Page 8

Chapter 8

Off-Limits

Miles

M y hunger was spiraling out of control, and not just for the pile of food I was about to demolish. After our game and late workout, my body craved fuel, but there was another kind of yearning that had taken up permanent residence inside me.

I had the worst fucking crush on Nora and had since I’d first watched her land a triple axel in competition. She was thirteen and a powerhouse in a sparkly dark purple dress, and I’d been completely in awe of her.

Even back then, she’d exuded a fierce determination that made it impossible to look away. Fifteen years later, and that fascination had only grown stronger now that she was a coach, evolving into something that made my heart rate speed up when she walked into a room. Not that I’d ever admit that to anyone, especially not to her.

The curved green vinyl booth squeaked under me as I slid in, watching Nora and Dominic perform an awkward dance of who-sits-where. The hesitation before either of them moved was subtle but unmistakable. Nora slid in next to me, even though there wasn’t much room, while Dominic took the opposite side.

Something was off.

I scooted over to give her more space and grabbed a menu. “The loaded fries here will change your life, Nora. Jerry hand-cuts them himself every morning, and the cheese sauce and bacon are perfection.”

“Is Jerry real, or is he like Ronald McDonald?” Nora flipped open her own menu.

“Jerry’s very real. He’s about eighty-five and still works the grill a few times a week.” I glanced at Dominic, who was stabbing at his phone like he wanted to murder it. “The breakfast skillets with fries are also legendary. Right, Dom?”

“Hmm? Yeah, whatever.” He didn’t look up from his phone, which was odd. He might be a moody prick at times, but usually that didn’t extend to me, at least not in a serious way. His current mood felt darker and more personal than his typical brand of moodiness.

I shot a questioning look at Nora, wondering if she knew what had crawled up his ass and died there, but she was intently studying her menu like it was about to reveal life’s greatest mystery.

What exactly had I walked in on back at the gym? The way they’d been standing, the flush on Nora’s cheeks, the weird energy...

No. Absolutely not. Dominic would never, and Nora was our coach.

Deb, who served us nearly every time we came in, appeared with three waters. “The usual for you boys?”

Dominic grunted his response, and I smiled up at Deb, thankful for the distraction. “Yes, please.”

“Two Cokes and two bacon breakfast skillets with fries… and what will you have, dear?” Deb turned her attention to Nora.

“I’ll take a chocolate milkshake and the loaded fries with extra jalapenos and extra bacon, with a side of ranch, please. I hear the fries are life-changing.”

“Honey, these fries will make you forget every bad decision you’ve ever made, including any recent ones.” Deb winked, taking our menus.

Dominic’s phone clattered against the table, and the tension ratcheted up another notch. The moment Deb walked away, an awkward silence descended over us. I’d sat through post-loss locker room silences that were more comfortable than this.

I cleared my throat, desperate to fill the silence with anything remotely normal. “So... good first exhibition game, right?” I sat up a little straighter, proud of how I’d played, and because I’d been named team captain right before the game.

Nora’s eyebrow arched slightly. “It was... educational to say the least.” Her fingers drummed against the worn tabletop, creating a quiet rhythm that somehow sharpened the edge in the air.

Dominic’s jaw tightened, the muscle jumping beneath his skin. I’d seen that look enough times to know whatever came next wouldn’t help the situation. “If by educational you mean we have a coach who thinks winning isn’t good enough.” The bitterness in his voice could have curdled milk, and I wished I’d suggested literally any other topic of conversation.

“Winning isn’t the point of exhibition games.” She ran a finger along the condensation on her cup, creating little rivers that flowed down onto the table. “Besides the obvious finalizing of the roster and starting lineup, the point is to implement what we’ve been practicing and identify further areas for improvement.”

“Which we did.” Dominic’s voice had a dangerous edge to it, and I fought the urge to kick him under the table.

Nora made a sound of annoyance, somewhere between a scoff and a sigh. “ You didn’t.”

My gaze bounced between them like I was a spectator at Wimbledon, munching on metaphorical popcorn while trying to decode what exactly had shifted in the dynamic between my best friend and our coach.

Deb returned with our drinks, and all three of us quickly distracted ourselves with them. Nora’s fingers wrapped around her milkshake, and I noticed Dominic tracking the movement, his eyes following as she leaned down and wrapped her lips around the straw before he suddenly jerked his attention to the window, like he’d been caught doing something wrong.

I cleared my throat. “How are you liking New York? Besides the questionable characters you’re forced to work with?”

She relaxed slightly, her shoulders dropping a fraction as she stirred her milkshake with her straw. A wistful sigh escaped her lips, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of something vulnerable beneath her usual composed exterior. “It’s been an adjustment. I miss the LA weather and the ocean.”

“There’s an ocean right down the street, and we were literally on a yacht last night. Although you did have quite a bit to drink, so maybe you forgot.” Dominic stared right at her with a look that screamed he was challenging her.

“Hey, don’t be an asshole.” I wadded up a napkin and threw it at him, nailing him right between the eyes. “What’s gotten into you?” This was getting ridiculous, and I was about ready to throw myself across the table and strangle him.

It was one thing to be pissed off about something, but to be so blatantly rude and snarky was completely out of line.

“You should be asking Nora that question. Lots has gotten into her.” The venom in his voice made me flinch.

Nora coughed as she swallowed some of her milkshake wrong. A flush crept up her neck as she slid from the booth, the vinyl squeaking in protest. “Excuse me.” Her voice was distorted by a cough as she grabbed her purse and headed toward the hall that had the bathrooms.

I stared at Dominic in disbelief as he glared at Nora’s back. The moment she was out of earshot, I leaned across the table. “What the hell is your problem tonight?” I kept my voice low but didn’t bother hiding my annoyance. “You’re being a complete dick.”

“I don’t have a problem.”

“Really? Because you’re acting like Nora high-sticked you and the refs let it slide.” I grabbed my Coke and took a long sip, trying to calm down. I didn’t usually get angry, even on the ice, but right now I was fuming.

“She’s our coach,” he muttered, like that explained everything.

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw my own brain. “Yeah, and? She’s also a person who deserves some respect. Did she make you do all-outs or something?”

“No.” He started fiddling with his napkin. Now I was really concerned because Dominic didn’t fiddle.

“Then what? Because I’m getting serious hostility vibes here, and I’m pretty sure it’s not because of her coaching feedback.” I studied his face, noting the tight set of his jaw and the way he now refused to meet my gaze.

“Look, it’s complicated.” He started to shred his napkin. “She gets under my skin.”

A light bulb flickered on in my head, and my stomach dropped. “Hold up. You like her, don’t you?”

Dominic’s head snapped up, eyes wide with panic before narrowing into slits. “What the fuck? No! And keep your voice down!” He looked around frantically, as if the entire diner was listening in on our conversation. “And I am not into her. That’s ridiculous.” His vehement denial only confirmed my suspicion.

“It’s not ridiculous.” There was a strange twist in my gut as I processed this revelation. “She’s smart, she’s gorgeous, and she can probably outskate both of us.”

“Exactly! She’s our coach,” he hissed, leaning forward. “She’s off-limits .”

My mind flashed back to the gym and what I’d walked in on. I was pretty sure if I had walked in a minute later, they would have been kissing.

I narrowed my eyes, studying Dominic’s face like it would reveal all the answers. “Did something already happen between you two?”

Dominic’s face went through a fascinating series of expressions—surprise, guilt, anger, and finally settling on defensive indifference.

“No. Of course not.” The way he subtly turned his head to look toward the bathrooms gave him away.

“You’re lying.” I sat back, absorbing this new information. “Holy shit, Dom.”

“I’m not—” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?” A strange hollow feeling expanded in my chest. I’d been harboring my own feelings for Nora, crushing on her like some lovesick teenager, but had kept it to myself because of the coach-player dynamic. Finding out Dominic might have already crossed a line stirred something uncomfortable inside me.

“Nothing,” he snapped. “Forget it, okay? It doesn’t matter.”

I wanted to press further, but something in his expression made me back off. Whatever had happened between them had clearly left him rattled, which was saying something for a guy who prided himself on emotional detachment when it came to women.

“Fine. But you need to dial back the asshole routine.” I took another long sip of my drink, letting the cold bubbles fizz against my tongue while I gathered my thoughts. “She’s trying to do her job.”

“Why did you even invite her?” Dominic’s tone was accusatory.

Warmth crept up my neck as I shrugged, aiming for casual. Being a redhead was the worst for hiding embarrassment. “People have to eat, Dom. Just being friendly.” The words came out steady enough, but the way I suddenly became fascinated with straightening my silverware probably wasn’t helping my case.

He leaned forward like he was about to interrogate a suspect. “Friendly. Right.” The way he drew out those two words made them sound like an indictment.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The defensive edge in my voice hid nothing. It wasn’t like I had some grand plan when I’d asked Nora to join us. Probably.

“Nothing.” He crossed his arms, his expression hardening. “You shouldn’t have invited her. This is our place.”

“Come on, it’s one dinner?—”

“No.” Dominic shook his head firmly, his voice dropping to that dangerously quiet tone he used when he was truly pissed. “I don’t want her here.”

Movement in my peripheral made me glance up to see Nora standing frozen in place, close enough to have heard his last statement. Her face flickered with hurt for the briefest moment before she smoothed her expression into perfect neutrality.

Fuck.

I opened my mouth to say something to salvage the situation, but Nora had already slipped back into the seat beside me, her smile tight but in place.

“Sorry about that.” She adjusted her napkin in her lap and looked right at Dominic. “Did I miss anything important?”

I cleared my throat, desperately searching for words that wouldn’t make this awkward situation even worse. “Just hockey talk. Nothing interesting.”

“Hmm.” She took a long sip of her milkshake, managing to stay composed even as unease simmered beneath the surface.

Dominic shifted uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the table. I could practically see the gears turning in his head, probably trying to decide if he should acknowledge what she’d overheard or pretend it never happened.

Thankfully, Deb chose that moment to arrive, setting down plates heaped with greasy, delicious comfort food.

Nora popped a fry into her mouth and closed her eyes, making a sound that was almost inappropriate for a public setting. “I take back every disparaging thing I ever said about New York food.”

“Told you.” I bumped my shoulder against hers gently. “Life-changing.”

Her reaction broke some of the awkwardness, and I couldn’t help but laugh as she did a happy little shimmy dance in her seat. Even Dominic’s mouth twitched slightly at the corners, though he quickly schooled his features.

But as we ate and I repeatedly watched Nora’s eyes flick toward Dominic and the way Dominic’s entire body seemed oriented toward her, I knew that normal was the last thing this situation was.

And where that left me was a question I wasn’t ready to answer.