Practice is brutal.
Not because of the drills—those are standard. But because the guys won't let it go.
We're running through power play formations when Ashton skates up beside me during a water break.
"So," he says, grinning like an asshole. "How does it feel having your ex back at the house?"
"It's temporary."
"That's not what I asked."
Crew joins us, pulling off his helmet. "Dude, I was in that kitchen this morning, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. You two were in the same room and acting like the other one didn't exist."
"We're being adults about it," I say.
"That's one word for it," Ashton says. "Painful is another."
“I’m glad you rescued her,” Crew says. “Totally won me some points with Keira.”
“Glad I could help you out.”
“Seriously, that was a big boy move,” Ashton says. “I don’t think I would be that cool to invite the ex who shattered my heart back into my house.”
“She didn’t shatter my heart.”
“Oh, she definitely did,” Crew says.
"Can we focus on hockey?"
"We are focused on hockey," Crew says. "We're just also focused on the fact that you're living with the girl who dumped you and pretending like it's no big deal."
"It's not a big deal."
Ashton laughs. "Right. That's why you bolted from the kitchen this morning like your ass was on fire."
"I had class."
"You had forty-five minutes before class."
I don't have a response for that.
Holden skates over, clearly catching the tail end of the conversation. "We're talking about Sutton?"
"Of course we are," Crew says.
"Man, that's rough." He shakes his head. "How long is she staying?"
"She's leaving tomorrow," I say.
"And you're okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're obviously not over her," Ashton says.
I shoot him a look. "Can we drop this?"
"No," Crew says. "Because this is way more interesting than running drills. How weird is it? Scale of one to ten."
