Page 42 of Man Advantage

“Oh, fuck off,” he muttered, and stalked away. As he started chatting with some of the wives, acting like nothing had happened, I stood there like a dork, completely taken aback by his reaction.

On the other hand, he’d brought my temperature back down, so there was that.

I rolled my eyes, mentally gave him the finger, and shifted my attention back to the kids I was here to watch.

Jenni appeared beside me. “Warmups are almost over, so we’re all heading up to the suite. Do you want to come sit with us?” She smiled. “It’s usually reserved just for spouses, partners, and kids, but since you’re here with Trev’s kids, you’re welcome to join us. There’s plenty of room. ”

“Oh. Uh. Kristine already invited me, but… ” I glanced around, and my gaze snagged on Bryan. Any uncertainty I’d had about my decision wasgone—no way in hell was I watching the game in the same space as him. Clearing my throat, I faced Jenni again. “I think… I think it might be less awkward if…”

Her eyes flicked toward Bryan, and she nodded as if she fully understood. Maybe she’d watched our exchange, or maybe she’d just picked up that everything in the orbit of the Bryan-and-Trev divorce was messy AF.

“Well,” she said, “the offer is always open. And we don’t let drama kick up, so if you have any problems with anyone”—she glanced pointedly at Bryan—“you just come to me.”

“I will. Thanks.” I smiled. “Maybe another night, I’ll come to the suite?”

“Of course. The offer is always open.”

“Thanks.”

She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I won’t lie, this is some uncharted territory for us. I wasn’t crazy aboutsomeone’s ex still being in our suite, especially after they had such a contentious divorce.” She sighed. “But he’s dating a playerandhe’s really close to one of the other wives, and she invited him in, so…” Jenni waved her hand.

“Eww, that sounds… uncomfortable.”

“It was. But we’ve got your back, okay? Especially since you’re here for them”—she nodded to Zach and Zane—“not to stir up trouble.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.”

I did. I really did.

But holy shit, was I grateful we wouldn’t be sitting in that box tonight.

CHAPTER 13

TREV

As we allclomped up the chute to the locker room after warmups, I was dazed. All thoughts of hockey had escaped my head, and I just… I needed a minute. To breathe? To pull myself together? Something. I was lucky I hadn’t eaten shit on the ice; I’d been skating since I was a toddler, but tonight I’d suddenly been an unbalanced train wreck. How I hadn’t lost an edge and fallen on my face would forever be a mystery. Muscle memory, probably.

I joined my teammates in the locker room, and I dropped onto the bench by my stall. Normally I’d strip off my jersey, have a drink, and do a little stretching, but this time…

This time I just sat there. I stared at the logo in the middle of the floor, and I let my mind race the way it had been trying to since I’d gone to say hi to the twins.

My whole world always lit up the moment I saw my boys through the glass. I loved it. Ilivedfor it. Tonight had been no exception.

I just hadn’t expected the way I’d feel the moment I saw Cam standing behind them.

He looked spectacular in that navy blue suit, and the instant I’d laid eyes on him, my whole world had lurched to a stop. For a second, I’d gone back to a time and place I hadn’t thought about in ages.

It was only the caustic look from my ex-husband that had jarred me back into the present, at least enough to finish my routine. I’d given the boys a puck, then gone back and fumbled my way through the rest of warmups.

Now that I was sitting down and had almost twenty minutes before we returned to the ice, I let my mind go where it had been trying to go.

I’d never in my life—before or since—been as confused as I’d been about midway through my senior year in high school.

Cam and I had broken up at the end of the previous school year, but we’d stayed friends. Since we were both unattached when the winter formal dance came around, we’d decided to go together.

That had taken a ton of pressure off. I didn’t have to awkwardly try (and fail) to connect with another girl. I didn’t have to nut up and face the crushes I had on some male classmates, which I was trying desperately to ignore because, dude, what? I was straight. Right?Maybebi? No,straight.

Except… none of the girls ever turned my head.

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