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Ethan walks by and peers over my shoulder. "Bro. Are you stalking your own Instagram?"

"Nah. Just catching up on fan engagement."

James leans in from across the aisle. "Is that your girl scrolling like she’s decoding your playbook?"

I pocket my phone. "She’s just...curious."

James whistles. "Smitten Jones. Damn. Never thought I’d see the day."

"Play your period, Henderson."

But I’m still grinning.

Back on the ice, the third period starts with a bang. The other team comes out aggressive, pressing hard to break our lead. I block a slapshot with my shin pad and grunt through the sting. Connor clears the zone, and James lays down a perfect check that gets the crowd on their feet.

"Nice hit, Hendo!" I shout, skating past.

He smirks. "Had to remind him this isn’t a Sunday skate."

We dig in. Shift after shift, it’s grind time. The boys are talking nonstop: switch, cover high, push left. I lay out to intercept a cross-ice pass and hear Coach yell behind me, "Atta boy, Jones!"

The clock ticks down under five. We win a faceoff in the D-zone, and I chip it up the boards to Parker, who eats twenty seconds just ragging the puck. Ethan dumps it in with a smirk and teases the goalie as he skates off.

When the horn finally sounds, the scoreboard’s 3-0. Shutout.

Solid win. Hard-earned. And it feels damn good.

Except the night’s not over yet.

It’s one of those post-game extras. Season ticket holder appreciation night. Half the guys duck out, but a handful of us head to the event space upstairs where fans line up for autographs and pictures.

Mandy and Kira are waiting by the entrance when I arrive, fresh out of a post-game shower, yet still sweating from the adrenaline rush.

Mandy leans in with a smile. "Congrats, stud."

"That block in the second?" Kira says. "Hot."

"Tell that to my bruised shin."

We pose for a couple of quick selfies before I get pulled to the welcome table.

The night rolls on. Sign a jersey here. Snap a pic there. It’s all good.

Until I glance over and see Mandy chatting with a blonde woman in a glittery jacket. Season ticket holders always bring some flair, but there’s something off about the vibe.

When I wrap up, I make my way over. Mandy's smile is polite, but a little too tight.

"Everything okay?" I murmur into her ear.

She nods quickly. "Yeah. Just someone who recognized me from that poker night picture."

My brows lift. "From where?"

"Instagram. Said she follows a few of the 'wives and girlfriends' accounts. Thought I looked familiar."

I pause.

Mandy shrugs, trying to shake it off. "She asked if I was your new flavor of the month."