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Asher: First, it was my ex’s wedding, so it seemed appropriate. Second, they had five pockets. And everyone knows five pockets is key. Do you know how many jello shots I fit in there?

Me: …

Me: You looked like you were ready to pull out a flashlight and compass at any moment and join Dora the Explorer on her adventures.

I gave myself a mental high five on that burn. It was a good one.

Asher: Hey, I was navigating myself to an open bar. At least I didn’t look like I just walked off the stage after performing “Bye, Bye, Bye.”

Me: You’ll see, next time we go out, I’ll wear that vest. And then you’ll see.

Obviously, the only person I wanted to look at me was Sloane. But I wasn’t prepared to inform Asher of that. He might take issue with the fact that the only thing I knew about her was her name.

Asher: …

My eyebrows rose, and I growled.

Me: Hey, none of that.

Asher: What do you mean?

Me: I mean, no…

Asher: I still don’t get it…

Me: I’ve worked too hard to get in the COT for you to just adopt our ways willy-nilly.

Asher: See, this is why I’m pretty sure you’re not in the “COT.” You just said “willy-nilly.” And literally no one says that anymore.

Asher: I also have doubts that Ari Lancaster allows Circle of Trust abbreviations. Doesn’t seem official enough, ya know?

Me:

Asher: …

Asher: Kick ass tonight.

I was grinning as I tossed my phone into my locker and pulled on my gloves.

“Does that smirk mean you aren’t going to suck tonight?” Ari asked innocently as he continued taping his stick.

“Or does it mean that you are preparing formoresuckage?” Walker added. “Because it feels like that smirk could go either way.”

I scoffed and shook my head.

“Because in that case, we should just kill you now.”

That comment was from Lincoln. I side-eyed him…because honestly you never knew with him. He might not be joking.

Which would be unfortunate in this case since I’d only just found my new reason for living.

Lincoln clapped me on the shoulder, and I breathed a little sigh of relief—not that I would be admitting that. “Rookie, I have complete faith in you. There’s no way you’re going to fuck up like you did last game.”

His words seemed a little like a warning…but that might be fair in this case with how ridiculously bad I’d played last game. Everyone in this locker room wanted a Stanley Cup. Figuring out how to win that while also getting the girl who happened to be dating my sworn enemy was just going to be a little bit of a challenge.

I glanced at Camden, who was wearing a scary-looking smile on his face, and I gulped.

“I’m going to be so good tonight, boys. It’s going to be like the last game never even happened.”