Page 54 of Icebreaker

He laughed and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "And what would life be without new experiences? You just took a memorable step outside your comfort zone."

As he finished touring the locker room, Moose left a trail of shocked hockey players in his wake. Even in the face of such adisaster, he held on to his optimism. "Let's get out there and win this!"

Coach Fraser followed on Moose's heels. He blew a whistle to get our attention. "Okay, men, shake that off," he demanded. "We've got a victory to bring home. It's time to forget about the seaweed fun."

Everyone quickly shifted away from their injured taste buds to focus on winning the game. I glanced at Quinn and grinned at having enjoyed such an absurd moment.

The crowd's deafening roar greeted us as we left the locker room. The cool air hit my face, and the adrenaline pumped through my veins. There was no way we could lose.

The game itself was a sweat-soaked thing of beauty. We led all the way, and perhaps the eco-friendly agenda gave us an extra boost. We took the puck to the net five times, operating like a well-oiled machine.

At the final buzzer, the scoreboard told the tale. We'd won a decisive victory. When we returned to the locker room, undaunted Moose was waiting. He passed out organic sports drinks while he kept the seaweed snacks hidden away.

I thought about congratulating Moose for his part in our resounding win, but I noticed him deep in conversation with our newest rookie, Finn Novak. He'd only been with the team for two weeks and had a mop of unruly brown curly hair that framed his bright-eyed face.

Finn had already made a name with his teammates by displaying some of the fastest skating in the league. He also worked hard, often staying late after practice to revisit some of Coach's drills.

What caught my attention in the locker room was the way Moose looked at him. I was used to broad gestures and loud laughter. His big personality filled almost any room.

With Finn, he was different. The energy was there, but it was quiet and intense. I hadn't seen it from Moose before, but he couldn't take his eyes off the rookie. He leaned in close to catch every word, and Finn, for his part, was captivated, too. Every time he nodded, Moose grinned from ear to ear.

Trying not to make my staring obvious, I watched as Moose placed his hand on Finn's elbow. He let it linger there a little longer than necessary. Finn didn't seem concerned at all. In fact, he leaned in and touched Moose on the shoulder.

The gestures were small, and a causal observer might miss them, but they told a fascinating story to me. I saw a spark that went well beyond a casual conversation.

Moose watched Finn's lips as he spoke, and Finn blushed when he noticed the attention. Yep, there was something there.

In a move that surprised even me, Finn traced the back of Moose's neck with the index finger of the hand resting on his shoulder. It was a fleeting touch, but I knew from experience how exciting it could be when Quinn lightly brushed my skin there.

Shaking my head and chuckling softly, I turned away and finished gathering my gear. The adrenaline was wearing off, and a wave of exhaustion began to take over. All I wanted was a shower, ahot meal, and some quality time with a certain blond, blue-eyed winger.

While we walked out of the arena, Quinn pulled me aside. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Please don't tell me you took more of the seaweed snacks. We were halfway through the game before I could get that taste out of my mouth."

Quinn laughed and shook his head. "No, I was lying anyway when I pretended I could handle them. This is about Moose himself. He told me he might be interested in sports marketingand looking for a position with the team. Do you think that's a good option?"

I rubbed my chin. "It can be a good field. There are a lot of opportunities out there for someone with Moose's focus and passion."

"And you don't think there would be a conflict with us being on the team?"

Axel shrugged. "I don't see why. He's not a blood relative, and the front office and the players are different groups. He might book spots for us to promote the team, but I wouldn't think that's a problem."

"Thanks, Axel; I might even look up some of the people in the front office and put in a good word."

As we walked out into the parking lot, I chuckled softly. "So, Moose and sports marketing. Seems a little sudden, don't you think?"

Quinn shrugged. "I don't know. This is Moose we're talking about. He can be impulsive."

I glanced back over my shoulder at the arena, thinking about how Moose's eyes lit up when he looked at Finn. "Speaking of impulses…did you notice Moose chatting up our new rookie, Finn?"

Quinn's eyes widened. "Wait, do you think…?"

It was my turn to offer a shrug, but a sly smile also appeared on my lips. "Let me just say, sports marketing probably isn't the only thing related to the Lumberjacks on Moose's mind tonight."

"Oh man, this is going to be interesting. I can't wait."

While I drove home, I felt more excitement about the future than I'd experienced in a long time. With Quinn at my side, Moose exploring his latest passions, and the team embracing innovative paths forward, my world was getting better and better.

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