“No.”
Dex deflates instantly. “Then what’s the point of anything anymore?”
I lean back against my stall, arms crossed. Charity is good. Community is good. Dating games?
Risky.
“Which three players?” I ask.
Her smile sharpens. “You, Colby Hayes.”
I blink.
“Mason Barber.”
Mason exhales slowly, eyes closing like he’s accepting his fate.
“And Gregory Mills.”
Gregory straightens. “Do we receive a briefing packet? Or a flowchart?”
Dex loses it. “Oh my God, you’re perfect. America is going to love you.”
I open my mouth to object. Then close it.
Because this is how it always goes.
I’m the safe choice. The captain. The guy the sponsors like. The one they trust not to set something on fire.
Which is ironic, considering my team specializes in arson.
“For the record,” I say, “I don’t enjoy performative romance.”
Dex slings an arm around my shoulders. “That’s okay. Romance will enjoy you.”
I shove him off. “You’re not hosting.”
His face falls. “Cruel.”
“You’d turn it into a roast.”
“Exactly.”
Coach clears his throat. “It’s for charity. And for the city. We do it.”
That’s it. That’s the deciding factor.
I nod. “We do it.”
Because I don’t back out.
***
On the ice later, the chirping ramps up.
Dex skates backward in front of me. “So, Captain. Looking for love?”
“No.”
