Page 80 of Goaltender Interference

They were nearly to the hotel by the time Connor remembered he had an announcement to make. He shifted in his seat, turning to face the back of the bus.

“Okay, guys,” he called out and the group fell silent. “Looks like we’ve got about an hour before we head out. I want everyone in the lobby on time. I sent out an email last night with the details. We’re going to the escape room first and we’ll spend an hour or so there. After, we’ll return to the hotel, change for supper, then take a riverboat cruise. The timeline and shit are all in the emails, so if you have any questions, check them.”

He'd probably still get half a dozen guys messaging him with questions, but well, that was the role he’d signed up for.

Or, at least the role he’d inherited.

No one had ever asked him if he wanted the captaincy. It had been assumed. It had passed down to him like he was the royal successor to the O’Shea line.

And hedidwant it. Most of the time. Though, to be honest, today he was feeling a little shaky on it.

A few guys called out questions now and he tried to answer patiently, then dropped into his seat beside Graham with a tired sigh.

“So, whose ideas were these events?” Graham asked under his breath. “You’re not usually this creative.”

“Fuck you. I’m creative.”

Graham shot him a skeptical look.

“Jesse came up with them,” Connor muttered.

“Thought so.”

“Fuck off.”

“No, I think they’ll be fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

Truthfully, Connor was too. In the past, he’d gone for the tried-and-true stuff his brothers had done. But it did get stale after a while and it was good to switch it up.

When they reached the hotel and got off the bus, the guys chattered excitedly about it while they wheeled their suitcases into the lobby, waiting for their room assignments. Connor was one of the first to get his, and he grabbed his keycard, ready to get to the elevator and stretch out in bed for a bit.

“Hey, isn’t Webber staying with you?” Crawford asked, loud enough for the rest of the team to hear.

“What? What are you talking about?” Connor sputtered when he turned back to face the guys.

“I mean, you have to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t misbehave, right? I’m surprised they didn’t make you share rooms.”

Everyone laughed, even Jesse.

Connor resisted the urge to flip Jesse and Luke off. They were in public, after all, and someone might snap a picture he didn’t want getting out there.

“Fuck off,” Connor muttered under his breath instead, because apparently that was the best comeback he could come up withat the moment. He wheeled his luggage toward the elevator and Jesse joined him a moment later.

Surprise, surprise, his room wound up being next to Connor’s.

“See, youdoget to keep an eye on me after all!” Jesse said, disappearing into his hotel room with a wink.

Annoyed, Connor waved the keycard more aggressively at the reader onhisdoor and the lock finally clicked open. He stepped inside, not even bothering to turn on the light. He faceplanted on the bed, hating the faint trace of bleach scent in the pillowcases but too tired to do anything about it.

He fell asleep almost immediately, waking when his phone buzzed in his pocket. It felt like it had only been a few minutes, but, in truth, he’d slept for almost forty.

Thank God he’d set the reminder alarm on the way from the airport to the hotel.

After washing his face, brushing his teeth, and changing clothes, Connor felt a little more alive. By the time he reached the lobby, most of the guys were already there, including Jesse, who was talking excitedly about something with Tanner and Kady.

On the bus, Connor’s mood lifted as he watched the streets of Portland fly by. He reallywaslooking forward to the escape room experience. He’d never done one before, but he’d wanted to and, from the look of things, the other guys were excited about it too.

None of the escape rooms could accommodate their entire roster, so Connor had divided the guys into two teams, trying to mix together rookies and experienced vets. Graham took thegroup with Jesse, Arkady, and Bobby, along with some guys who hadn’t made their presence known yet.

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