Page 120 of Runaway Bride and Prejudice

“And on not sucking!” Tucker coughs out this answer, not very subtly either, and I want nothing more than to get out of the locker room and onto the ice.

“I know some guys find that blowing off a little, uh, steam actually helps their performance and their focus,” the woman says.

What kind of interviewisthis?Pointedly ignoring the woman, I tilt my head, giving Parker a look.

She looks stunned and mildly horrified. “Okay!” she says brightly, grabbing the woman’s arm. “We’ve got to let these guys get on the ice. Thanks, Van. Melinda, we’ll find a good spot to watch, then continue the interview later. Or another interview with another player.”

“I’m free!” Tucker says, raising a hand with a big, stupid grin on his face.

Parker ushers the woman from the locker room like it’s on fire. I keep my head down until they’re both gone. Then I sink down on the bench, letting my head fall back.

Something smacks me in the side of the face. “That better not be a dirty sock,” I say without opening my eyes.

“Dude,” Alec says. “Explain. First, you were weird with Amelia yesterday. Then you left the group chat. And now?—”

“What group chat?” Dumbo interrupts. “I’m not in a group chat.”

I finally open my eyes and yup—someone did throw a dirty sock. I hate these guys sometimes just as much as I love them. I toss it toward the center of the room, and it lands on the Appies logo. No one claims it.

“No,” Logan says, ignoring Dumbo. “First he started skating like he has three left feet. Which was about how long ago?”

“Right after you started,” Alec says.

“It hasn’t been that long,” I mutter. But it has been. I know exactly when my performance on the ice started to decline. And it was when Coach handed out Save the Date cards for Amelia’s wedding. Thankfully, the guys probably don’t remember that detail.

“And now,” Alec says, “you didn’t do your usual thing with that reporter.”

“What’s my usual thing?”

This question is met with laughter, and my frustration builds. I want to go home. Not out to practice, where I’ll still suckand maybe be dealing with Coach after he goes in his office and sees what I left on his desk. I won’t have to hear it from Alec and the guys about my three left feet and inability to make a shot.

I don’t want to go out with the guys. I don’t want to be interviewed.

But most especially, I don’t want to be in a building where I might just happen to run into my wife.

“Your usual thing,” Logan says with a smirk. “Would include flirting. Winking. Possibly hitting on and or asking out.”

“She didn’t just open the door,” Eli says, standing up. “She was waving you in for landing.”

He does his best impression of a guy standing on an airfield with flares, directing a plane.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah. She wasn’t subtle.”

“And usually, neither are you,” Alec says. “So, what gives?”

“Nothing,” I say.

“That wasn’t nothing.”

“You’ve lost your game—on and off the ice.”

“I never thought I’d see the day. Van not hitting on a hot woman.”

“Think she’ll want tointerviewme later?”

“Keep dreaming.”

“I know you told her you’re not dating anyone,” Alec says, cutting through the chatter, “but youhaveto be.”

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