Page 62 of Ice Cold Rival

“That’s why I picked you. Now get out.”

I damn near bowed. Captain. I couldn’t wait to tell Kenzie—and maybe rub it in Cole’s face just a little bit.

The chair squealed, and Coach hissed out a breath. “One more thing.”

I stopped in the doorway and turned. “Yeah?”

“Do I need to be worried about Mase? He’s become even more anti-social than usual, to the point where he’s only communicating with the goalie coach in grunts.”

I held my breath for a second, thinking of the conversations I’d had with Cole in the last few months, and the one we’d had with Gavin over the summer. All of us were worried, but then there were days where he came out of the basement and acted like his normal, grumpy self.

If I said something to Coach, he’d be obligated to have Mase checked out by the team psych, and Mase would never forgive me. If there was really something wrong, I had a duty to protect my friend, even from himself.

I’d been distracted the last few months with my own shit, but I could pay more attention and sound the alarm with the others.

“Nah,” I told Coach, shrugging one shoulder. “He’s focused on the season. The guys and I will keep an eye on him.”

Coach gave me a pointed look. “As captain, I expect as much. As his friend, I expect you to tell mebeforethings get serious.”

I nodded. “Definitely.”

He waved me off, and I may have danced the entire way back to my car. I drove home, and it occurred to me Coach never mentioned Kenzie or my social habits. Maybe he’d noticed, maybe he hadn’t, but with the position secured, I technically didn’t need the deal with Kenzie anymore.

The thought soured my mood. She’d know—of course, she’d know—but in the time it took me to drive from campus to our driveway, I realized I’d never needed her. I’dwantedher.

She’d made me feel like I could absolutely lead our team, even when my closest friends doubted me, and I didn’t want to let her go. I didn’t miss my old lifestyle—I missed Kenzie when she wasn’t around. The reckless partying and stupid decisions were behind me. Ilikedthe person I was becoming, and when I thought of the future, Kenzie as always right there in the middle of it.

The realization should have terrified me, but my blood rushed with excitement. I could have what I wanted. Captain. Hockey. Kenzie. All I had to do was convince her we were good together.

Luckily, I had some time before her sister’s wedding to prove it.

Kenzie reactedthe way I hoped and immediately seduced me. Cole, on the other hand, surprised me by dancing around the living room, much like I had in the parking lot. I decided not to bring up his previous doubts when we were all celebrating. Mase offered me the rare compliment of a pat on the back before he went back to his lair.

As a matter of fact, Kenzie and I celebrated long enough we were almost late to dinner with Gram. I was fully willing to skip it in favor of staying in bed, but Kenzie insisted I follow through. She made the point we all had to do hard things sometimes, and I, of course, told her I had a hard thing she could do.

In retribution, she spent the entire drive to Dallas giving me a play by play of the book they’d had to read for smutty book club, but skipping over all the sexy parts.

When we were almost to the restaurant, her nerves got the best of her and she started chewing on her pinky nail.

I grabbed her hand to save her manicure and tried for a reassuring smile. “It’s only one night.”

She offered me a pity smile for my bad joke. “On a scale of zero to when Boo got into my mac and cheese, how bad is this going to be?”

“I thought we agreed we’d never mention Boo’s digestive pyrotechnics again.”

Kenzie raised a brow. “You agreed. I can’t wipe the smell from my memory, no matter how many candles I burn.”

I pulled into the valet line and kissed her hand. “Not nearly as bad as Boo, but I’d go with mildly horrible.”

“Awesome. Any last words of advice?”

“Be yourself. If they don’t like it, fuck ‘em. We can leave whenever you want.”

She blew out a breath. “Easy for you to say. Your Gram isn’t looking for a reason to have you removed.”

I winced, wishing I hadn’t told her that part in a weak moment. “No, but she was willing to pimp me out for a business deal. She might still be planning on it.”

“Rude,” Kenzie muttered as we pulled up to the stand.

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