Page 95 of Ice Darling
“I dabbled in high school.”
“I’m up for it.” I glance at Brennon. “Anytime.” The words aren’t delivered like a friendly offer for a game. It’s more like a threat.
“I might not look it, but I made varsity as a sophomore,” Brennon informs me, lifting his chin a notch.
Laughing in his face would be rude…wouldn’t it?
“Wow. Well, don’t go easy on me, Moreau.” I step closer until I’m almost nose to nose with the schmuck. “Because I won’t go easy on you.”
Max looks stressed enough to hyperventilate. “Okay, great. Thanks for that, Renthrow. Brennon, I’ll have Bobby escort you to your car.” He steers the other man away from me while yelling, “Bobby!”
I watch Max scurry off with Brennon, my blood boiling. When is that guy leaving town? How much longer is he going to be lurking around Cordelia?
I change into my gear and meet Chance and Gunner on the ice.
Chance notices my clenched fists. “You good?”
“Never better,” I grumble.
“I’m guessing you know the new suit?” Gunner juts his chin toward where Max and Brennon stood talking to me a few minutes ago.
“Cordelia does.”
“Ah.” Chance’s concerned expression is shattered by a grin.
Gunner grunts. “Say no more.”
“It’s not like that.”
My teammates shrug.
Chance nods. “Of course, it’s not like that.”
I scowl at them and then start stretching.
“Before practice, I wanted to run something by you guys.” Chance gestures for us to skate to the other end of the ice on the opposite side of the group. When we’re out of earshot of the others, he explains, “I heard Theilan’s getting scouted by another team.”
“What?” My eyes bug.
“Where’d you hear that?” Gunner demands.
“I still have contacts in the agency I fired.”
I adjust my helmet. “I’m worried about those guys.”
“Contracts are scary if you don’t know what you’re doing, and the people sniffing around Theilan aren’t known for putting the players’ best interests first.”
“Theilan’s still young,” Gunner rasps. “And now, he’s angry.”
“It’s one thing if they want to leave the Lucky Strikers, but if they’re doing it just to spite Max, they might get hurt in the process.” I blow out a breath. “We can’t wait around anymore. We gotta move before this gets out of hand.”
“The problem is…they won’t join the camp. And Max won’t let them on without the training.” Chance sighs. “He’s not changing his mind about it.”
“He feels bad for letting them go, but he also thinks it’s the right thing to do. Feels like I’m talking to a brick wall when I bring it up,” Gunner mumbles.
“Then maybe we stop talking,” I advise.
Chance narrows his eyes. “What do you mean?”
