Page 26 of The Blame Game

He nodded at Jordan, then continued. “And that was a beaut in the second, Arents!”

Nico grinned, his smile bright and happy. God it was good to have him in their lineup again.

“But tonight, this has to go to Yaterater. Great job, bud!”

Dustin gave Colton Yates a quick, back-slapping hug, then handed a ship captain’s hat to him.

There were always three official stars of the game, and the first star always did a little on-ice interview with one of the reporters after the game was over.

But there was also an unofficial player of the game announced in the locker room. The previous winner handed the prize to the guy he thought deserved it and tonight it was, without a doubt, Colton Yates.

Colton settled the hat on his sweaty hair and grinned broadly. He should, after his gorgeous breakaway and game-winning clean shot into the net in the final thirty seconds of play, giving them the win.

Colton nodded toward Dustin. “Thanks, Captain. This was a tough one but we managed to pull it off so let’s keep that energy up in the next game!”

Dom watched Colton take the hat off, wondering if he’d ever looked that young and carefree.

He still didn’t know how the ship captain’s hat had become their prize for this season but it changed every year. Last season, it had been a Viking helmet, the one before that a brightly colored sash.

In the end, the prize itself meant nothing. But the ritual helped bring the team together and was another bonding opportunity, and that was everything.

Dom lingered over his post-game routine. He cooled down, then did as much stretching and myofascial release as he could manage on his own.

After, Eddie Burton, one of the trainers, worked him through some stretches and a massage, manipulating his legs, stretching his psoas and hip flexors, relieving the pressure on his lower back.

After, Dom wasn’t surprised when Matty followed him into the shiny new infrared sauna, towel struggling to cover his ample ass and thighs.

“Trying to get me alone, huh?” Dom teased as they took seats on the benches inside, skin already beginning to bead with sweat.

Matty snorted. “Only because I know you’ll run off on me otherwise and avoid talking.”

Dom grimaced but couldn’t deny it.

Frowning, Matty leaned forward. “Seriously. I saw the JockGossip shit. You okay?”

“I hate it but I’ll survive,” he said shortly.

“Is the guy …” Matty shook his head. “Never mind. I shouldn’t ask. You’ll tell me if you want.”

“He really is my stylist,” Dom said.

“Okay …”

Dom licked his lips. Last fall, he’d finally admitted to Matty and Dustin that he was gay. He hadn’t wanted to but he and Matty had gotten into a fight about Matty’s new boyfriend, Antoni.

He’d thought Antoni was using Matty. He had believed it too.

Matty’s ex had been a horrible woman and between that and Dom’s general distrust of people, he’d taken his own shit out on his teammate.

Antoni was good for Matty, Dom could see that now, but at the time he’d been so far up his own ass he’d nearly wrecked the friendship and jeopardized the peace of the team.

The only atonement that felt right was for Dom to tell them the truth about his own past. About the man who’d broken his heart so many years ago. About why he kept everyone at arm’s length.

Even his friends.

“My stylist … we … I know you’ve always been curious but yeah, that’s how I spend my Sunday nights,” Dom admitted now, the words coming out garbled and jumbled because he sometimes still had a hard time saying it aloud.

Admitting who he was.

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