She shook her head, laughing softly into her coffee.
For a fleeting second, she wondered who would ever be bold enough to meet that level of precision head-on. Someone who didn’t flinch. Someone who didn’t crumble under the weight of his standards. Someone who might look at him and refuse to be managed.
The thought lingered until Nick rose from his chair with the same controlled ease he’d sat down with, smoothing the sleeve of his coat as though concluding a rehearsal.
“Enjoy it,” he said, not unkindly. “You’ve earned this, Martinez.”
She arched a brow. “That almost sounded like praise.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up into a lopsided smile. Just for one second. A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. But she caught it.
“What did?” he said pointedly, one brow lifting in faint, devastating amusement before he swept out of the diner.
Holly watched him go. Tall, immaculate and entirely certain of his own tempo. And then she felt the faint, electric sense that someday someone was going to knock that calm composure sideways.
@wardrobeMia (IG story text over blurry coffee pic):
I swear watching Holly Martinez and Nick Marlowe talk is like watching two rival CEOs accidentally become gym buddies. Opposite vibes, identical standards. 10/10 green flag friendship.
Text – Crew Group Chat ‘Ballroom Goblins ’:
Jess (hair):just saw holly and nick having coffee like civilized humans
Marco (lighting):they’re so weirdly wholesome??
Tina (props):right?? like not flirty not awkward justprofessional respect with spice
Marco (lighting):it’s giving ‘i will beat you but i will alsoproofread your resume’
ESPN NHL Insider:
Eriksson suspension extended; Voskoboynikov Comments
The NHL has extended New Haven Hammerheads defenseman Nate Eriksson’s suspension for his on-ice collision with New York Warriors rookie Alexei Voskoboynikov earlier this season by an additional month.
League officials described the extension as ‘a reinforcement of existing standards regarding player safety’, emphasizing that while Eriksson has complied with all mandated conduct reviews, further observation was required.
As part of Voskoboynikov’s medical clearance process, the 20-year-old winger was asked to address the incident during a closed-door session with the review board.
“He came to see me,” Voskoboynikov commented as he left the review session. “Alone. No cameras. No lawyers. He owned it.”
When asked whether Eriksson’s style of play made him reckless beyond correction, Voskoboynikov paused before answering.
“He plays on the edge,” he said. “But he knows where the line is now. That’s more than I can say for some guys.”
For Voskoboynikov, who is expected to return to full-contact play later this season, the matter appears settled on a personal level, even if Eriksson remains under active evaluation. League and Hammerheads representatives declined to comment.
74
HOME ICE ADVANTAGE
Nate
“Hockey made me. But it doesn’t get to own me.”
The arena felt smaller than he remembered. The rafters still stretched high and steel-gray above the rink, dusty banners hanging like ghosts of better seasons. The boards were still scuffed, the glass still clouded in the corners and loose in places from years of hits. But as Nate hefted his gear bag and stepped through the side entrance and let the familiar chill bite into his lungs, it felt less like a cathedral and more like a room.
The smell hit him first. A heady cocktail of ice, tape and old sweat, rubber mats and sharpened steel. It slid straight into muscle memory. For a second, his body braced automatically, ready to perform. Nate caught it early. He exhaled and let the tension fall away. Nate wasn’t here to prove anything. He wasn’t even sure he was here to stay.
