“You in a hurry, Santo?” Kane asks, brow raised.
“You could say that,” I breathe.
I’m really not dressed for a date night, and I self consciously ruffle my hair with my hand. I’m in a pair of chinos and a long sleeved Henley with sneakers. It’s a mixture of casual and professional since I’m on my feet so much.
“Santo?” Levon asks, poking his head into the room.
“Coming,” I say, rushing over to an intern. “Can you make sure everything gets cleaned up in here, please? I’d usually do it, but?—”
“You’re busy?” he guesses.
“Ah, yes,” I say with a nod.
“You’re always the last one to finish in here, I’ll take care of it,” he says.
Thanking him, I’m surprised anyone notices what I do. It’s true that I’m usually running around to take care of everyone during the different periods when they change out players, but I didn’t think anyone paid attention to the behind the scenes stuff.
Joining Levon, I grin at his open white button up shirt underneath his gray suit jacket. He looks damn sexy.
“If you look at me like that any longer, I’m going to kiss the shit out of you,” he murmurs.
His bag is in his hand, and I can’t help the way I shrug at his words.
“You don’t get to make demands, brat,” I say. “Are we taking a ride share ?”
“Borrowing a staff member’s car,” Coach Miles says as he jogs up to us. “I have the keys. Let’s go before someone has an emergency.”
Chuckling because he’s not wrong, I head toward the exit.
“Her dad really called you?” I ask.
“Oh yeah. It was an experience,” he says. “My sphincter had a religious puckering.”
“Too much information,” I say, shaking my head. “I wonder what it’s like to grow up with someone like that.”
“With Coach Freedman?” Miles asks, pushing the door to the exit. At my nod, he shrugs. “I watched Caelia grow up. He was always firm but really kind with her. She rolled with the punches whenever he yelled, and I never got the impression that she was scared of him. He’s just a really intense person.”
“Is that weird?" I ask. “Knowing her as a kid?”
“Coach Freedman has always been very protective of Caelia. We had a job to do and she had homework. Therefore, we paidattention to the ice, practice, and games in that order,” Miles says. “I haven’t seen her in so long, I don’t find it odd that?—”
“You’re old,” Levon finishes, smirking.
“You both suck,” he grumbles. “I’m not old. I’m only forty-five.”
“Ancient,” I decide. “I don’t know how you’ll be able to keep up.”
“Fuck you all!” Miles yells as Levon and I burst into laughter.
Man, he just makes it so easy.
The vehicle we’re borrowing is a sedan, and it’s difficult for the three of us to squeeze into.
“I’m going to need a massage after this,” Levon groans pitifully.
“Shh,” Miles mutters. “I’ll leave you here.”
Smothering my smile, I turn in the back seat to try to find a way to stretch out my legs as Miles drives. We really are like bickering children.
