Page 48 of Man Advantage

“Good,” he’d said with a sharp nod.

I hadn’t told him I’d been deliberately taking it easy that morning. My knee had been bothering me since the previous night’s game, and on the advice of my trainers—and my own instincts—I’d dialed things back a little. Better to just let my kids think I was slacking than tell them something hurt. Their disappointment wasn’t fun, but it sucked a lot less than tipping my hand about even the slightest injury. Lesson learned the hard way.

So, as partners and kids started trickling into the locker room, I braced for my sons’ inevitable admonishments. As I dressed, I catalogued potential explanations, looking for something that walked that fine line between saving face and showing them it was important to take responsibility for things. Something that didn’t include“well, I took one look at your nanny in a suit, mentally went back in time, and my concentration went all to shit.”

In other words… a complete fabrication. Because that was exactly what had happened, and I felt like an asshole for letting my team and my kids down, not to mention the fans. Like an absolute dumbass for letting something like that derail my focus. I felt like a failure.

I was just pulling on my T-shirt when Cam and the boys walked into the locker room. This time, his presence in that suit registered enough to send a shiver through me, but only for a second.

It was my kids who seized my attention.

As soon as they saw me, they ran across the room and almost bowled me over. I laughed as I tried to keep us all from tumbling onto the floor.

“You won!” Zach cried, hugging me tight. “That was awesome!”

Zane was practically vibrating with excitement. “It was so cool when you guys ran away with the puck during their power play! I thought you were going to score for sure!”

I couldn’t help laughing again, and it was relief more than anything this time. Okay, they’d watched, and they’d seen all of tonight’s fuckery, but they weren’t fazed by it at all.

I guess it would take more than a bad game for me to fall from grace in the eyes of my sons. Definitely a relief.

“Hey, hey, it’s the Allen twins!” Hoes called out.

They turned, and their faces lit up again. “Hoes!” Just like that, they were gone, trotting off to say hi to my various teammates. Of course the guys fawned all over them, talking about how much they’d grown and asking when they were going to start playing hockey like their dad.

I smiled as I watched. I’d never had any illusions that I was the only reason my boys loved coming into the locker room.

But their distraction meant I suddenly couldn’t avoid my own. Especially now that I was—despite being in a crowded locker room—suddenly alone with Cam.

I turned to him, and thank God he was watching the kids and not looking at me. That way he didn’t see my nervous swallow. Or the way my heart melted a little at the sight of that fond smile as he watched Zach and Zane interacting with the other guys.

I cleared my throat. “They really hate coming to games, don’t they?”

He chuckled and turned those amazing hazel eyes on me. “Yeah. Definitely. They were just miserable thewholetime.”

I laughed, which helped me find some air. “Sounds about right. What about you? Did you have a good time?”

“I did! I always loved going to your games, but League games are something else.”

“I know, right? It’s definitely not the level I used to play when we were kids.”

“God, no. I mean, even the Zambonis are shiny and new.” Cam made a theatrically disgusted face. “What the hell is hockey without a Zamboni that’s duct-taped together and has an ad for a company that doesn’t even exist anymore?”

I barked a laugh. “Oh, yeah, I remember that thing. I bet the same dude is still driving it, too.”

“Wasn’t he like ninety back then?”

“Yeah, but my coach said he was like ninety back in the eighties, so who knows? He’s probably immortal or something.”

“Well, that’s the dream, isn’t it? Gain immortality and spend it driving a rickety Zamboni with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth.”

I pursed my lips and half-shrugged. “I mean, he wasn’t the guy who had to clean the locker room toilets, so…”

Cam made a face that was unreasonably cute. “Eww. That poor guy.”

“Right?” I glanced over at the boys, who were listening intently as Hoes spoke. He was probably telling them some bullshit story again, and they were thoroughly entertained by it. Facing Cam again, I said, “I’m glad you had a good time. You don’t have to come to every game if you don’t want to, but…” I trailed off. I kind of hoped hedidn’tcome to every game, if only so I could get my head out of my ass and remember how to play hockey.

He shrugged. “We’ll see? The schedule looks pretty intense.”

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