Page 92 of Scoring Position

“It’s, uh, quiet around here without you.” Ryan’s gaze darted to the warmup taking place behind Nico. “The rookie appreciates pop cinema even less than you do.”

Was that what this was? AnI miss you? It wasn’t enough. After weeks of radio silence, he deserved actual words. “You poor baby.” He intended to deadpan, conscious of their public venue, but it came out with an edge.

For a second an uncomfortable expression flickered across Ryan’s face, something like pain. “I suffer,” Ryan agreed, but it wasn’t sarcastic.

Nico cleared his throat. He knew they were too far away from anyone for someone to overhear, but he felt self-conscious anyway. Besides, any more of this and his body language would give him away, if it hadn’t already. “So I’ll see you after?”

“Yeah.” Ryan tapped Nico’s stick with his. “I’ll see you.”

“Hey, Groot!”

New team, new nickname. Someone on the Orcas knew some rudimentary German and recognized that theBaumin Nico’s last name meanttree. Nico was just glad no one had thought to googleKirsch. He didn’t want to have to go through the wholenot a virginschtick again because they found out his last name hadcherryin it.

They both turned to see Jordan skating toward them. “Time to get off the ice. Say goodbye, Kirschbaum.”

“Goodbye, Kirschbaum,” Nico deadpanned.

“See you later,” Ryan said and skated away.

Nico followed Jordan off the ice, and pushed back when Jordan knocked their shoulders together. Yeah, he was fine. Enough to play hockey, anyway.

Back on the ice a short time later, Coach sent Nico’s line out to start the game. When he stepped onto the ice, the ambient noise rose as the crowd responded to his presence.

“You’d think,” Noah muttered under his breath, “after the GM got fired forlosing on purposethat no one would blame you for the trade.”

“Yeah,” Nico said. A clear low tone of boos hummed in the air.

“Some of them obviously don’t,” said Sully, Nico’s new right-winger. “Lots of cheers, and some signs too.” He nodded toward the bench, and Nico spotted a kid behind it waving a poster with his number, 17, decorated in sparkling rainbow colors. It matched their outfit—striped leggings, fingerless gloves, and a headband paired with the Fuel’s orange jersey. They almost fell over when Nico waved.

Someone in NHL marketing was having a night, because when Nico skated up to the dot for puck drop, it was Ryan standing on the other side.

“Go easy on me,” Ryan said. “I just lost my number two center.”

The linesman snorted.

Nico bent to take the faceoff. “Not a chance.”

The game was more evenly matched than it might have been even a week ago, but the Orcas were comfortably in a playoff spot, and the Fuel were fighting for a shred of hope at a wildcard slot. Still, the Fuel made them work for every chance.

In the second period, Sully and Nico got the puck in deep and fast, and despite a short scramble in front of the net and a momentary loss of possession, Nico managed to snag it, loop around the net, and flip the puck in topside.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Sully yelled when he tackled Nico.

Nico grinned.

Sully cinched the win 3–1 in the third with an empty-net goal off Nico’s assist, and Nico’s skin was buzzing in the locker room after. He’d never been happy to be the reason his friends had lost a game, but being able to prove himself in this arena, to show that he was good at this no matter what anyone said, was worth it.

A couple of the guys hooted when Nico said he’d catch a cab back to the hotel later, but not seriously. Jordan patted his shoulder and told him to have fun. Nico scrutinized his expression but couldn’t tell if the line held any innuendo.

He met Ryan in the parking garage, standing next to his car. Nico wrinkled his nose automatically. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Ryan said back. He had his hands in his pockets. “What’s that face for?”

Nico nodded at the car. “You hate this thing for a reason.”

Ryan snorted and then, unexpectedly, tossed Nico the keys. “What was I going to do, drive your baby?”

Nico opened the driver’s door and slid the seat back. That was a good question, actually. He adjusted the mirror as Ryan got in. “Someone should. You’d be doing me a favor. Cars shouldn’t sit without being driven.”

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