It’s not like I can ask my other friends to platonically cuddle with me. It’s just not done.
“Never! And if I play like shit because of this…” I reluctantly release him.
He steps back and crosses his arms. Shit. Should I have asked him before hugging him?
I hate doubting what used to be so natural between us.
“Don’t say that.” He gets a coffee going and leans against the counter. “We can’t let that smug bastard have an inch.”
I’m glad he wants to kick Mark’s ass, too. Boston has always been the Gods’ biggest rival, and if we can beat them in Boston, it’s even better. “You have time to get your head on straight, since the game isn’t until tomorrow.”
But it’s downhill from there.
We’re late to the flight, and Coach Hawke is pissed. Boston is a parking lot, so we get to our hotel late, which fucks up the team lunch, and the sandwiches are all soggy.
We are all going to be off our game.
We need to rally, which means team bonding. Angel and I need to figure something out to get everyone’s heads back in the game.
I toss my bag on the bed near the window and turn around, looking for Archangel. We’d taken the elevator up together, so he couldn’t have gone far.
I pull open the door and find myself face-to-face with Lovelace. “The fuck?”
“Roommate switch.” He holds up his hands. “Don’t blame me. I didn’t complain.”
I narrow my eyes. “Weren’t you with Seaborn?”
As co-captain, I help Coach do the room splits to make sure he knows who’s getting along.
“I was.”
“You two have beef?”
Lovelace shakes his head. “You know Seaborn is cool. He’s pissy about this game, but you know how he gets about Ktytor.”
“Right, those two are always at each other’s throats.” There weren’t two guys in college hockey who hated each other more. And I don’t blame Seaborn. Ktytor is a dick.
“So why the switch?”
Lovelace tosses his bag on the other bed and shrugs. “Fuck if I know. I just do what I’m told, bro.”
“Hawke didn’t say a word to me. When did he tell you?”
“After lunch, when he gave us our keys.” He checks his phone, then tosses it on the desk.
“I’m going to go find Archangel.”
FIFTEEN
ARCHANGEL
Wolfe corners me in the locker room.
“Can we not do this here?” I don’t want to show weakness before the game.
Wolfe gestures toward one of the empty training rooms. I follow him in and shut the door.
“What do you not want me to say in front of the team?” Wolfe asks, crossing his arms.
