Page 121 of Dirty Pucker

“Get used to it because as long as we keep winning, we’re drinking vodka,” Theo says.

Xander nods in agreement. “We had vodka a couple nights ago. It could be our good luck charm.”

Blomdahl makes a grossed-out face.

Xander elbows him and laughs. “Oh, come on. You’ve got your superstitions too.”

“Yeah. We all see the way you feel up the net before every game.” Theo laughs.

Blomdahl frowns at him. “I don’t feel up the net, you dick. I smack my stick against the posts.”

“You run your stick against that net like you’re gonna buy it dinner afterwards,” Xander jokes.

I laugh.

Blomdahl flashes a smug smile. “I gotta be sweet to her. She helps me block goals.”

Xander shakes his head. “The fact that you call the net ‘her’ is wild, dude.”

“You’re not a goalie. You don’t get it,” Blomdahl says.

“Thank fuck. You guys are weird as hell,” Xander says.

Blomdahl sits up straighter in his chair and puffs his chest out. “Weird as hell and proud.”

We all laugh. Soon we drain the pitcher of beer. Theo offers to get the next round. He asks what liquor we want to take shots of.

Blomdahl nods at me. “Let Richards pick. He scored the first goal of the game.”

The guys defer to me.

“Tequila.”

Theo flashes a thumbs up. “You got it.”

“That was a nasty goal, man,” Xander says. “You definitely set the tone of the game. It was fucking awesome.”

“Thanks.” I glance down at my empty beer glass. “It was a team effort though.”

Blomdahl elbows me. “Come on, man. You’re not talking to a bunch of reporters. You don’t have to give the PR-approved answer.”

I let out a breath. “Okay, fine. It felt really fucking good to be the first one to score.”

Xander smacks my back. “Atta boy.”

I laugh.

“I’m gonna score before you do in game two though,” Xander says to me.

His expression is serious, but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s not pissed. Just competitive. We all are. That’s why we all play hockey for a living.

“No way. First goal of game two goes to me,” Theo says right as he returns with a handful of shot glasses and a bottle of tequila.

I laugh. It feels really damn good to be at this point with my new teammates. On the ice, we work together to do whatever it takes to win. Off the ice, we can joke and laugh and be cool with each other.

I never thought that would happen when I joined this team. But it’s happening right now.

While Theo pours us all shots, Sam walks up to our table. We all stand up and greet him. His team didn’t make it to the playoffs, so he’s done for the season and is visiting his sister in Denver.

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