“Of course he knew,” Liam says. “Badaszek is a legend.”
“It’s unnatural,” Pierre says with a whistle.
I’m still processing all of this when Whitaker appears in the doorway.
“Got a minute?” he asks.
Stress surges inside. “I have a game to play.”
The guys exchange glances. I reluctantly follow him out to the hallway. Confrontations on the ice are just a regular day at work. But confrontations in real life set me on edge.
Whitaker runs his hand through his hair. “I owe you an apology. A big one.”
“For?” My eyebrows lift.
“For high school. For calling dibs on April when I knew you liked her. For making you think she was off-limits.” He meets my eyes. “I was a selfish kid, and I screwed up what could have been you having ten years with her.”
I let out a long breath. “We were all selfish kids.”
“Yeah, but I was especially selfish and I’m sorry. April deserves better than how I treated her at prom,and you deserved better than a friend who put bro code over your actual happiness.”
“Whitaker—”
“Let me finish.” He shifts his weight. “I know I can’t change the past. But I want you to know that I’m happy for you. Both of you. And if you need anything, I’m here. For real this time.”
“So no more dates with the likes of Lyric and Posh.”
He grips the back of his neck. “Yeah, I wasn’t reading the room.”
I study him for a moment, seeing genuine remorse in his face. Then I extend my hand. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
We shake, but where I expect tension to ease, it doesn’t.
“Is there something else?” I ask.
“Uh, yeah.” Suddenly sheepish, he gazes at the floor.
“Whitaker …?”
He winces. “If, say, I, uh, were to ask—” He swallows.
“That buzzer is going to sound and you’re going to lose your chance,” I warn.
“Would it be okay if I ask your sister, Claudia, on a date?” he asks in one breath.
My mouth drops open.
“I had a crush on her back in high school and was afraid to tell you because I didn’t want?—”
“To ruin our friendship,” I breathe.
He nods.
“Oh man.” I grip the back of my neck. I didn’t see this coming. Did Mom?
Whitaker’s face falls.
Then I slap his arm with my gloves. “Yeah, go after her. Treat her right. She can be feisty. If I found out you act like a fool—like I did with April—it’ll be more than these gloves coming after you.”
