Page 96 of On Thin Ice

“Yeah, which is a whole other problem.”

“He’s got a lot on his plate, so it’s not like you’ll have to deal with him constantly,” Jacob said, probably optimistically.

But Finn didn’t feel nearly so optimistic. He knew his dad well enough to know he lived to shove sticks into wheels.

He downed the rest of his Gatorade and skated over to where Morgan sat. He rose and came over to the boards.

“Hey,” Finn said.

“Looking good,” Morgan said.

“Thanks,” Finn said. “If I say it’s because of Jacob . . .”

“I’d believe it, but I’d also believe it’s because you’re good, Finn.”

Finn rolled his eyes. “Did he tell you to say that?”

“Would Ieversay something just because Braun told me to?”

“Good point. What are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming into town.”

The hesitation before his dad answered should have been enough of a warning. But Finn had had a hard practice—if anything, since orgasms had been introduced into the equation, Jacob had been even harder on him—and he couldn’t say he’d slept as much the last two nights as he should have, so he missed its importance.

“No, but I’m going to be here for a bit. Probably most of December. Some of January, too,” Morgan said.

Finn froze.

“It’s the holidays and I don’t have a lot of commitments at the network so I figured I could stay here, in Portland.”With you, was the unspoken end to that sentence. Finn heard it clear as day.

Finn didn’t know how to react. Or what to say. He definitely couldn’t say,but I thought Jacob and I would have lots and lots of time to practice hockey and also to practice being boyfriends.

“I’ve got that condo in downtown. I can stay there,” his dad continued like he wasn’t shocked into silence.

“Right,” Finn said, finally.

“So I won’t be in your hair, too much,” Morgan said.

Who’s he kidding? He’s totally going to cramp your style.

“The uh . . .last game before my break is Friday,” Finn said.

“I know,” Morgan said and sent him a chiding look that reminded Finn that he probably knew his game schedule better than Finn himself.

And that was true.God,that was true.

He didn’t want to lie to his dad, but what else was he going to do to getanytime with Jacob?

“So you’re not going to lecture me? Or are you still working your way up to that?” Finn asked. Before, when he’d let himself be controlled by the fear of disappointing Morgan, he’d have waited, agonizing at everything his dad wasn’t saying. But he wasn’t going to live like that, not anymore.

“About Jacob? Well . . .” Morgan made a self-deprecating shrug. “I’m nothappyabout it. I get why you didn’t tell me. But then I sat here, watching you two, and I get it, now. You want to be the best. So you went to the best. It’s a very Reynolds thing to do.”

It was. And it wasn’t, all the same.

“Right,” Finn said.

Morgan shot him a look. “I thought you’d be happier that I’m not mad.”

“I’m thrilled. This is my thrilled face.”

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