Page 27 of Icing the Play

Let me know when you’re ready for us to come over. Ace has a big-ass truck we can use to move you.

That was great. Between Ace’s truck and my own, we’d make quick work of today. If I could muster the strength to get out of bed. I typed my response.

Cooper

I’m up now. Come over whenever you can.

I threw my legs over the side of the bed, scrubbed my face, and stood.

After loadingthe trucks with my stuff, I stepped into my apartment. I should at least say goodbye to Tony. Even though he’d said barely a hello to my friends while they’d been here. “Hey, this is it.”

Tony stood from the dinette off the kitchen, which was his. “I’d say I was sorry to see you go, but I’m not.” He smirked at me, planting his hands on his hips.

“Yeah, well. Same.” I glanced at the spot my leather sofa had been in. The carpet was pretty stained around where it had been. “Your buddy has a couch I take it?” I’d already left a lot of my cooking supplies, since, you know, he’d wrecked them. But I wasn’t letting him have my couch, even though he’d tried to ruin that, too.

“Yeah, he’s got one. He’ll be over in a few hours.” He lifted his chin. “See you.”

“Okay.” With my brows lifting, I left my key for the apartment on the table and strolled out, shutting the door behind me.

Myles jogged down the path to me. “All set?” He stopped and raked his gaze over me. “You okay?”

Between the alcohol last night and the heat of the day, I was sweating like a pig. I swiped droplets from my eyes. “I’m fine. He’s as happy to see me go as I am to leave.” With a tsk, I snickered. I hadn’t had time to talk to Myles about what happened last night. Maybe after the move was over. As I patted Myles’ shoulder, I said, “Come on, let’s go home.”

We unloadedthe trucks in only half an hour, and within the next hour, Ace, Zoma, Myles, JJ, and Casey reassembled, made my bed, and unpacked all my boxes. It was an immense advantage to have elite athletes as friends when you had to move.

After putting the last of my clothing into a drawer in my dresser, I broke down the box and headed into the main room with it. All the guys were in various positions in the kitchen and on my couch, now set up next to the sectional. Everyone held a beer in their hand.

“Hey, where’s mine?” I glanced at Ace, standing next to the refrigerator.

“You sure you want one after last night?” Ace sniggered.

My eyes widened. Fuck, Myles must have said something. My gaze swung to JJ, a smirk creeping across his lips, as he sat next to Myles on the sectional. “After all that puking you did last night, I figured you’d be better off with water and Gatorade,” JJ said.

Myles sipped his beer, the edges of his lips twitching.

“I puked last night?” A hazy image flashed in my brain of bushes with spikes. My cheeks warmed. “Oh, yeah, guess I did.” I strolled into the kitchen and pulled out a Gatorade from the refrigerator. “I’ll stick with this. I’m going to need to be well hydrated for practice tomorrow.”

Ace twisted to face me, resting his ass against the counter. “What do you say we order some pizza for dinner? I don’t feel like cooking.” He glanced behind him at the guys. “And play some NHL?”

“NHL? You mean Madden.” Casey hooked a brow at him.

“No, I mean NHL.” He lumbered into the room and stood before Casey. “I bet you’d make a great goalie.”

Casey tsked. “I don’t know shit about being a goalie. Only how to make goals.” He wagged his brows at Ace.

“Oh, here we go.” Myles rolled his eyes.

We played NHL,making Casey the goalie, for a few hours and then all the guys left. Ace and Zoma retired to their room, leaving me alone with Myles, my new roommate, in the sectional. “So…” I picked at the label on my Gatorade bottle.

“So, that was fun. Your friends seem to get along well with my friends.” He sipped his beer.

“They do. They’re all jocks.” I huffed a laugh. “We understand each other.” Should I bring up last night? “Hey, I’m sorry I got so shitfaced last night. It sucks you had to cut your date short with JJ.”

Myles pursed his lips, nodding slowly. “Yeah, about that.” He sucked in a breath, his gaze catching on mine, then falling to my lips and darting away. “I know you thought he and I would be a good fit, but I’m not sure.”

I stared at him, my pulse kicking. Oh no, I was not the right guy for him to be having this conversation with.And really?“Okay, why do you say that?” I shifted on the couch, lifting my leg between us.

His brows dipped. “I’m not feeling a spark. I thought I would eventually, but…” He crept his gaze to mine and trailed his tongue around his lips.

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