Page 91 of Game Misconduct

ADHD symptoms

ADHD symptoms in adult men

How to cope with ADHD without medication

How to support someone with ADHD

Supporting someone you care about with?—

Leif stopped partway through the last one, wondering what had made him type that. He didn’t care about Tanner Clayton.

The sudden uneasy squirming in his stomach told him that might be a lie. That itwasa lie. Because of course he cared about Tanner.

He thought about what Tanner’s mom had said and grimaced. Not likethat. But he did care about him. Obviously. Tanner was his—hisfriendnow.

He’d meant what he’d said earlier. They’d known each other for ten years now. That meant something. And sure, he’d found Tanner annoying and exasperating. And he didn’t think his desire to smash Tanner through the boards when they played against each other was going to change.

But he also understood Tanner better. And he thought that maybe he could help him.

Leif opened a spreadsheet and set up a small table where he could organize his findings. He went through each result carefully, taking notes.

It wasn’t until a jaw-cracking yawn broke through his focus that he glanced up to see that it was late. Nearly two in the morning. He had a lot of data, but he hadn’t really broken it down yet.

Well,he thought with a wry smile as he saved the file, shut down his MacBook, and got up to put it away and get ready for bed,Tanner wasn’t kidding about fucking up my routines.

As Leif climbed into bed a short while later, he felt a wave of anxiety go through him. What if itdidfuck up his routine? What if he didn’t play well tomorrow?

But he’d learned that thinking about that just sent him down a further spiral of worry, so he turned out the lights, did some breathing exercises, then some EFT—Emotional Freedom Technique—tapping and repeating the phrases his therapist had given him to calm himself. By the time he was done with the gentle acupressure and verbal reminders, his mind was quieter and he felt a wave of tiredness go through him.

Hopefully Tanner would sleep well tonight too. He’d seemed a lot calmer by the time the movie was over and they ended their call.

As Leif’s breathing evened out, his mind growing hazy with sleep, he rolled onto his side and reached out, half expecting to find Tanner there.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“So, we all saw the press conference yesterday, yeah?” Connor O’Shea called out over the noisy chaos of the locker room.

Tanner lifted his head from where he’d been taping his socks. “Uhh, what press conference?”

Mickey glanced over at him, then back at their captain. “The Nicholas Calhoun one, yes?”

“Yeah. That’s the one,” Connor agreed.

“Wait? What one?” Tanner asked. “What did he say?”

“How did you miss it, dude?” Jesse asked with a laugh. “It’s the biggest fucking news in hockey right now. Calhoun’s coming back.”

“Oh right, yeah, I thought we already knewthat,” Tanner said with a shrug as he made one last turn around his calves, then ripped the tape, smashing the end down against his sock.

Everyone in the locker room went silent and he glanced up. “Didn’t we?” he asked, unsure.

“Well, I sure fuckin’ didn’t,” Luke said. “Didn’t find out until the presser yesterday.”

“Uhh,” Tanner said, frantically trying to remember how he’d found out.Fuck!It was Leif. It was definitely Leif and Tanner had promised not to let anything slip until Nicky made his announcement.

But hehadmade his announcement, so it was fine, right?

Except no, Tanner still couldn’t admit Leif told him because then he’d have to explainwhyhe was even talking to Leif. Damn it!