Page 50 of Off-Ice Misconduct (Daddies of the League #8)

He sighs. “Yeah, don’t worry. Luke’s been chewing my damn ear off about it. You still have some responsibility as captain, McKinnon, but I’ve been dumping mine onto you.”

Fucking douchebag. I didn’t know. Didn’t even suspect it. I thought everything I was doing was expected of a team captain. I don’t say anything, and let my face say it for me.

“In my defense, you’re not the easiest bunch to manage. Plus, my way is smashing square pegs into round holes. Using you may have been wrong, but it was the nicest way.”

Which is probably something he learned through Luke, and why it made sense to him.

The latter, I mean. Smashing square pegs into round holes sounds like what their uncle might have done.

Ugh, I want to be more pissed at Coach, but even with Luke protecting him, his upbringing had to be shitty.

Does it excuse what he’s done? No, but it’s a good reminder that nobody’s perfect, and we’re shaped by how we were made, destined to undo those patterns as we learn better.

“I’m not opposed,” I tell him. “But if I’m going to be speaking on your behalf, I’d rather work with you than be beaten into submission.”

“I’ve never beaten on you, McKinnon.”

“With words, I mean.”

“Okay, fair. We’ll consult, but it’s still a ‘what I say goes’ situation.”

I expect no less from a VanCourt. “Got it, Coach.”

“Can you fix the high-school drama, McKinnon?”

I nod. “I think so, Coach. I’m gonna give it my best shot anyway.”

“Alright, I’ll let you handle this one, but if I don’t see improvement by next game, we’ll do it my way—you won’t like my way. Before you go, any idea where you’re planning on going next season?”

“Not yet.”

“Don’t wait too long. They want you, but the NHL still runs on money. They’ll move on.”

“Awww, was that big brotherly advice, Coach?” I’ll forgive him for gaslighting me, but he doesn’t get off scot-free. Welcome to my brand of revenge, Coach.

It takes him a minute to register what I’m doing. I see the moment he thinks he’ll rat me out to Luke, and then the moment he realizes that Luke’ll just laugh his face off at him.

I behave for Daddy. Period. Everyone else is fair game.

“I’m not your big brother, McKinnon.”

“Sure, you are. After the wedding, you will be.” Luke and I haven’t talked about weddings and shit, and I don’t even know if I want to get married, but it’s great material for teasing Coach with.

“You’re forgetting that I know exactly how far Luke can be pushed before he’ll do any crushing, and it’s a nice wide gap between how many skate sprints I can make you do and being crushed. Now, get the fuck outta my face, McKinnon.”

I salute anyway. “Getting the fuck out, sir.”

When we board the bus for Tacoma, I take the seat beside Bender before Shep has the chance.

“Hey!” Shep says. “Move.”

“Gimme a few minutes, then we’ll switch,” I promise.

“Make him cry, and I’ll hurt you, McKinnon.”

Wow. I’ve never seen him get quite that way about Hudson. Is it because they’re new? Or has Shep really moved on from Huddy that fast?

“Don’t plan on making him cry, but if I do, I’ll happily let you punch me in the face.”

He glares, but he sits directly in front of us.

Bender’s floating on fucking air, having loved that little caveman display. Jeez. I’ve missed a lot, haven’t I? I nudge Bender with my shoulder to steal his attention back.

“You’re really into him, huh?”

He chews his lip, barely able to meet my eyes. “I think so, yeah. Not sure why, if I’m being honest.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of, Bend. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I know, Ace. You’re a good friend, the silence between us has been fucking killing me.”

I nod. “I’m sorry. I’m gonna lay off, okay?” I can’t stop him from getting his heart broken as much as I’d like to, any more than I can prevent my own from the same fate.

“How are things with your situation? I mean, I assume good since you can’t seem to stop smiling, but I want details.”

If I told my friends just what Luke and I got up to, I don’t know if they’d understand it. Don’t know if I do half the time, just that I’m in heaven doing it.

“We say ‘hearts and shit’ as our I love you,” I tell him instead.

“Really? Fuck, Ace. I’m so happy for you. Your mom would be, too, y’know? She’d want you to open up and have a someone.”

A knot in my chest tightens before it unfurls.

Bender knew my mom, but I forgot that he did.

As if I’d tucked that piece of information so far away, the memory became too distant to recall.

Because then I’d have to look at Bender every day and remember her.

Remember the way she fussed over him. How she’d surprise us with sleepovers when she didn’t want to send him home.

That time she put us in the bath together in our bathing suits when we were six because his mom forgot for a few days.

Maybe I’ve been carrying the torch with Bender for Mom, and I don’t need to anymore.

Hell, by the sounds of it, he’s been worried about me.

“I have a someone,” I assure him. “Mom would have fucking loved him.” Once she got over the fact that he’s fifteen years older than I am.

That’s probably not easy for any parent to swallow.

“Is, um, is Shep your someone?” I say quietly enough that hopefully Shep’s nosy ass can’t hear. I know he’s eavesdropping.

Bender’s eyes flicker to the seat in front of us.

He nods, so Shep can’t hear an answer, and places a finger over his lips to signal it’s a secret.

Of course. And Bend’s not gonna let him in on that anytime soon, which is smart until he knows Shep’s for real.

I should have trusted Bender to make the decisions he could handle.

He’s always come to me before when he couldn’t, I’m sure he will with this, too.

We burst into laughter. I swear to fuck a reality TV show should be made about us called “Idiots in Love”. It’d be a number one drama.

“What are you two laughing about back there?” Shep demands.

“Nothin’,” I say, which only sets off more laughter.

“That’s it,” he says, getting out of his seat, standing over me. “Move, McKinnon.”

He’s not taking no for an answer this time, so I let him have the seat. “Make him cry, and I’ll beat your ass, Shep.”

“I make him cry, and I’ll let you,” he promises, lacing his hand with Bender’s.

It’s a real nineties sitcom moment. All the conclusionary vibes, until a growly “Mother fucking fucker” booms through the air. The whole bus peers their eyes in Coach’s direction.

“What are you looking at?” he snaps.

We go back to our own business, leaving him to his business. I’m beside Justin again, so I pop my earbuds in and pull out my phone to text Luke, updating him on the latest drama. I don’t know when I began telling him everything about my life, but here we are.

Wolf Daddy

Don’t you have a North Point game upcoming?

Me

And you think that could have something to do with his outburst?

Wolf Daddy

Tate’s not prone to losing his temper like that. It’s got to be something big.

Me

Could have been a donor pulling out.

That’s big.

Wolf Daddy

That’s possible, too.

But I can tell Luke doesn’t think that’s the reason, and we don’t get one, but we do kick ass in Tacoma.