Page 24 of Puck You Very Much

“Yeah, yeah. So, what’s with Lucy?” Leon asked, raising his eyebrows.

Matt’s grin was so wide it reflected off the ice. “Oh, yeah. Lucy is now officially Dax’s image consultant. She’s making sure he doesn’t pull any stunts that end up in the press. Feel free to tell everyone. Every member of the Hawks deserves a little more joy in their lives.”

Dax had expected his teammate to laugh loudly, but Leon was relatively reserved.

“God, she hates you so much,” Leon said gleefully and shook his head. “She’ll make your life hell.”

Dax clenched his jaw in dissatisfaction. “Hmph. It won’t be that bad. Hate isn’t the word for it.”

“No, no,” Matt said, “he’s right. Whenever I go out for drinks with her, sooner or later, she mentions what a terrible person you are. Man, it’s going to be a fun few weeks.”

“You go out for drinks with Lucy?” Leon asked, shocked.

“Yeah, why?”

“That’s what I’ve been asking him,” Dax remarked disgruntled. The two got along far too well for his liking. Wasn’t it enough that Lucy irritated him? Did she have to steal his best friend as well?

Matt shrugged. “I like her. She’s funny. By the way, her sister Maddie is too. And hey, you can’t be upset about it.” He pointed his index finger at Dax. “It’syourfault I first had to ask her out for a drink last year. On your birthday. You and your asshole self.”

“What?” He didn’t understand Matt’s insinuation. Or his asshole self didn’t want to understand.

“Matt, be nice,” Fox said curtly, giving him a warning look. “It’s obvious Dax doesn’t need you to make him feel like shit for the next few weeks.”

“Yes, but I’d like to help him on his way,” he replied cheerfully. “That’s just the selfless kind of man I am.”

“Oh God,” Leon sighed dreamily, “I’m so damn jealous. What I wouldn’t give for Lucy to look after me for just one night.”

“Who is Lucy?” a new voice inquired.

Dax’s shoulders stiffened as he looked up. Jack had apparently finished the course.

“Hey, West, that was one hell of an impressive performance,” Fox said diplomatically. Captain Fox didn’t care which teammate hated who. A team was a team.

Terrible attitude.

“Thank you,” West replied happily. “And Lucy…?”

“Over there,” Leon explained, flicking his hand toward the stands.

Jack followed the gesture with his eyes and nodded slowly. “Ah, yes, Dax’s girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Matt and Fox echoed at the same time, their expressions incredulous.

“Lucy hates Dax,” Leon kindly informed the new arrival. “And the feeling is mutual.”

Jack raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely surprised. “What? Wait a minute.” Frowning he looked at Lucy in the stands and then back at Dax. “You two aren’t together?”

The teammates couldn’t have been more shocked if Jack had said he’d always hated ice hockey.

“Shit, no,” Matt said, confused, before Dax could answer. “Why would you think that?”

Jack scratched the back of his neck, his confused gaze still on Dax’s face. “Well, it seemed like…at least, yesterday it looked like…” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Forget it.”

Nobody forgot it.

“Yesterday?” Matt remarked sharply and glanced at Dax questioningly. “What happened yesterday?”

“Nothing,” Dax replied tonelessly, glaring at Jack. “I have no idea what West is talking about.”

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