Page 58 of Brace and Chase

“We do not know,” I tell him quietly. Charlie strolls into the kitchen at that moment, and I look him in the eye when I remember my words from last night. “We were punished for fighting during practice,” I confess, and wince at the string of oaths he barks over the phone.

“That’s beneath you, Santa.”

“I know,” I acknowledge, still not looking away from Charlie as he goes about making us a couple of shakes. “Believe me, we both know. But we are good now. They made us move in together, and we have to spend all our time together basically.” I wait for him to say something, and when he doesn’t, I start to ramble. “I promise wearegood now, Butcher. And we will go on the roadie today. They have to plan on playing us if they are taking us right?”

His only answer is a non-committal sound. Charlie keeps acting like he’s not listening to a single word I’m saying while I can’t look away. He’s wearing a dark blue suit today, and it looks fucking amazing against his olive skin.

“Well, if you want people to keep talking about how great you are and how much better the team would be doing with you on the ice, then you have to get back on the ice, Santa,” Butcher points out the obvious.

“I will,” I tell him, letting him hear my conviction.

“Then we’ll have more leverage when we start negotiations for your next contract.”

“Perfect,” I say, though my stomach feels unstable at the thought of having to talk to Gab about any of it. “Anyway, we have to get going, Butcher.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you get back to it. Keep me updated on when you’re gonna get back on the ice.”

“Will do.”

The kitchen is way too silent when I end the call, and I feel like shit for some reason.

I try to figure out why while I make sure the hash browns aren’t burnt and that the scrambled eggs are still warm, then I plate it all, but I come to no conclusion.

“The fans are mad.” My words come out rushed and way too loud when I pass Charlie his plate. He looks up, his black eyes threatening to swallow me up with their intensity.

“Why?” he demands, confirming my suspicions that he didn’t hear the first part of the conversation with Butcher.

“Because we weren’t on the ice last night. They’re...” Fuck, I can’t say it. I just can’t. It would suck, wouldn’t it? To explain to him that people are celebrating me and “discovering” how awesome I am while their thoughts on Charlie have stayed the same.

But it’s because they already knew how fucking good a hockey player he is.

And now they’re finding out I’m just as good as he is.

Is that what made me feel like shit?

Whether it was or wasn’t is irrelevant. I have to keep theconversation with Charlie going so I don’t get distracted again and touch him... or more.

“Apparently they’re finally realizing how fucking awesome I am.”

I get the reaction I want; he snorts and starts eating while I keep boasting like a narcissistic frat boy.

“Yes, apparently,” I start, pulling shit out of nowhere. “They’re realizing I should’ve been named the best defenseman on the ice a bunch of times and haven’t. They think it’s a disgrace that I wasn’t on the ice last night. Saying how we would’ve probably had a shutout had I been down there.”

Charlie looks back up, his face set in an impassive expression but I see the humor in his eyes. Those eyes tell me everything.

“You’re really hung up on that, huh?”

“I mean...” I trail off with a shrug and get a start on my own breakfast.

“Nikolay,” he says way too seriously. I expect his eyes to look just as serious, but there’s even more mirth in them now.

“What?” I ask, not having a single clue what he’s about to say.

He leans in a little and unleashes a devilish smirk on me. Not gonna lie, my heart kind of stops for a second.

“You could play for ten more seasons and never win more James Norris Memorial Trophies than me.” I want tokiss that smirk off his face so bad. It would also have the added benefit of shutting up that condescending tone.

I frown at him, willing myself to keep the mood lighthearted, because surprisingly his words don’t sting. They just turned the heat to an inferno.

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