Page 41 of Pucking Your Best Friend

“No comment,” she stated matter-of-factly and dropped into the last seat in the alcove, while Dax sat next to Matt.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. “You can tell us. And if not us, then me!”

“I won’t fuel rumors,” she said, shaking her head. “You should concentrate on playing hockey.”

Leon immediately started complaining that ice hockey players didn’t have enough rights and that they were discriminated against. Lucy replied, piqued, that they were, after all, property of the club — to which almost everyone had something to say or shout about.

At least they weren’t talking about chickens anymore, giving Matt another chance to think about things. Then Dax elbowed him.

“What’s wrong? You’re unusually quiet.”

Matt snorted loudly. Did he usually talk too much, or what? “It’s nothing. Just thinking.”

Dax frowned. “About what? You’re playing solidly these days.”

He almost started laughing. Yep, even though Dax was in a relationship, the idea of thinking about something other than his game was still new territory for him. “I know I’m playing consistently. It concerns other things.” He cleared his throat. “Say, do you want to go out for a drink or dinner sometime next week?”

They couldn’t really talk here, not without being overheard by dozens of hockey players, fans, or Lucy.

Dax frowned. “I’d love to, but my schedule is incredibly tight. We only have two game-free nights in the next few weeks when we’re here in LA, and one is reserved for Lucy and the other… Well, my sister really wants Jack and me to spend more time together with her. You know...” He hesitated, then added with a sigh and in a lowered voice, “as a family. We’re supposed to keep it a secret because no one can know.”

Matt nodded absently and rubbed his tense jaw. He understood. No one except Maddie, Lucy, and him knew that he and Jack were brothers. The siblings had to get reacquainted. And, naturally, Dax also had Lucy.

That was all understandable and completely okay.

Still, Matt’s heart sank. Who else was he going to confide in about Maddie?

He was friends with the rest of the team, too, and the most likely person to talk to was Fox, who was ridiculously understanding about everything. It’s just that he usually talked about personal shit like that with Dax! He had always been able to rely on that. But since he was in a relationship…

“Okay,” he replied tersely. Dax could do whatever he wanted! Maybe they’d find time to talk another time.

“Oh, by the way,” Dax said, taking a Coke from one of the waiters. “I know we joked about this the other day, but you and Maddie are only friends, right?” He narrowed his eyes and looked at him thoughtfully. No, there was also a hint of warning in his expression.

Wait,warning?

“Yes. Maddie and I are only friends,” he replied mechanically because, suddenly, he had the feeling that was the only correct answer.

“Are you certain?”

Nope. “Yes.”

“Hm.” Dax was still studying him. “I have the feeling you’re lying. Lucy thinks so too, because you both looked a little strange during the TV interview.” He cleared his throat. “You’re living together now and she wants me to remind you that Maddie is searching for something serious, for eternity — so you’re not her type.”

Matt cracked his jaw and raised an eyebrow.

“Do I have to lecture you about it?” Dax continued. “Just so you don’t forget if she walks naked through your living room?”

Matt folded his arms behind his head and slowly leaned back. He knew Lucy was Dax’s first relationship. His buddy had never been in love until Lucy came along. He had no practice jugglingrelationships and friendships. And, hell, right now Matt was slightly annoyed that his friend seemed to have been swallowed up by her.

Since when did he start taking Lucy’s side and not his? Why didn’t he ask how things were going with Maddie or how he felt about living with her instead of directly accusing him of harboring dishonorable intentions? He and Dax had been best friends since their damn rookie days. In fact, they probably wouldn’t have survived the early days without each other. Maybe Matt had relied too much on having someone on his side in recent years. Someone who understood him even off the ice. But it pissed him off that Dax had hardly spoken to him for weeks and felt like he now had tolecturehim.

“I don’t need a lecture, I need someone totalkto,” he said abruptly and rose. “There’s a difference.”

He didn’t feel like arguing or explaining himself. He headed toward the bar, away from the looks of the others, who, naturally, raised their eyebrows, even if they – with any luck – hadn’t understood his exact words.

Naturally, Dax followed him. “What’s going on?” he asked, completely perplexed.

Matt pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. “Dax, I am in total chaos at the moment — but you don’t know that, do you? First, you’re never around, second, you don’t seem to be the right person to talk to when it comes to my current life, and, third, you’re not truly on my side at the moment, are you?”

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