Not a man with his phone lighting up late at night.
Not someone replaying smiles in his head.
Just the captain doing his job.
When practice finally ends, we’re soaked and breathing hard. The guys drift toward the locker room in clusters, laughter echoing down the hallway.
Dex skates beside me. “So,” he says casually. “Dinner plans tonight or are you pretending to be mysterious again?”
“I’m not pretending,” I say.
“That’s worse,” he replies. “Because it’s natural.”
I shove him lightly with my shoulder.
He grins. “I’m happy for you, man.”
I don’t answer.
Not because I’m not.
Because saying it out loud feels like tempting fate.
***
The locker room is in action and the music is loud.
Mason drops onto the bench with a grunt.
Gregory’s already halfway changed, methodical as always.
Gabriel sits at his stall scrolling his phone, towel draped over his shoulders, expression relaxed.
Dex launches himself onto the bench opposite me. “Gentlemen,” he announces, “I have breaking news.”
Coach’s voice echoes from the doorway. “If it involves social media, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Too late,” Dex says. “It already exists.”
Coach disappears again with a muttered curse.
Gabriel chuckles softly, still looking at his screen. “Actually,” he says, amused, “this is… something.”
I don’t look up.
Yet.
“Listen to this,” Gabriel says, tone light, like he’s about to read a funny headline. “Apparently Hearts on Ice is still trending.”
Dex pumps a fist. “Legacy, baby.”
Gabriel continues, casual. “Someone posted a clip from the dating game and…”
My hand stills on my tape.
He doesn’t notice.
“And the comments are kind of intense,” Gabriel says. “People are dissecting everything.”
