Page 50 of On Thin Ice

Jacob had brought his brother to his game. To meet him? To see him?

This did add a wrinkle to the request Jacob drive him home, but Finn decided this was even better.

Jacob would probably insist it didn’t mean anything, but Finn knew better, and exhilaration swamped him, eating every bit of jealousy away.

“Hey,” Jacob said as he walked up to the pair of them. “Great game.”

“Thanks.” Finn turned to the other guy, who was definitely smirking now, and held out his hand. “I’m Finn Reynolds.”

“Bryan Braun, and I know exactly who you are,” he said, shaking Finn’s hand and still grinning.

“I just bet you do.” Finn chuckled, especially delighted at how uncomfortable Jacob looked by this whole exchange.

“None of that,” Jacob said firmly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Aw, we’re just getting to know each other,” Finn teased. “And we’re going to keep doing it too, ’cause I need a ride home.”

“A ride home? What about the team bus you took here? The bus you’resupposedto be taking home?”

Yep, Finn had been dead-on right about the panic. Though that seemed like quite a bit of an overreaction now, because what was he going to do to seduce Jacob with hisbrotherin the car with them?

He shrugged. “Coach said I could drive home with you.” Grinning, he nudged Jacob with his shoulder. “You know, break down the game together.”

“Sounds like a pretty boring time,” Bryan inserted. “Glad I drove myself.”

Oh shit.No wonder Jacob was panicking.

Jacob frowned. Finn knew he’d probably not wiped his relief off his face quickly enough and he’d probably seen it. Known exactly why he’d been happy about this turn of events.

“You should take the bus back,” Jacob said.

“Nope,” Finn said. “I really don’t think I should.”

Bryan laughed. “Brother,” he said, patting Jacob on the shoulder, “you just remember what I told you. I’ll check in tomorrow. It was great to finally meet you, Finn.”

Then he was walking away, and Finn resisted the urge to do a fist pump.Finally meet you. Which meant Jacobhadbeen talking about him.

“Don’t freak out about that,” Jacob muttered. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“No?” Finn grinned.

“No. Means nothing.”

“Somehow, I don’t believe you.” Finn nudged him again. “Come on, drive me home. Would it kill you?”

“It might.Hemight,” Jacob said darkly, and Finn knew he was thinking about his dad.

“Come on, don’t be overdramatic. Imagine how happy Morgan’s going to be that I’m a great goalie. Uplifting the Reynolds name and all that utter bullshit.”

“You werealreadya great goalie,” Jacob said. “You cleared this with Gavin?”

“Gavin? Oh, you mean Coach B?”

Jacob nodded, compressing his lips together. Like he didn’t need a reminder that Finn’scoachwas his contemporary and hewas not only allowed to call him by his first name, but he was welcome to do it.

“Yep. He’s good with it.” They started walking towards the parking lot. “He asked me if I wanted you to come into the locker room during games.”

“Oh . . .I . . .uh . . .”

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