Page 14

Arden

“You look like shit,” sneers my sibling from the bench space beside me. “Like you haven’t slept in bloody ages.”

That’s because I haven’t.

I think over the past two nights Tanner and I may have a combined six hours.

Apparently, we’re in an orgasm war.

And I’m losing.

Yet winning.

Gahhhhh, am I winning.

Lightly tugging my gray cropped hoodie upward to better hide the hickey he insisted on branding me with when I told him to let the bruises fade is attached to me gagging, “Could you seriously penalty box that fake Brit shit?” Adjusting my longer jacket that’s layered on top is done next. “ No one likes it.”

“Frosky does.”

“He doesn’t,” I correct without leaving room for argument. “And now that we’re on the subject of things he doesn’t really like, why are you here?” Our eyes momentarily lock as Bass blows the whistle to start their latest skating drill. “Bothering me during my shift.” My hands fold together on the flat surface between the spaced-out water bottles. “Preventing me from enjoying a mashup of Flogging Molly and stick taps.”

“You shouldn’t listen to sex shows at work.”

“They’re a band,” Khurana casually defends. “And not one I was aware you liked.”

“They’ve…grown on me.”

Primarily because they’re one of Tanner’s favorites.

“What other types of music do you like?” inquires the camera man I usually miss a bit more than I have.

“Kangaroo Kunt can’t really hear music enough to like it,” teases the female I won’t get fined for twat punching.

“Don’t you have something more important to do with your time like campaigning for illiteracy to remain prevalent or preventing Excalibur from being pulled out of the stone?”

“Someone drove a car into a rock?”

There’s no stopping my eyes from briefly falling shut in exasperation.

I should’ve done the world a favor and eaten her in the womb.

Had I been more responsible from pre-birth, my life would be so much better.

And I would’ve ended up with the one apparently meant for me a lot sooner.

Despite knowing she’d lie to my face, I don’t wanna not ask.

I don’t wanna not know the truth.

Did she really know he thought she was me and fuck him anyway?

And if so…why?

Why so desperate to not let me have something?

We’re not four anymore, ya know?

We can each have our own customized playthings.

“You working on something else for LMC?” Khurana investigates causing me to relocate my attention back to my DNA twin. “Merch?”

“A mixer!” She gleefully claps prior to lifting her phone to show us a photo. “The team is working with us for the grand opening of the new store here on the Avenue of the Dragons. They’ll be dressed as baristas and helping make drinks for a few hours and posing with fans and a portion of the proceeds going to our charity. You know I didn’t even know we had a charity.”

“We don’t.”

“Uh…clearly we do if that’s where the money is going.”

“ We – LMC – do not have our own charity; however, we – The Dalvegan Dragons – do. ”

“It’s a giant foundation that essentially gives to and works with other smaller foundations to primarily help our local communities in various aspects including but not limited to language, fitness, education, and health, which pertains to physical, mental, as well as emotional for a variety of demographics,” Khurana adds to the explanation.

“And when we say local, we mean the entire state of Texas, not just the city of Dalvegan because our franchise does span healthily across it.”

Audrey stares blankly at me for a moment before proceeding, “The grand opening is also where we’ll unveil our two new flavors, which is why I’m here.” She obnoxiously wiggles the device in our faces. “I’m gonna ask the fellas-”

“Gross.”

“Dudes?”

“ Worse. ”

“ Players, ” she dry heaves, “which of the two would they prefer to drink.”

“Boring.”

“What do you mean boring?!” Her Pepto Bismol pink jacket covered shoulders bounce in outrage. “That’s brilliant!”

“That’s the same shit you’ve done for like every LMC product you’ve asked them about.” Another whistle is blown warranting a brief look to see Bass is still the one in control. “Mix shit up. It’s just like pracky. If the boys are bored, they’re gonna show up but they’re not gonna show up, ya know?”

“No.”

An eye roll precedes me glancing over my shoulder at my partner in media crime. “Khurana, Bricks has just issued you the dare of buying the cute broadskie in line behind you a drink. Not knowing anything about her, which would you go for? The mint espresso martini cold brew or the smashing s’mores cold chocolate?”

“Mint espresso martini.”

Waving a hand in his direction to demonstrate my point is wordlessly done.

“Easiest segue into asking you out for a real drink.” He leans slightly forward. “And if you don’t have plans later…I know exactly where we could go.”

“I actually do have plans…” the smile he’s offered is polite while the one I shoot my sibling is smug, “and that’s how you put a spin on the boring shit.”

All of a sudden, Hedgie skates over for a drink of water, prompting Audrey to snap at Khurana, “Start filming.” She doesn’t bother waiting for confirmation to poorly execute my tactic. “You’re standing in line for coffee, and someone dares you to buy the smokin’ hot babe behind you a drink. Not knowing anything about her other than she looks fantastic in faux fur,” a small fluffing is given to her puffy white collar, “which of these would you go for?” The picture is flashed at him. “The mint espresso martini cold brew or the smashing s’mores cold chocolate?”

“Uh…I’m married,” Hedgie announces between squirts of water, “so…neither?”

Frustration instantly floods Audrey’s face, though rather than simply laugh at her humiliation, I laugh and make myself useful, “Which would you send to WonderWahl?”

“Smashing s’mores,” he easily answers after another gulp. “And I’d have the coffee chick write ‘Wahl Smash’ on it.”

Laughter leaves him as he leaves us.

I victoriously lean back and sling one black yoga pants covered leg over the other. “Helps when you know your audience.”

“I do know them!”

Matty glides over to grab a drink next pushing her to prove my point. “Matey-”

“ Matty ,” the three of us correct in tandem.

“Would you rather send Wonderful-”

“ Wahl ,” Khurana and I amend.

“This mint espresso martini cold brew or this smashing s’mores cold chocolate drink with a fun saying on it?” She snips at the same time she shoves the device towards him.

“Neither,” he uncomfortably murmurs. “I’m not interested in wheeling one of my teammates.”

Another resentful squeak escapes encouraging me to once more takeover the situation. “Prank Alert. Cap sends you to get him coffee ‘cause his princess kept him up all night singing that damn Encanto song again.”

“Ohhhhh, for fuckssake, Hoss, now I’m gonna be singing that Bruno shit.”

“Which drink do you bring him to make his mood worse but ultimately yours better? The mint espresso martini cold brew or the smashing s’mores cold chocolate?”

“The mint espresso martini cold brew with the name Bruno instead of Cap.”

Evil chortles are attached to a playful wink further demonstrating my point.

The boys aren’t complicated.

You just can’t use the same boring plays again and again.

Same goes for Tanner outside of the barn.

He loves keeping his mitts silky yet loathes doing the same drills too often.

It’s why I booked us an afternoon spot in the random Braveheart Larping activity that’s going on in Greyson Park.

Fake ax or hatchet wielding and foam shield maneuvering will be a fun and adventurous way to sharpen those skills.

Plus, what a weird yet totally us, official first date.

Double plus, that puckheadcosplays is gonna be a much better hashtag than the numerous man slut ones he’s been pulling since his transfer to the team.

As if he can hear me thinking about him, Tanner skates over next for a hydration break. However, to no surprise, Audrey jumps in to purr, “ Froskkkkkyyyy… ”

“Hm?” he hums around splashes of water delivered to his face.

“You’re sending me a drink-”

“That is awfully generous of me.”

“-as like a flirty way to warm up to asking me out for a real one later-”

“Am I sober in this fantasy scenario of yours?”

Not snickering is impossible.

Especially given that now I know the only reason he ever went for her was because he was too wasted to process it wasn’t actually me.

“Which of these drinks would you send me?” She angles the phone along with her chest towards him. “This mint espresso martini cold brew or this smashing s’mores cold chocolate drink?” Her eyelashes flirtatiously flutter. “ Keep in mind there’s no wrong answer… ”

Technically there’s two.

Him sending her anything would be the wrong answer.

“Frosky,” Adelstein firmly calls from the nearby tunnel, “Hoss,” she adds forcing me to whip my head around to her, “Hennington’s office. Now. ”

“ Now? ” my boyfriend that legally shouldn’t be my boyfriend nervously chuckles. “I’m in the middle of pracky.”

“And if you’d like to have a team to keep practicing for, I suggest you don’t keep the GM waiting.” The quick spin on her heels results in her shoulder length hair flapping around as if telling us to “chop chop”.

“Should we both go?” Khurana cautiously questions in tandem with lowering the camera.

“Nah,” I brush off doing my best to remain nonchalant. “She probably just wants an update on how the project is going on my end or what I have planned for the future considering the views for his seggy are so high.”

“Of course they’re high,” Tanner brags during his slow skate backwards. “I’m incredible.”

“You mispronounced intolerable. ”

“You mean intoxicating.”

“Infuriating.”

“Perhaps the GM wants to advise you to be kinder to me.”

“ Unlikely. ”

Although, I’m really hoping she doesn’t wanna scold me for blowing him on the plane yesterday.

I’m not, not proud of that.

I’m just not so sure that we weren’t heard.

That someone didn’t snitch.

That I didn’t risk my entire career to swallow my new boyfriend’s cum simply because I was still in minor awe of him trying to take care of my hearing aid before we had to board.

No one has ever even tried to be thoughtful in that avenue.

Most dudes flinch away like it’s a disease they can catch, which is why it was so panty dropping sexy to have his hot breath all over it.

Instead of waiting for Frosky to alert his coaches, ditch his skates, and abandon his gear, I head over to the offices area and up to the top floor where we’re expected.

I’m first to the waiting area, however, instructed by Amaryllis Wu, the receptionist, to have a seat due to the GM wrapping up a meeting with someone else.

Who calls a meeting to have us wait while they’re in another meeting?

How is that not rude shit?

Unless it’s a mindfuck tactic?

Or a test .

See how we behave when we’re not being watched but being watched?

If there really is shit between us or it’s just a nasty rumor.

A rumor I haven’t heard but may have already been started because the boys gossip just as bad as chicks sometimes.

Either way it doesn’t matter because he’s not even here yet.

That’s one dub for us.

Two if you include Wahl making a “celebrity sighting” headline for visiting that Utah restaurant rather than Tanner breathing too close to a picture perfect blonde that could easily be mistaken for a girlfriend.

Julian Novak, the dark and delicious CFO it wouldn’t be against the rules to hook up with, comes proudly strolling down the hall from the direction of Hot Rocket’s office, clearly pleased with however their meeting went.

Gotta admit.

Being happy is a good look on him.

And so is that fitted suit against his beautiful, rich, brown skin.

Truthskies?

He probably has one of the best glow games in the building.

“Hoss,” he warmly greets me upon his arrival.

“Novak,” I coo in the same tone.

“Heard you had a little hotel blunder.” His hands find their way into their black pants suit pockets. “Contacting us and corporate was the right call.”

My eyebrows lift in question.

“ Their incompetence could’ve cost the entire Frost brand their ties with the league, resulting in a significant profit loss considering they house contracts for a multitude of sporting events, and the mishandling of one often creates concern for the mishandling of others, which is why rather than further investigate what we could’ve done wrong on our end, they are not only taking full responsibility, they are footing the rest of the bill for our rooms – in all three leagues – for what’s left of the season – pre playoffs only, of course.”

“And that’s why you look like the rookie that just landed in his first pro snapper.”

Light laughs leave Novak alongside an appreciative nod. “That’s correct.”

“That’s quite a dub.”

“All because you followed protocol.”

Huh.

This feels like fate chirping me.

“You two can go back now,” Wu informs on a flick of her dark hair away from her pale complexion.

“I am always right on time, aye,” Tanner cleverly interjects during his pass by. “I’m quite impressive.”

“Like the deodorant covering up your balls stench.”

Novak laughs again, shakes his head, and resumes his stroll for the elevators. “Thank God, HR cannot hear you two.”

Rather they hear us than see us.

Inside the GM’s office, we each prepare to sit in the chairs directly across from her desk when she swiftly shakes her head in denial. “This won’t take long.”

Firing rarely does.

“Coach and Cap have both been made aware that Peck is not allowed to be anywhere near pracky until cleared by Med to do so. That illegal high stick – that the league has now fined McPherson for – resulted in a fucking minor jaw fracture that will have him out from four to six. I’m telling you ,” she gestures to the man beside me, “because he babysits you, you babysit him.”

“I’ll hide his stick,” Tanner casually brushes off.

“I don’t even want him skating.”

“Even with a bowl?”

“Even with a fucking bowl, Frosky.”

“Got it.” He folds his arms across his practice sweater covered chest. “I’ll also give his Slayer my famous soup recipe while he’s on his high protein, liquid and soft food diet.”

“ That’s actually helpful.”

I fight the urge to smile by chomping harshly down on the inside of my cheek.

“I also appreciate the shift in the media I’ve been seeing lately. ‘Uncle Frosty’ moments land so good with the family friendly crowds, the college bro groups, and the ‘Wanna Be Aunty Frosty’ snipes sniffing around the league.”

Another chomp not to display jealousy is delivered.

Why do I get the feeling despite having a real girlfriend, the click circus is going to continue to make him look like the champion commitment phobe that he isn’t?

“Now, about what happened at the hotel,” she leans back in her seat, one shoeless foot being braced on her desk on top of the other. “I would’ve brought it up yesterday when the plane touched down, but I was busy having a brawl in my own home over the fact that I bought the twins buckets to wear since they’re learning to walk. Apparently , that shit makes me the worst parent in fucking history.” Boss tosses her hands up in the air, clearly irritated. “They’re fucking padded!”

“Safety first?” Tanner mirthfully suggests.

“Pretty sure my parents should’ve bought the succubus downstairs one during the walking years and you see how she turned out.”

“Comforting,” smirks Hennington, “given that you are the smarter twin.”

“Exactly.”

“And by smarter, I mean smart enough to know that fraternizing with a player is strictly prohibited – meaning I could fire your ass – which is why nothing happened when you stayed in Frosky’s room rather than the hotel lobby, right?”

“I so fucking would’ve stayed in the lobby, but they have a whole bullshit can’t sleep there policy.”

The GM flashes amusement yet doesn’t lean into it. “I heard.”

Now, let’s pray to Lidstrom that’s all she heard.

“What I haven’t heard is that nothing happened…” Hoss suspiciously lifts her eyebrows. “I wanna hear that now. I wanna hear that I don’t have to worry about getting calls from the PR department at two in the morning over bullshit ‘fucks his off-ice team’ reports or ‘lets management handle his other stick’ claims or fucking anything else that would be an embarrassment rather than an enhancement of this organization.”

“Nothing happened,” Tanner lies so well without missing a beat that even I almost believe him. “Hoss needed a room to crash in, she ran into me and Peck – who had a phone date with his Slayer planned – so that left me inevitably holding the short straw.”

“That I would’ve sucked any day of the week before him.”

Hennington grins a little wider over the comment prior to nodding. “Good.” She folds her fingers firmly together in her lap. “Because you’re both valuable as fuck to this franchise, and the last thing I want is to lose one or both of you because you couldn’t put this team first. This family first.” Her hold noticeably tightens. “Ferda?”

“ Ferda ,” we chant back in tandem.

The simple reminder that everything we do needs to be what’s best for the boys shifts something in the pit of my stomach.

She’s right.

We do need to do what’s best for them…for this hockey family…but what about doing what’s right for us ?

Is there any way we can really do both or will we ultimately have to let each other go because that’s what’s best for the team?