Page 25 of One More Time

Tyler’s ability to read me was remarkable. He scowled in Colton’s direction, oblivious to the fact that he had every reason to be upset with me. Despite Tyler’s sharp tongue and the occasional bruised heart, his loyalty ran deep. In the end, he stuck to his word—I was his teammate. It was becoming increasingly apparent to me—and I suspect to many others on the team—that Tyler Riley would go to great lengths to protect his teammates.

As soon as my skates touched the ice, the tension faded from my body. The familiar earthy scent and my skates slicing through the frozen surface beneath me let all my worries melt away. My muscles relaxed and my mind cleared. I couldn’t help but notice Tyler’s occasional glances in my direction as we warmed up. I didn’t get the sense that he was checking me out, more like he wanted to know if I was okay. I nodded in acknowledgment, and he visibly relaxed.

We were split into pairs for drills. Colton was partnered with Tyler, no doubt because of their speed. I had noticed a vast improvement in our speed—perhaps something to do with our new Australian teammate. Tyler trained with figure skaters, which wasn’t unheard of. Many athletes trained with others in different sports to enhance flexibility and fluidity.

Tyler possessed a unique blend of grace and grit, moving at lightning speed before stopping on a dime, rotating, and propelling in the opposite direction like no one else I had seen. He navigated both sides of the blue line with tremendous confidence. He was never unafraid to deliver a hit, using his speed to catch opponents off guard before seamlessly returning to the play. Tyler frequently interacted with everyone else, offering tips on blade placement, leg angles, and demonstrating the techniques in the drills.

Coach didn’t overlook Tyler’s contributions or the team members willing to try something new. There were occasional stumbles as players adjusted to a slightly different gait, but Tyler was right by their side to pick them up if they fell.

“You better get that look off your face,” Colton pushed my shoulder with his. I looked over and watched the tick in his jaw.

“What look? Can’t I admire someone doing your job better than you?” I spoke nothing but the truth. Tyler would captain the team one day. Whether anyone liked it or not, they couldn’t hold a candle to him.

“Fuck off. He can give all the pointers he wants but he’s rattling the foundation we built this team on and you look at him like he’s your next meal. We’ve finally recovered from your mistakes, Hunt. I don’t want a repeat. That whole fallout made me miss the call to go into the leagues early, made me have to prove myself. I’ve put in a lot more work than your little Aussie. He didn’t do the camps or the coaching skills classes. He didn’t get a degree in sports psychology to read his players better. I did. I put in the work. I deserve this. I won’t have our team crumbling because of you.”

I saw it then, the same expression he gave me in the kitchen that made my skin crawl. We never really had big issues. We grew up close, we were always on the same teams. We were always a team on the ice and I thought we had each other’s backs. He kept my secret from the team and turned a blind eye to me experimenting with my sexuality. Though as I noted that angry gleam in his eye, I saw something familiar. Something that had alarm bells sounding in my head.

Chapter fourteen

Tyler

It was game day, and I felt good.

The dust had settled between Hunter and me, and we entered a period of silent understanding as we faced the challenge ahead. I hadn’t had the chance to give Hunter a heads-up about Colton, but as the days clicked by, whatever had possessed Colton in the locker room seemed to have faded. He went around to each team member—including Hunter—patting them on the back and giving them private pep talks. The tension radiating off him that day became nothing more than a blip on the radar.

I tried to convince myself that it was just that—a blip. The fact that he went back to his normal self made it easier. Perhaps Hunter and I staying out of each other’s way played a role in all of it

“All right, boys! We’ve been working hard. I’m glad you’ve been trying some new skills but today I need your best. Don’t try anything new if you’re not sure it’ll work. We need to show the Yale boys we don’t waver, right?”

I got a strong feeling that he was talking about me. The hit felt so targeted I damn near flinched. I looked up and noticed he wasn’t looking at me. Did I just imagine that?

Clearly not. I felt a couple of glances my way as if they were seeking out guidance. I ducked my head to avoid their eyes—I wasn’t captain. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t leave me irritated. In a show of silent support, Hunter’s knee nudged mine, but I didn’t dare look up. I didn’t need the distraction. However, that didn’t stop him from lingering in the darkest parts of my mind.

Colton didn’t continue speaking until he received a chorus of confused murmurs in response. “Good—keep that shit in practice. Every single one of you has the qualities to do this. Do what you know and go out there and kick some ass! Let’s hear it!”

A cacophony of noises broke out around me. I simply hit my stick against the floor, making noise despite my blood boiling over the obvious blow.

I shook off the insecurity and headed onto the ice. I paused as I crashed right into a large hand. I turned to face the towering mass that was Hunter Graves.

“Don’t read too much into what he said. If those men know what’s good for them they’ll use the pointers you gave them as their best weapon. What’s the point of leveling up and not using the skill upgrade, right?”

I smiled despite myself. “Thank you.”

Much like the last thank-you I gave him, I watched something settle in those golden orbs. They softened as those beautiful green flecks came through. “Get out there and show them how an Aussie does it.” He leaned in, whispering his next words in my ear. “I’ll always have your back, baby.”

His voice was a low purr that had my dick straining against my cup. I scowled and hit him with my stick. “No pet names.”

Hunter simply laughed. “You will always be my baby.”

“Cut it.” I gave him a full shove that time. I skated out to start my warmups. I totally didn’t watch him walk onto the ice and my stomach definitely didn’t flip at the smile he flashed my way.

The anxiety that Colton attempted to plant in my mind dissipated. I hadn’t realized the panic building in my chest. Despite a few shaky moments when calves and ankles protested the changes in angles, I truly believed my guidance was making a positive impact. It seemed like the team’s overall speed had increased, and some of the guys were genuinely improving their forechecking techniques.

That flirty remark from Hunter had taken away every ounce of doubt. Suddenly, my mind stopped, and a stirring sensation down below signaled that my focus had shifted. A new fire ignited within me, a new surge of energy that needed an outlet.

Whatever works, right?

The game was lightning fast. Yale came at us with a burning desire to shatter our winning streak. They had fire in their skates, and they weren’t holding back. Just to prove a point, I drew from the skills that somehow rubbed Colton the wrong way. I battled it out with our defense against Yale’s lightning-quick forward: Justin Chisnech. I managed to dance with him, corral the puck, and hustle it back to the neutral zone, aiming straight for the goal.

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