Page 52 of Rookie Rules

He took a sparkling water from a passing tray.

"Everything okay?" Claire asked.

"I'm at a hotel in a suit, being praised for eye contact. I've reached the dream."

"That was not an answer."

"It was an excellent answer."

Claire let him keep it. She pointed him toward two sponsors from a sporting-goods company and moved off to manage something else.

Luca did his duty. He talked about Northstar Bay, the energy at camp, and the privilege of joining an organization with history. He did not call himself the future. He did not promise playoffs. He did not look at Rowan more than once every few minutes.

By ten, he had accumulated six business cards he would never use and a headache behind his eyes.

Eli and Jace found him near the coat check.

"Food," Jace said. "Real food. Mateo claims he knows a place."

"Mateo thinks vending-machine nachos are a food group," Eli said.

"They contain multiple ingredients."

Luca accepted his coat. "Tempting, but I'm out."

Jace looked toward the ballroom. The glance was casual enough to be dangerous. "Early night?"

"Some of us require beauty sleep."

"Not that much beauty."

Luca shoved his shoulder and followed them through the revolving doors.

Cold air hit his face. Cars moved along the wet street, headlights folding across the pavement. Behind the hotel glass, Rowan remained where the organization had placed him.

Luca refused late food, drove to the temporary apartment near the arena, and told himself he was tired.

The apartment did not believe him.

It had rented furniture in safe gray, two unopened boxes beside the television, and a refrigerator containing eggs, sports drinks, and three kinds of mustard left by whoever stocked the place. A Wolves schedule hung beneath a souvenir magnet from a city Luca had never visited.

He showered. Changed into sweatpants and a T-shirt. Opened the refrigerator without wanting anything inside it.

His phone stayed silent on the counter.

At 10:42, he picked it up to check the time.

At 10:44, he turned it facedown.

At 10:47, someone knocked.

Luca knew before he reached the door.

That knowledge annoyed him enough to make his hand steady on the lock.

Rowan stood in the hallway in the same dark suit, tie removed, top button open. No captain's jacket. No equipment bag. No reason he could offer that would survive the first question.

For a moment neither man spoke.