She sneaks one more glance over her shoulder before we turn the corner and leave the men. “The conclusion is they still havesignificantly elevated levels of adrenaline, which is known to cause disruptions to their emotional regulation.”
“Finley!” a chipper voice yells from down the hall.
I force a smile, mostly because I know it annoys Sabrina to no end when I do it. “Yes, Sabrina?” I ask.
“We need you to come to the post-game family area to meet a special guest.”
I try to avoid the family area whenever possible, but this is fine. This is what head coaches do. They shake hands and kiss future nepo babies.
At least I have something in common with the babies.
“Good game out there tonight, Queenie,” Kane says as we pass by him, a heaping plate of salmon and rice in front of him as he cools down on the stationary bike. “Your call to switch the pairs there at the end was just what we needed, even if Li and I would never admit to being tired that early.”
Damn it. Why is that swell of pride I couldn’t find earlier suddenly making an appearance now? Maybe it’s delayed pride? Obviously, I don’t care what Kane thinks, so it can’t be that.
I mentally shake it off. Not the point. “I don’t care how well you played tonight, Kane. I will make you do sprints if you continue to call me that.”
He smiles, and damn it, it makes me want to smile back, even though I know it means he’s going to keep calling me Queenie. I’m not sure how Kane always seems to pick up on my teasing when no one else does, but it’s somewhat endearing. And also irritating. Where’s the joy if I can’t make the players scared of me?
“Beckett,” Sabrina interrupts. “I could use you, too, actually. Just for a minute.”
Kane swings his leg over the bike, placing his weight on his right side a fraction too carefully. It’s a subtle hitch, but I catch it, nonetheless.
“I’m coming.” He falls into step beside me, plate of food still in hand.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Of course,” Kane replies, his eyes on his food.
“While I’ve got you two,” Sabrina interrupts, glancing over her shoulder at us as she continues down the hallway, never slowing her stride. “You are the only team that hasn’t submitted the nonprofit you’d like to work with if you win the competition. Do you know who you’d like to compete for?”
“I thought they weren’t due to you until end of day tomorrow,” I respond, worry beginning to gnaw at my stomach that I missed a deadline.
“They aren’t. I figured I’d ask since I have you both.”
I meet Kane’s gaze, and he offers a slight shrug. Guess it’s up to me, then.
“Who have the other teams picked?” I ask, pretending I don’t want to duplicate answers rather than needing inspiration.
“Rob and J.D. picked a nonprofit that supports veterans as they transition out of the military. Li and Larsen chose one that has something to do with sea lions—”
“Sea lions?” Kane interrupts. “But we’re nowhere near the ocean.”
I nod in agreement. What a weird choice for the two of them to make. Rob’s choice doesn’t surprise me at all—he has a lot of family who have seen active combat—but sea lions in Colorado?
“That doesn’t change the fact that they need help, Kane. They are an important species for ocean health and are essential to marine ecosystems,” Sabrina says, and I can practically hear Li telling her the exact same thing.
“We can do better than that,” Kane whispers. “Not that I’m against sea lions or anything. It’s just…”
“We don’t live anywhere near the sea?” I ask, conspiratorially.
“That.”
We follow Sabrina into the family area, and I put on my best meet-someone-important smile.
“Ah, it’s the fake smile,” Kane remarks, his tone almost sad.
I whip my head toward him. This is the smile Sabrina made me practice. It does not look fake. “Thisismy smile, Kane.”
