Page 72 of Goaltender Interference

Graham was straitlaced too. Quiet, polite, hard-working. He never over-indulged or was late.

Graham shrugged. “He seems like a good guy. I know you’ve gotta keep him in line, but don’t put out his spark.”

If only Graham knew that Jesse was the one who was behaving tonight and Connor was the one threatening to get them in trouble.

“I won’t,” Connor promised, walking toward the door. “I just don’t want a repeat of Toronto.”

Graham shrugged, pushing the door open. “Well, I do. I’d fucking love to win the Cup and go on a total bender after.”

Laughing, Connor slapped his shoulder and followed him back into the bar. Well, apparently Graham wasn’t completely buttoned up.

While Connor was otherwise occupied, half the guys had left. Tanner and the woman playing pool were gone. Tucker was still here though, talking to Liam at the bar. To Connor’s surprise, Arkady was making out with a woman in a booth nearby. Well, perhaps some things didn’t require two people to speak the same language.

Connor slid into the team’s booth, taking in the guys who were still left. They looked buzzed and relaxed. Happy.

“So, is everyone set for a ride home?” Connor asked, because he didn’t want anyone driving drunk.

Graham made a face. “I’m Kady’s ride so that’s gonna be interesting.”

“Kady?” Connor asked.

“Yeah, that’s Webber’s nickname for him,” Crawford said. “Seems to be sticking so far. Hey, speaking of the devil, where the fuck have you been, Webber?”

Jesse slid into the booth on the opposite side of the table. “Oh, just wanted some fresh air. The patio in the back looks like it must be nice in good weather. It’s starting to sprinkle now though.”

Connor frowned but he could see little droplets of water on Jesse’s shoulders. Apparently, he’d gone out in the rain just to make sure he had a good cover story.

A surge of gratitude went through Connor. He had been too risky tonight but Jesse had covered his ass. He sighed with relief. Maybe Jesse was right. Maybe hedidneed to be more careful.

“Yeah. I like this place,” Graham said, glancing around.

“Did you know this team has been coming to the bar since Declan O’Shea played?” Crawford said, nodding to the brick wall. There were framed photos there, signed by notable people in Boston.

A fair chunk of them were either related to Connor or guys he’d grown up with who he still thought of as uncles.

Connor felt the weight of that legacy bear down on him again and he took a deep breath, reminding himself what was at stake.

There was a reason he didn’t get wild. A reason he was always careful about the choices he made.

Connor liked this group, had high hopes for them. They had a tough season ahead of them and they needed a clear-headed, steady leader. He couldn’t do anything to risk that.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

By the time they reached the official home opener, Jesse was buzzing with excitement about the season ahead.

He’d fuckingkilledit in the pre-season. They hadn’t won every game, but they’d won most of them—especially when he was in net—and the Boston media had been talking nonstop about how he was playing.

After their weird, intense conversation at the pub, Connor had seemed to settle in, determined to ignore that it had ever happened. The sex had been great and the hockey had been great so Jesse didn’t have any inclination to argue.

He’d spent some more time with the O’Shea kids, watching movies and playing games and practicing with Nolan, who used a small shooting pad in the basement.

He’d had dinner with the whole O’Shea clan as well, enjoying the raucous energy and everyone talking over one another. At one point, he’d ended up with a lapful of kid, food in his hair, andtears leaking from the corners of his eyes as he howled at the adults’ antics.

Jesse loved his own family fiercely but they were a small group and much more quiet and reserved than he was. Someone had called him a parrot in a nest of sparrows once and he sort of got what they meant.

The O’Shea family felt like a whole flock of noisy, squawking tropical birds.

Most of them were here now, ready to watch the first game of the regular season. Declan, Finn, and Pat had come down to the locker room to meet with the guys and wish them luck. Declan had read the starting lineup.

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