Page 97 of Game Misconduct

“You have not had anyone over here lately. Or gone out much. Other than the comedian show we went to see.”

“Comedy show,” Tanner corrected even though, to be perfectly honest, Mickey’s English was usually better than Tanner’s.

“Comedy show,” Mickey corrected.

“That’s not true,” Tanner protested.

Mickey looked confused. “You just said it was a comedy show? Is that not right?”

“No, not that,” Tanner said. “The—the going out bit. I’ve gone out!”

“With the team, yes,” Mickey agreed. “But to go pick up people? To meet people on your hookup app? I don’t think so. Not unless you leave in the middle of the night or something that I don’t know about.”

“Uhh,” Tanner said, his brain whirling. There was no way. That couldn’t be true! He wasn’t—he wasn’tonlychatting to Leif now, was he? He thought about the last time he logged into the hookup app and grimaced. Maybe? For a couple of weeks it had been kinda like that.

“I think it is nice, yes?” Mickey said. “It is good you met someone who you like.”

“I don’t …” But that was a lie if he said he didn’t like Leif. Of course he liked Leif. “I like him, sure,” Tanner said with a laugh. “He’s a pretty good dude. But we’re not—we’re notdatingor anything.”

“Okay,” Mickey said, like he didn’t believe Tanner but was playing along. “However you feel, I think it is nice.”

“Cool. I’m, uh, gonna go clean up,” Tanner said because his stomach was beginning to itch like a motherfucker.

“Okay. Good night, Tanner.”

“Night, Mouse,” Tanner said. “Tell Turtle I hope he feels better soon.”

“I will.”

Tanner went into the bathroom and Mickey disappeared down the hall. Tanner thought about hopping in the shower, but he still couldn’t find his stupid shower cap, so he turned on the water in the sink instead.

As he let it run hot, he stood there, arms braced on the counter as he thought about what Mickey had said.

It was the first time Tanner had everregrettedhaving roommates. He fucking loved Mickey and Rafe, but they were alwaysthere.

They went out on dates sometimes, but not a ton and obviously they’d noticed that he wasn’t going out as much. How dumb could Tanner be? He should have been more careful.

It wasn’t … it didn’tmeananything that he’d only been talking to Leif lately. It was just … Tanner was having kind of a weird stretch or something. Right?

By the time Tanner cleaned up and went back in his room, he wasn’t tired at all. The little hamster in his head was racing on its wheel, trying to make sense of everything Mickey had said. Hefound his phone tangled in the bed sheets and bit his lip at the message from Leif.

He opened it.Good job. Hope you sleep well.

U 2 Princess,Tanner typed. He plugged his phone in with Leif’s cable, rolled on his stomach, and screamed into the pillow.

Fuuuuuuuck.

Whatwashe doing with Leif? What washappeningto him?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Leif cursed as he took his spot on the top power play in the Rockets’ defensive zone. As much as he’d been looking forward to being in Boston and seeing Tanner tonight, Leif was not enjoying playing the Harriers.

They were already well into the second period, and the game was still scoreless.

With Jesse Webber in net for Boston and Roman Poole for the Rockets, it was a frustrating game. Lots of good scoring chances and nothing to show for it.

Leif had gotten a high stick from Luke Crawford that caught him in the mouth and had managed to sell it well enough to the refs that Crawford went to the box for two minutes.