Page 93 of Pucking Your Best Friend

“Man, Payne. What’s going on?” Leon Alvarez cursed and rubbed his chin. “I’m onyourteam! You know that, right?”

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” he mumbled.

Fuck. He really wasn’t focused.

“Well, pull yourself together,” the defenseman replied, annoyed. “There are only three of us on the ice right now. How hard can it be tonotsmack into me? Watch it or I’ll rat you out to Lucy. Although, she already seems to be angry with you.” Tilting his head, he looked toward the edge of the rink.

Indeed, there was Lucy, her red hair blowing in the breeze – where the hell was that coming from? – standing there with her hands on her hips, glaring at him across the ice. Confused, Matt turned. He fully expected Dax to be standing there, because that kind of look was usually directed at him. But no.

Before he could think about his life mistakes any longer, Lucy rescued him.

“So, Matt, you and Maddie are anitemnow?” she yelled angrily. “And nobody tells me?!”

Oh, that.

Dax was on his way to Lucy but turned back, hearing her words. His gaze pierced Matt, too. It was less angry, though, and more…reproachful.

Matt skated hesitantly toward the boards but maintained a safe distance from Lucy, who, although not often, sometimes used her fists to express her displeasure with great precision.

“Maddie told you?” he asked skeptically. Maddie had said she would warn him before she told Lucy.

“No. I heard it from Rachel!” She pressed her lips together. “Unbelievable. Really. Maddie happily gives information when you two fuck, but when you become serious, she keeps quiet?”

“You guys areserious?” Dax asked incredulously. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“Who’s serious?” Leon wanted to know, stopping next to them. “And why? What’s wrong with all of you?”

Matt groaned softly. “It’s none of your business, is it?”

Lucy and Dax gasped dramatically at the same time. “Excuse me?” Lucy called.

“What’s none of our business?” Leon asked, pushing himself between them.

“Guys.” Matt’s jaw cracked. “Could you just…”

“No!” Dax interrupted, his voice echoing off the ceiling. “No and no. This is allverywrong.”

Astonished, Leon and Lucy glanced at him.

“What’s wrong?” Lucy asked cautiously.

“That Matt should tellyoufirst what’s going on,” he replied caustically. “So, everyone else get off the ice. I want to talk to Matt.”

“I’m not on the ice, Dax,” Lucy said, perplexed.

“I don’t care, go now!” he said gruffly.

Leon snorted. “Man, you can’t boss…”

“Leave, Leon!” he shouted.

“Okay. Good grief.” The defender rolled his eyes and stalked off the ice.

“Wonderful,” Dax growled as Lucy and Leon disappeared toward the tunnel before calling after them, “Ten minutes, Ineed ten minutes, so tell the others that practice will have to wait!”

Lucy waved to indicate that she understood and Matt heard Leon mutter, “Has everyone gone crazy today?”

That was a valid question.

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