Page 37 of Man Advantage

“And you think a rookie belongs on the second line?”

“That’s your call, not mine.” I watched the kid jawing with some of the other prospects, unaware of us discussing his future with the Rebels. “He’s really fucking good.” Facing Coach again, I said, “Just thinking it wouldn’t hurt to run him through some drills on our line. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, but if he gels with us…” I trailed off into another shrug.

Coach pursed his lips, watching the rookie in question. Then he gave a sharp nod and met my eyes. “Worst-case, he’ll learn a hell of a lot from you and Hoes.” He clapped my shoulder. “You’re good with the kids.”

I laughed. “Uh, I thought Iwasstill one of the kids.”

He rolled his eyes. “Go get a drink, Trev.”

Chuckling, I skated over to the bench to do exactly that. It was still kind of weird to be one of the veterans now. I was barely thirty, for fuck’s sake! But hey, there were worse things than being one of the players who was good with the young guys.

Without thinking about it, I let my gaze drift toward the bleachers, and?—

My boys were still there.

Zach gestured animatedly while Cam nodded along. Zane had Chats’ stick leaning against his shoulder, and he was turning his puck over and over between his hands as he watched all of us on the ice. Apparently realizing I was looking his way, he straightened and waved.

My heart fluttered, and I waved back. Zach joined in. So did Cam.

Bryan was nowhere in sight, having no doubt gone to the other sheet to watch his boyfriend.

I wasn’t proud of my internal fist pump or my silent“Ha ha, fuck you, Bryan!”Hey, I was as petty and vindictive as the next person, and after all our recent bullshit, yeah, I was going to bask in a little petty smugness over this minor victory.

Coach was getting ready to brief us on our next drill, so I pulled my focus back to practice.

But Imight’vekept on grinning for a while.

It didn’t matter how much we stayed conditioned through the off-season—training camp kickedeveryone’sasses. And tomorrow morning, we’d be back out there to do it again.

With a groan that might’ve been a little melodramatic, I hauled my ass out of the car as my garage door rumbled shut behind me. At least I had a Land Rover, which sat up pretty high; if I’d had to climb out of a low sports car right about now, I’d have just sprawled on the cool concrete and stayed there.

Okay, I was being dramatic. I wasn’tthatsore. Not like I’d injured anything. Just… that feeling like I’d done a hardcore workout after a week or so of slacking off, even though I hadn’t been slacking off. It was a good kind of tired and sore, but still… tired and sore.

And tomorrow, I’d have to do it all over again.

For now, though, I was home, and I could spend some time with my boys during the relative quiet before the season started.

They were in the living room, sitting on the floor and playing a video game.

“Hey guys.” I draped my hoodie over the back of a kitchen chair. “What’re you playing?”

They excitedly chatted over the top of each other to explain the game to me. It was some kind of fantasy adventure game, which was their usual jam. Bryan had forbidden first-person shooters, and I’d agreed, but that had turned out to be a non-issue anyway because the kids just weren’t interested in them.If it didn’t have swords, dragons, and magic spells, they didn’t want it.

Worked for me.

“Do you want to play with us?” Zane asked. “We can start a new game for you and show you how!” The excitement in his voice and in his brother’s face melted my heart.

I smiled. “Definitely. Let me just check in with Cam first and then I’ll join you, okay?”

“Okay!” they both said.

I looked around. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Downstairs. Zach, you can’t use that spell with that sorcerer! He’ll take your—no, use your dagger!”

I left them to it. They could argue while they played, but it didn’t usually get too heated, and Bryan and I liked to let them sort things out. If it got out of hand, we’d step in, but it rarely did.

Keeping an ear tuned to the living room in case World War Twins broke out, I went downstairs. If Cam was down here, he was either working out or doing laundry, and since the gym door was open and the laundry room light was off, I could do the math.

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