Page 124 of Cold as Ice

Mal nodded. Bracing himself for the worst. Hoping for the best. “Yes. That was one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. Elliott and I are dating now.”

Anthony didn’t frown. He didn’t look particularly happy either. Neutral, at best, Mal decided. Thenalsodecided this was okay. It could’ve been worse.

“But you’re still focused on your studies? You’re still on track to head to Toronto after graduation?”

“Yes, sir. Everything’s going well.”Better than well, he wanted to yell at him. But yelling was not something they did in the McCoy house. Sometimes his father would bark if he was being difficult or not listening, but yelling was foreign to them.

There’d never been any reason for it.

“Mal’s brilliant. On and off the ice,” Elliott said staunchly, perhaps, if Mal had to guess, a bit rattled by the matter-of-fact way his father had merely assimilated their relationship and then moved on.

“As he should be. He has untold potential.” There was a hint of a frown now, on his father’s face.

Their everlasting argument.

Why should Malcolm waste all his “potential” playing what he considered a “children’s game” no matter how much fame and fortune andjoyit brought him?

“Not so much untold now,” Elliott said lightly. He picked up his menu.

Mal cleared his throat. “Ell’s major is literature. He’s got the most amazing analytical mind. Uses it on the ice, too, but I think his biggest advantage is that he knows when to turn it off.”

He knew he’d said the wrong thing the moment it came out of his mouth, but it was appallingly obvious when Anthony frowned.

“Turn off his mind?”

“Instinct, you know? It’s what makes me such a great player—and your son, too. He’s using his instinct more, letting that guide him, and he’s gone from great to extraordinary.” Elliott was still partially absorbed in the menu—or he wasn’t as attuned yet to Anthony’s minute facial changes—so he didn’t pick up on his disapproval.

“Hmmm.” Anthony didn’t have to say anything more than that, but Mal felt the full weight of his disagreement.

“We’re learning from each other,” Mal said.

“Apparently.” Anthony had a very dry sense of humor, and this was delivered in a tone so parched it stung.

Elliott glanced up, and Mal realized then that he wasn’t unaware. He was simply pretending that anything his dad said that he didn’t agree with just didn’t exist.

What a typical Elliott strategy.

Mal wasn’t annoyed, though. Instead, he was begrudgingly impressed.

“Let’s order,” Elliott suggested, flagging the waitress down.

Mal ordered his favorite Reuben and tots—allowing himself the fried choice because it was a special occasion. They’d notonly won tonight, his father was meeting Ell, and it wasn’t a complete fucking disaster.Yet.

After ordering the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, his father shot him a narrowed look. “Tater tots, Malcolm?”

“I don’t eat them often. I follow the meal plan.”Nearly. Strawberry pineapple smoothies and Italian subs weren’t really on the dietician’s meal plan either but he didn’t indulge in thoseallthe time. Just when Elliott turned those puppy dog eyes on him and begged, silently.

Mal looked over at where he could tell Elliott was barely restraining an eye roll. “Don’t worry, he works them off,” he said.

“It’s still important to pay special attention to your energy intake,” his father said righteously. “I don’t want you getting lazy and adopting too many bad habits.” His quick glance at Elliott made it crystal clear who was to possibly blame for those and that Anthony had yet to decide if Elliottcountedas a bad habit.

“I do,” Mal said.

“I just don’t want you taking your eye off the prize. Not this late in your development,” his father said. “You’ve put a lot of hard work in to get to this point. You’ve prepared well. You know the hockey protocols now. You can play the game as well as any of them. You have the technical backgroundandthe business foundation. You should be all set. Have you talked more to any of the Toronto front office about also doing an internship while you’re playing on the developmental team after graduation?”

“I’ve made some overtures,” Mal said. He really didn’t want to talk about this in front of Elliott, who knew he wanted to go into front office work but not how soon he was planning to do it. How would he take it if he knew the truth?

He wouldn’t be happy. Especially not if by some miracle, they did end up on the same team.

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