?”
I gave a little smirk, my stomach giving a flash of that roller-coaster swoop. “I’m kinda seeing someone.”
Whoops and shouts echoed off the dressing room walls. “Atta boy!” and “Such a dawg!”
“Who is she?” Guy asked.
“Oh, just someone I met on the apps. This will be my first timebeing away from her.”
Sorrento cocked his head. “Wait, was she with you when you were sick?”
“Yeah, she helped me out.”
Guy narrowed his eyes and paused, but didn’t say anything. Shit. Annie had texted Kitty that she was helping me out. He and Mikey exchanged a look. Mikey shook it off.
“Finally found a little Mommy of your own to take care of you, huh?” Mikey said. “What you’ve always wanted.”
“When do we get to meet this mystery woman?” Beatty asked.
“Oh, it’s still all new. I wouldn’t bring her around you crazy asses for a while. But it’ll be my first road trip since we started.”
“Welcome to phone sex, my friend,” Leroy said.
“I-I don’t know. Seems early for that.”
“No, no, not at all,” Leroy cooed. “Good way to blow off some steam together and get to know each other.”
“I’m not really good at dirty talk and stuff,” I said. “You typically don’t give the best advice either.”
“He’s right,” Sorrento said. “The road’s a great way to get a little closer while you’re far apart.”
“Um. What should I say?”
“So glad you asked, young Obi,” Mikey said, throwing an arm around my neck while he was just in his underwear.
“You’ve come to the right place,” Beatty said with his missing-toothed grin.
