Page 28 of Ice Bet

I dipped my head through the crack in the door. “Yeah, Coach?”

“Get in here and shut the door.”

My heart pounded harder when the door latched, shutting out the sounds of the locker room.

Coach sat on the edge of his desk with a loose tie and unbuttoned shirt. “How are things?”

I was sweating, and I really didn't have a reason to unless Riley had ratted out the team and told him about the bet.

“You mean with Riley?” I played dumb, like I had no idea what he was referring to.Riley who?

He gave me his “obviously, you dumbass”look that he typically reserved for Ford.

“What else would I be talking about? I know how hockey is going.” His expression had softened, and by that I meant he no longer looked like he wanted to smack me. “You did well.”

I pulled my bag up higher on my shoulder and mumbled a thank you. It was hard to look him in the eye and not feel ashamed. I wondered if I should just tell him about the bet or mention that his daughter was a petty brat who was purposefully provoking me because she had caught my watchful eye, but I thought better of it. I’d push aside our little feud for now and let her have her fun as long as she didn’t cross a line and take the team with her.

I cleared my throat. “Things are fine.”

Coach eyed me suspiciously, so I gave a little depth.

“Well, actually, she did come to one of the parties.”

He popped up from his desk. “She did?”

It was apparent he was surprised to hear that she went to a party, which only piqued my curiosity further. What happened to Riley at Rosewood that had made him so…worried?

As far as I was concerned, Riley Lennon could handle herself.

At least when it came to me, she could.

“She left shortly after she arrived,” I added. “I made sure she got home safe.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that she’d been coming to the rink late at night, but his abrupt laughter stopped me.

“And she was aware that you were making sure she got home safe?”

“Yeah.”And she was pissed.

He laughed again. “And she was okay with that?”

I raised an eyebrow, and he nodded.

“I thought so. Now do you understand why she can’t know you’re watching her?”Well, it was too late for that.“If she knew I asked you to keep an eye out, she’d make it her mission to evade you every chance she gets.”

My face stayed unmoving, but we were already there. Riley rolled her eyes if she caught me looking at her, and she bristled at our every interaction. It wasn’t what I was used to when talking to a female, and as much as it annoyed me, I found myself thinking about her more often than not.

“Has the team been on their best behavior?”

Fuck no.

“If you’re asking if any of them have touched her, the answer is no.” It wasn’t a lie.

He grunted. Red spread across his cheeks as he wound around his desk and sat down in his chair. “Good. Now get out of here.”

I tipped my chin at him, but before I disappeared, he stopped me.So close.

“If she shows up to the party I know you all are going to—”

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