Page 5

five

MIRA

Griffin and I slip into an easy routine, and three months fly by in a blink.

Although he’s gone a lot with practice and games, when he’s home, we spend a lot of time hanging out.

Part of me thought we’d sort of coexist, but he’s gone out of his way to make me feel welcome and included.

I no longer think of him as my brother’s friend. I think of him as mine.

Which is one reason I’m so excited for tonight. Because I love cheering on my friends. That, and we’re in Las Vegas. And compared to the sub-zero temperatures of Minneapolis at the end of January, the almost sixty-degree evening here feels utterly balmy.

“I love going to away games,” Isla says with a bright smile.

Her long, red hair shines under the bright lights that are so quintessentially Vegas.

Her blue eyes scan the crowd of fans, most of them decked out in the gold and brown of the Scorpions.

We occasionally catch a flash of gold and gray jerseys with Rogues’ logos on them, but they’re few and far between. “No one recognizes me here.”

A few months ago, Griffin helped my brother put together a plan to win Isla back.

It was the most romantic thing, but it was very public, and between the team’s social media manager and fans with phones, Maddox and Isla have become something of a local spectacle.

But they’re back together, so that’s all that matters.

My brother has the love of his life back, and I have my friend.

Hopefully, soon to be my sister. Isla doesn’t know it yet, but Maddox has plans for her after tonight’s game. The kind of plans that involve sparkly diamond rings. It’s a struggle to keep my face in check because if I beam at her like an idiot, she’ll know something is up.

I only wish Ryder Hanson’s girlfriend could have come with us.

Lexi Cross is awesome, and the three of us have become fast friends.

It still blows my mind that her dad was the head coach for the Rogues.

Until he got sacked for being a deeply disgusting misogynist who called his daughter all sorts of vile names at a game where the whole thing was caught on camera.

It was super traumatic for her, but the rookie won us all over when he stood up for Lexi without caring about what happened to his career.

Talk about romantic.

We make our way to our seats three rows up from the boards, both of us in our Graves jerseys. It’s convenient to share a name with one of the star players. And I grin like an idiot when I realize Isla may share that name soon too.

Shortly after we find our seats, the announcer introduces both teams as they hit the ice for warm-ups.

The crowd boos the Rogues, but the guys don’t even notice.

It’s just the nature of the beast. Hockey fans are rabid and vocal, and shit-talking is part of the game for both players and fans.

The guys all wave when they notice us. Maddox does that cute thing where he puts his hand over his heart when he sees Isla, and Griffin gives us both a wink.

Isla and I have become a regular fixture at their games since she and Maddox got back together. At least, the home games. This is my first time traveling to an away series. But it’s Vegas and a special occasion.

Honestly, though? I love to travel. I could get used to jet-setting for games.

We watch the guys warm up, both of us snickering at the giggles and wide-eyed stares of the women around us as they watch the players stretch their hip flexors. I can’t really blame them—it does look a bit scandalous.

“Holy crap,” a young woman a few seats over says, fanning her rosy cheeks. “It looks like they’re fucking the ice.”

Isla and I share a look, then burst out laughing. Somehow, Griffin hears it, and when he catches my gaze, he lifts one dark blond eyebrow in question. I roll my eyes and shrug.

Isla studies me curiously. “How’s living with him going?”

“Good. He’s actually a great roommate. He doesn’t leave messes everywhere, he likes to cook, and we have a lot of fun.” Ironic, that the man I thought might behave like an overgrown child has proven to be a million times more self-sufficient than Jared ever was.

Isla hums. “It must be annoying when he brings a new conquest home every night.”

“He hasn’t brought a single woman home,” I tell her. “At least, not that I’ve seen.”

My friend’s blue eyes widen. “Seriously? Not one?”

“Nope. I know everyone loves to talk about how easy Griffin is, but that hasn’t been my experience. Are you sure that’s not the guys over-exaggerating? He can’t be that much of a manwhore.” I grin. “And I mean that in the most affectionate way.”

Isa shakes her head. “Um, no. They’re not exaggerating. At one point, he genuinely considered screwing a sixty-year-old teacher at my school because she’s some kinky dominatrix.”

“Oh.” That has my nose crinkling. “I thought that was just the guys being dicks. Whenever he doesn’t have a game, he’s usually hanging out with me. We watch movies or play board games or get coffee.”

The way Isla studies me, I feel like a specimen under a microscope. Her hair falls in a curtain over her shoulder when she turns to look at Griffin, who’s completely oblivious to being the subject of our conversation. He’s too busy running drills with the rest of the Rogues. “Hmm.”

“Hmm what?”

“Nothing, it’s just…” Isla narrows her eyes at Griffin, as if she can see through him with X-ray vision or something. “It’s just unexpected.”

GRIFFIN

“You want to go out and pick up some lovely ladies with me after we celebrate tonight?” Logan Byrne, the right wing to my left and my good friend, asks with a waggle of his eyebrows. Our goalie, Sebastian Navarro, shakes his head, but if Logan notices, he doesn’t acknowledge it.

Bash has never been one for our promiscuous ways.

I used to think he was a stick in the mud, but now I’m not so sure.

Maybe he’s on to something. Maybe there’s something to be said for watching and waiting for something real.

I know Mira and I aren’t together or anything—and we can’t be, or Madds will kick my ass—but it’s been nice sharing my space with her.

Really nice. We’ve become great friends, and I feel lighter when she’s around.

I don’t have to put on a show for Mira like I do the women I hook up with.

It’s refreshing. And it’s taken some of the shine out of sleeping my way around the U.S.

“I don’t think so, man. Why don’t we all go out and hit a club together? It’s been a while since we did something as a group.” I slap a puck into the net, then another, and another from the pile in front of us. “Besides, we’ll want to celebrate Madds and Isla’s engagement.”

“Don’t jinx it,” my best friend says.

Bash chuckles. “There’s no way she’ll say no. She’s just as in love with you as you are with her.”

“I’m excited for you, man, I really am,” Logan says. “But it feels like the end of an era. One of us is getting engaged.” He shudders like death breathed down his neck. Theatrical bastard. He turns to me before firing off a shot. “At least I’ll still have my wingman.”

“Right.” I don’t bother voicing my growing discontent with the shallow way Logan and I connect with women.

I know a real relationship isn’t in the cards for me and Mira won’t be staying at my place forever, so there’s no use working him up.

Besides, this is the longest I’ve gone without enjoying a woman’s body, and I’m not sure how long my hand will cut it.

As soon as warm-ups end, we cut the bullshit and play like beasts.

Not only are we at the top of the leaderboard in the Central division and determined to stay there, but we need to give Maddox a reason to suggest we all go out and celebrate.

For the proposal, he rented out an entire pod of the High Roller, which is a mix between a Ferris wheel and an observation wheel.

But instead of cars, they’re big spherical rooms with bench seating.

It’s an intense game. The Scorpions are determined to eke out a win after their loss last night.

But we’re more determined. The arena fills with boos every time we score, but even over the roar of Scorpion fans, I can make out the cheers of Mira and Isla.

Maddox isn’t the only one whose gaze is drawn their way throughout the game.

Mira rolls her eyes when the refs make a bad call, screams at the Scorpions when they slam one of us against the boards, and cheers her heart out when we score a goal.

She also makes goofy faces at me whenever she catches me looking their way.

Logan shouts at me to get my head in the game more than once, but whatever. Mira has become one of my closest friends in the last few months, and I like seeing her happy like this. It’s not that deep.

As the game ends with a Rogues win, we’re all flying high. Another win closer to the cup, and we’ve ensured Maddox has an excuse to suggest we celebrate on the Strip tonight.

My best friend is getting engaged.

It makes me feel old as hell.

I may also be just the tiniest bit jealous. But that’s crazy, right?

Right.