Page 69 of Man Advantage

Ford stayed close after the kiss, his voice low enough not to carry beyond the bench. “Told you. You belonged up there.”

Cole leaned his stick against the boards. “Nothing’s happening now.”

Ford’s shoulder remained against his. “Doesn’t have to. They remember you. Another stretch like that and you’re not just filling in. Other teams start paying attention too.”

Cole’s smile faded. He shifted back far enough that their shoulders separated. “My agent mentioned that.”

Ford nodded, apparently missing the retreat. “Good. He should be figuring out what it could mean after this contract.”

Cole looked at him. Ford’s pride was real, but the smile had tightened around his mouth. His gaze shifted toward the ice as though it were easier to picture Cole in another team’s sweater when he wasn’t looking directly at him.

Ford could want this for him and still hate where it might take him. Cole wished he’d say both.

“We’re going to be late for video,” Ford said. He headed down the tunnel before Cole could decide what to ask.

A week after Chicago checked in, the Stags crowded into the Penalty Box with their families after a home win. Leo and Dawson joined them at the long table, taking the seats across from Cole and Ford. Ford sat close enough for their shoulders to brush and hadn’t touched Cole once, and Cole had spent the evening pretending not to notice—until Dawson stole a fry from Leo’s plate and Leo caught him by the wrist. Ford laughed as Dawson tried to pull free.

“You said you were done.” Dawson nodded toward the plate as though that settled ownership.

Leo tightened his grip. “I said I didn’t want another basket.”

“Same thing.” Dawson lifted the fry toward his mouth.

Leo pulled his wrist back. “Those aren’t remotely the same thing.”

Dawson ate the fry while Leo was still holding on to him. Leo stared, offended, then pulled Dawson close enough to kiss the salt from the corner of his mouth.

The sound loosened Cole’s chest. He shifted closer to Ford on the bench until their legs nearly touched, expecting Ford to close the last inch. Ford leaned forward for his beer and settled back with more space between them.

Cole told himself Ford hadn’t noticed. He waited for the quick nudge that used to pass between them when nobody else could see, but Ford kept his body angled away.

When Riggs said something Cole couldn’t hear, Ford leaned closer to him. Cole shifted with him, opening his mouth to join the conversation, but Ford answered before Cole could ask what he’d missed. It wasn’t rejection. Ford hadn’t shut him out on purpose. That didn’t keep Cole from feeling as though he’d been left on the wrong side of something.

Farther down the table, Charlotte was teaching Halsey a card game whose rules changed every time she started losing. Nadine had already called her on it twice. Halsey kept playing anyway.

Dawson took a drink and leaned into Leo’s side. “My mother wants us there for Easter.”

Leo released him. “We told your sister we’d go to Madison.”

Dawson’s mouth tightened with the realization that he had missed something important. “She changed weekends.”

Leo turned toward him. “When?”

“This morning.” Dawson set down his glass. “I forgot to tell you.”

Leo’s expression flattened. “I hate when you do that.”

“I know.” Dawson didn’t make it a joke. “I’ll call my mom tomorrow. If the other weekend doesn’t work, we go to Madison.”

Leo looked at him for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

Dawson took another fry from his plate.

“Now you’re doing that on purpose,” Leo said.

“Obviously.”

Leo shoved the plate between them.