Page 62 of First Puck

Lance groaned again, lifting his head, the back of his helmet bumping off the barrier. “Come on, Tommy. You know me betterthan that,” he said, opening his eyes to smirk at him through the cage of his helmet.

Tommy met Lance’s gaze with a hard stare of his own.

“You’re okay, then?” Tommy asked quietly.

I wanted to give them space, to let Tommy be the one to care for Lance like I knew Lance wanted.

Tommy’s chin dipped as he noticed how my hand had moved to Lance’s neck to hold him. I felt like I’d been caught. But, as far as Tommy knew, I was the one Lance wanted close by.

“You really think I’m going to be taken out by Brad Owens?” Lance choked out a laugh.

I eased myself back as a wall appeared around them, like there was a silent conversation happening between them I couldn’t be part of. The same way I felt whenever it was just me and Brad.

We’d made everything too complicated, and it was getting even more messed up.

Real crashes could be so serious that some guys couldn’t play for a whole season, or ever again.

“Alright, Alex, Tommy, get back.” Coach’s voice bounced off the walls of the stadium as he skated over from the other side of the rink. The guys parted for him and his two assistants, both stacked with first aid kits, and Coach jerked his thumb to tell us to move on.

I reluctantly shuffled away from Lance to let the assistants in.

The moment I was up, I shot a glare at Brad, who had crumpled on the ice and was looking at us with blank shock like he didn’t know what he’d just done.

Chase and Porter hung either side of him, frowning as they pressed on his shoulders to keep themselves upright on their skates, and to keep him down.

“Get him off the ice!” Coach shouted, his gaze hard, and my stomach turned.

Brad used his stick to push himself up, but it trembled as Chase and Porter dragged him across to the other side of the rink.

And not once did Brad break his gaze from me. He just kept staring until they pulled him through the barrier so he could stand there and look at what he had done.

***

“Are you okay?” I asked softly, filled with as much emotion as I could muster.

Standing over Lance with my hand on his good shoulder, he slouched on a bench in the nearly empty locker room.

With practice and all the drama over, Lance had been given the all clear. Now that we’d all finished being pissed off at Brad for fucking up practice, everyone scattered. They all said how worried they were about Lance, but they bolted for the hotel bar as soon as they had the chance.

Now, it was just the pair of us, and Tommy leaning against the lockers behind me, his arms folded, his body tense. His glare was etched so deeply in his face that he was going to have red lines when he finally relaxed.

And Tommy was the only reason I was still here. I was desperate to find out what had happened to Brad. But Coach was still lecturing him. If he’d been kicked from tomorrow’s game, I was never going to forgive myself.

Lance softened under me, his smile gentle, wistful, his pained eyes full of love as he wrapped his fingers through mine.

“You’re the only ones who are loyal.” Lance sighed dramatically, pressing my hand to his bare chest, right over his heart. His mournful gaze danced between me and Tommy.

Thankfully, Tommy couldn’t see my eyes roll, which only made Lance go harder into the act.

The only reason I went along with Lance’s touching before the practice game was because, even though I’d forgiven Brad, resentment still bubbled in me like tar. And so, I’d agreed to play along with this charade in front of Tommy to compensate for Brad.

I swept my hand to the throbbing purple bruise blooming over his right shoulder. I was surprised Coach was letting Lance play tomorrow.

“I’m fine, really, Alex,” Lance replied, voice trembling, his dramatic look twisting into concern. “You don’t need to worry.” He eased my hand from his chest, and, before I could stop him, he brought it to his cheek. “I’m just so glad you were there.”

“Lance… I…” I knew what Lance wanted from me, how he wanted me to act, but how was I supposed to fake being in love with him to this level? It was fine when he was flirting with me and I just had to be myself. Being the heartless boyfriend who suddenly abandoned him for Brad was a totally different role.

I wasn't training to be an actor like he was.

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