Page 87 of Skating to Him

“Yeah, I know.” I threw an arm around his shoulders and hugged him to my side. “She’ll be okay. We’ve been through this before.”

He hung his head and nodded. “How’s the hockey going at ASU?” He peeked at me from under his long bangs.

“Good.” He didn’t know much about hockey, so I wasn’t going to bore him with the details. “My D-line partner is coming to visit between Christmas and New Year’s.” I freed him, and we both dropped onto the end of my bed.

“Yeah, I heard.” He peered at me. “I don’t remember you ever bringing a hockey friend home before. Why him?” He tilted his head, studying me.

He was a smart fucker. What could I tell him? With a shrug, I said, “I don’t know. I guess we hit it off and thought it would be fun.”

“Is he thinking about signing with the Bruins? Like, why would he want to come to Boston?” He narrowed his eyes further.

I gaped at him a moment. What the hell could I say to that? “No, he’s actually having talks with the Blackhawks in Chicago.”

“Oh.” With a small smirk, he rubbed his hands on his thighs. “Did you tell him about Mom yet?” His gaze swung to mine.

“I did. His mom was diagnosed with MS a few months ago. He understands.” I eyed him. Was he worried about what Tylerwould think about Mom’s illness? “Don’t worry, he understands.”

Nodding slowly, he sighed and stood. “Okay.”

“Hey, Mom says you’ve decided to go to MIT.” I rose beside him. It was best to change the subject.

His face lit up. “Yeah, I’ve already spoken with an advisor for the college. Some of my teachers have written recommendation letters, and they might let me start taking classes early, when I’m a senior.”

“Shit, really?” Goddamn, this kid had his life in order. I patted his back. “I’m proud of you, Danny.”

“Thanks. I can’t wait to hear what NHL team you end up with.” He stepped toward the doorway. “And this friend of yours, can’t wait to meet him too.” He arched a brow and left the room with a small wave.

Holy shit, what was he getting at? My eyes widened. Could he have heard my conversation with Tyler before he came in? I planted my hands on my hips. Nothing I could do about it now.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

TYLER

I’d finished my meet and greet with the Blackhawks and my agent and grabbed an Uber from the rink. I was headed to meet Myles, who’d flown out here with me. His parents’ house wasn’t too far away from mine, so it was always nice to travel home together. We were meeting at Bar Pendry, a nicer place on the East Side and not too far from Millenium Park and the Riverwalk. But it was too cold to be out walking around. Fuck that.

As we neared my destination, I watched the city flow by my window, the high-rises and the tracked snow still on the sidewalks, looking just slippery enough to be a hazard in my dress shoes. I’d have to watch myself, especially after having a few drinks.

My Uber drove to the curb, and I hopped out, thanked the man, and twisted around, taking in the old dark-gray blocks of the building with its gold accents. This bar was part of a hotel now but was housed in the old Carbide and Carbon building. The fading sun made for a dull gray sky all around.

Myles strolled to me, wrapped in a thick jacket, jeans, and boots. “Hey, man.” He threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “How’d it go, eh? Are you on next year’s roster yet?” With a sharp laugh, he freed me.

“It went well, and I expect I’ll be on that roster.” I ticked my brows at him. “Come on.” I flipped the collar up on my peacoat and wrapped my arm around his. It was fucking cold out here.

We strolled through the gold-and-glass doors and into the bar. This place was awesome, all dark wood, black leather, and a black marble floor. The place gave off a mobster vibe from Chicago’s past. I spied some lounge chairs and a table by a roaring fireplace and pointed at it. “Let’s go over there.”

“Hell yeah. It’s cold as fuck outside.” He strode to a chair and sat, then shrugged out of his coat, revealing his slim sweater and designer jeans.

I slipped out of my peacoat, unbuttoned my gray suit jacket, and fell into the chair next to his. I’d gone with a black turtleneck under my jacket to keep warm. “So, we need a little celly, don’t you think?”

“We do.” Myles’s smile reached his eyes.

A waiter dropped by, and I ordered an Old Fashioned because why not?

Myles ordered a mojito. “So, tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know what to say, except they like my playing style and think I’m a good fit.” I plucked my phone from the breast pocket of my jacket. Shit, I should text Rowan. “Afterward, Dean told me he felt really good about it. And the guy is never wrong, so…”

The waiter dropped off our drinks.

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