The magnitude of cheers that burst out of the booth made me jump, but I was also partly impressed to hear that level of noise coming from only five guys. They’d make awesome groupies, following Icy Veins around to avoid them ever playing a dead room like this again.
“I’m Sage. Nice to meet y’all. Have a nice night.”
Aiden’s hand hooked into my arm, stopping my speedy getaway in its tracks. “Come on. Just one beer.”
“Sage…” Landon stretched his arms out along the plush faux leather booth and tested my name a few more times. “What are you to Aiden, Sage?”
“And how much is he paying you to be it?”
“On his bench pay check? Probably not much.”
Laughter erupted and I stared at Aiden.
“No thanks. We’ll catch up another time.”
But Aiden blocked my path again, his gaze pleading with me.
“Hey, can you guys quit being grade-A dicks for one night?” Grayson quieted them down. “Also, as of today, Aiden Santos’s ass is officially no longer made of wood. So no more of that talk.”
Tucker drummed the table, and they all lifted their beers to Aiden. I’d been dead-set on walking out on this chaotic celebration, but seeing the look on his face flipped something in me. That stupid, sheepish smile. He was so goddamn proud of himself.
“Fine. One beer.”
It wasn’t good enough for me to join. Tucker and Landon slid out of the booth so Aiden and me could get in, leaving us sandwiched by Surge players. That in itself wasn’t so bad; I’d learned to hold my own in a room full of men. The staring was the thing that set me on edge. My tongue fiddled with the back of the labret on the inside of my lip.
Aiden nudged his shoulder against mine once we were wedged into the booth, his leg pressed along the length of mine under the table. “It’s official. I’m first line center.”
The words landed between us and I caught the way he held them there, as if he wasn’t sure how hard he was allowed to believe them yet.
I curved my mouth into something that passed for excitement. “That’s great, Aiden. Congratulations.”
“Just until Mason heals up, of course.” He said it quick, like he needed it out there as a reminder to keep his own excitement in check.
Landon gave a dry laugh. “He’s out for the rest of the season. You can count on it.”
Aiden didn’t answer that. He tipped the pitcher, first filling his own glass, then mine. His focus stayed on the stream of beer, watching the foam settle in a thick blanket.
“Well,” he said, sliding my drink over, “either way, it’s my first time starting.”
I picked up the glass. It was cold enough to sting my fingers. “Then we should probably mark the occasion.”
He tapped his glass against mine, a quiet clink that got swallowed almost immediately.
“Damn right you should,” Tucker cut in. “First shift, you keep it simple. No hero plays. You hear me?”
“Speak for yourself,” Landon shot back. “He should go out there and make a statement. First touch, take it straight to the net.”
“Yeah, and get stapled to the boards in the first thirty seconds. Great advice.”
Grayson pointed at Aiden with two fingers, holding his attention. “Coach doesn’t care how pretty it looks. He cares that you don’t screw up your assignments. You keep your lane, you’re golden.”
“And when he’s in a bad mood, stay out of his way,” Cash added.
“Which is all the time.” Landon grinned into his glass as he said it, but I didn’t hear any of the others say he was wrong.
That set them off again. Everyone talking over each other, tossing in their version of how this was going to go. The rest of the season, the Cup run, all of it.
Aiden took it in with a small smile, nodding here and there, letting them have it. He didn’t interrupt or try to claim themoment. Just sat there beside me, listening, holding onto it in his own way.
