Page 87 of Body Check

“Damn,” he said, panting a little after Nolan had put up a spirited fight. “Looks like we might be drafting another O’Shea in about four years.”

Connor grinned at his son and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’d be proud to have him play for the Harriers someday.”

Nolan’s cheeks turned almost as red as his hair as he glanced between his father and Gavin. “You think I could?”

“Well,” Gavin said carefully, because a lot could happen between fourteen and eighteen. Just look at him and Thad. “I think if you stay focused and keep working hard and learning from the amazing mentors you have here, you have a great shot at it.”

He nodded toward Connor and his father and brothers. Seriously, no kid could possibly have better people to learn from. Or, a legacy harder to live up to. The pressure and expectations he and Thad had experienced as high-round draft picks were nothing compared to what a new generation of O’Shea hockey players would go through.

He tried to think about what he would have wanted to hear at that age.

“I don’t know what the Harriers will be like when your draft rolls around, but if you’re still showing the kind of dedication and skill level I can see you have, I’ll do my damndest to draft you.”

Nolan glowed, leaning into his father’s body for a moment before shooting a glance at his boyfriend, Kyler.

“What about Kyler?” he asked, biting his lip.

Gavin smiled at the other teenager. “I’ll admit, I don’t know a lot about your skating abilities.”

“He’ssogood,” Nolan said eagerly. “He’s a way better goal scorer than I am. Pure talent.”

Kyler glanced down at his skates, shrugging, like he was feeling shy about it.

“Nolan’s a little biased but he’s not wrong,” Connor said firmly. “I’ve seen his potential too. We all have.”

“Then I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” Gavin said.

His heart ached a little at the way the boys looked at each other, missing that connection. That feeling of being in love, when the world was new and shiny and everything seemed possible.

He remembered when he had felt that way. But it had only lasted a few years, because their draft day had been the beginning of the end of his pro hockey career. The beginning of the end of his closeness with his twin brother.

After that, it had been a whirlwind of bad choices and anger and disappointment and failure.

That memory wiped away the earlier joy of being on the ice, so a few minutes later, he made his excuses and left, his head whirling with thoughts as he went down the tunnel.

Thank God he was done with his Santa duties for now.

He made a beeline for the locker room where he’d left his street clothes. He stripped off the hot, itchy suit immediately but although he’d intended to shower, he sat heavily on one of the benches instead, dressed in briefs and a tank.

His skin was sheened with sweat, and he mopped at it with a towel, wishing he could blame it on the heavy Santa suit.

But that wasn’t all of it. That wasn’t even close to all of it.

Gavin braced his arms on his thighs and hung his head, feeling the stretch in his neck as he stared at his clasped hands and the carpet below it.

His brain whirled with memories of the GMs he and Thad had spoken to leading up to their draft year. The ones who’d promised to try to draft both of them, even though they’d all known it was practically impossible.

He didn’t have a clue how Boston’s previous GMs had managed it with so many of the O’Sheas over the years. Some combination of skillful negotiation, clever manipulation of the system, and possibly a dash of bribery.

Gavin’s throat went tight as he remembered his and Thad’s draft day, their shaking thighs pressed together as they waited for their names to be called. Finding out they’d gone to separate teams, Montreal and LA worlds apart after a lifetime spent in each other’s pockets.

He’d spent his whole life as a part of a unit.

Gavin, just a few minutes older than Thad.

G&T.

Their mom had always joked they were named after her favorite drink, though they’d actually been named after her father and his twin brother. The first Thaddeus had died in the Korean war and the first Gavin had never been quite the same after.

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