Page 16 of Gap Control

He pulled out his phone and showed me a screenshot: a pastel crewneck with"He's gonna make an honest man out of me"in loopy script, hearts and hockey sticks underneath. The caption read: RYKSON DROP 1: LIMITED EDITION.

I stared. "Shouldn't we be getting royalties?"

Cass waved us over from behind her mic stand. "Hey, TJ! Ready to make a little podcast magic?"

I turned to Brady. "If I crash and burn, tell my mom I loved her."

"You told her you were gay in a meme. She already knows."

"I never said gay," I whispered. "I said, 'dating Mason.' That's not necessarily the same."

"Split that hair on your own time." He pushed me gently toward the mic.

Cass beamed. "TJ Jameson! Man of the hour."

I gave her the canned, practiced smile. "Hi, Cass."

"Big win, big week, big hug. Let's talk about it."

I blinked. "Big hug?"

"Oh, you know. The hug. The post-game moment of the season."

I held up my hands. "You win a couple of games and show basic human emotion, and suddenly you're a cultural moment."

She laughed. "Well, the fans are loving it. You and Ryker have great chemistry."

"Great chemistry, maybe, but only average choreography, definitely."

Cass leaned in. "So, what should we expect in the future from Lewiston's new favorite couple?"

I rested my elbows on the table's edge. "Well, we're thinking of a couples skate night. Possibly themed. Possibly glitter. Still discussing it in committee."

Cass lit up. "That sounds amazing. You know I'm gonna quote you on that, right?"

"Only if you spell glitter with two T's and a wink emoji."

Brady made a face.

Cass asked one more question about team dynamics—bless her—and then wrapped the interview. I stood, shook her hand, and backed away like maybe distance could undo what I'd just said.

Brady cornered me before I made it to the locker room.

"That was not on-message."

I blinked. "I smiled, though."

"You said glitter theme."

"It's what the fans want."

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's relatable. Charm-forward. Isn't that on brand?"

Brady sighed, handed me a protein bar, and pointed down the hall. "Go shower. Do not talk to anyone else holding a microphone today."

"Copy that."

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