The Knights haven’t come calling, but they started their pre-season too, and I can tell Dom is going to be a handful for them. That’s fine, though. I just need to keep playing solid. No flash. I’ll leave that to the kid.
I haven’t even pulled off my damn skates from morning drills when Benji flops down next to me on the locker room bench, phone in hand, smirking like the cat who caught the canary.
“Congrats, Monroe. You’re The Bench’s leading man today.”
I don’t look up. “The gossip page of Fox River Falls? I don’t read that crap. Why would I?”
He ignores me. “Quote: ‘He smiled—with his whole face. Smitten.’” He turns the screen so I can see it, just in case I want the full horror show, or in this case, the pic someone took of me and Thatcher leaning into each other’s space and smiling during Jamie’s game. “I mean, it’s a generous interpretation, but they’ve got brackets going now. Kiss predictions. Outdoor bonfire seems to be the front-runner.”
I yank off one skate, hard enough to nearly catch my own shin. “There’s nothing going on with me and Thatcher.”
Lies. There’s a whole lot going on in my head, but none of it is real. I’ve been turned upside down since the night he dropped me off. On the road, all my brain thought about was hockey and how electric it felt to be near Thatcher.
I almost went out one night, since we were playing near a rather large metro area—a hookup would have been easy enough—but I passed on the opportunity. It wasn’t appealing.
Although now I almost wish I had. Just to take the edge off.
Jamie has a game tonight, and I’m still not sure how to approach Thatcher. Gossip from the last time we sat together atone of his games isn’t helping me figure out how to interact with him now that we’ve come so close to a kiss.
Diggs’s voice comes in quiet and sharp from the row of hooks behind me. “Then whatisgoing on?”
I freeze for half a second. Didn’t realize he was there. He didn’t sound like he was joking.
“I sit next to a guy at a kids’ hockey game and suddenly the whole town thinks we’re picking out curtains,” I mutter, grabbing my other skate like it had personally offended me. “I coach his kid. We’re friends.” Or friendly. Right?
Diggs leans in, still grinning. “It’s not just that you sat next to him, man. It’s how y’all look at each other. And you brought him snacks.”
“It was a hockey game,” I retort flatly. “Everyone has snacks.”
“You took snacks. Voluntarily. For someone who doesn’t play for this team. That’s basically a declaration of emotional availability.”
I shake my head. “You’re an idiot.”
Still, the thought of being that close to Thatcher again has me buzzing. Three periods of his thigh pressed against mine might kill me now.
Benji doesn’t smile. “We’re not trying to mess with you. We’re trying to check in. Because you’ve been . . . off lately.”
“I’m fine. I played solid hockey for two weeks on the road.”
“And when you weren’t on the ice, your head was in the clouds, Roe.”
“I said I’m fine. There was nothing to complain about on the ice and that’s what matters.”
Benji crosses his arms. “I’ve seen guys lose focus over worse. Diggs is right about one thing: The Freeze is coming up fast. You know how packed the schedule gets this time of the season. And season’s really in the thick of it for the NAPH guys. We need yousteady.Youneed you steady. This could be a big part of your shot back to the big show, Roe.”
I stand, grabbing my stick off the wall a little harder than necessary. “I’m not losing focus. And there’s nothing going on with Thatcher. I’m just trying to support his kid. Support this team.”
Diggs gives me a look. “You are supporting the kid. By trying not to stare at his dad like you want to kiss the shit out of him.”
I bark out a laugh—short and humorless. “Jesus.” I did want to do just that, and just my luck I now played in a place that analyzed everything hockey-related. Including the way I looked at the world’s sexiest hockey dad.
Diggs shrugs. “Look, no judgment here. But maybe don’t make your big romantic debut in the middle of the community game, yeah?”
Benji just meets my eyes. Not mad. Just steady. “Get your head where it needs to be, Roe. If hockey dad helps with that, great. But if not . . ..” He trails off. “You’ve put too much work into this to get distracted now.”
He’s right and I nod. I make eye contact with both of them, letting them know I hear them. I didn’t have this kind of teammate connection when I played for the Knights, and I know this talk comes from a good place. From Benji especially. I know he’s seen plenty of guys come down from the big show and have to work their way back. He’s seen things.
“You watch the news, Roe. You’ve seen Dom play. The Knights are going to need you sooner or later.”
