Page 27 of The Long Game

Grady nodded. “Is he one of the boys from the Pathways group?”

Christian sighed, probably struggling to decide whether or not to tell Grady it was none of his business. Given the situation, though, Christian apparently understood the benefit of Grady being informed.

“Yes.”

Grady nodded. It didn’t tell him a lot, other than that Colt had been at Pathways long enough to befriend Christian, and that he was in some way displaced from a home and possibly his family.

A series of furious whispers reached them, barely discernable above the clack of sticks and slice of skates from the far end of the ice. Jack kept shaking his head while Colt gestured furiously.

Finally, Jack spun in place and tucked Colt behind him.

“You okay, Jack?” Grady asked.

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have a brother?”

If Grady hadn’t been wearing skates, he would have been rocked back on his heels. “What?”

“Do you have a brother?” Jack repeated, his careful enunciation making it clear he needed an answer.

For the life of him, Grady couldn’t understand how this was relevant toanything. And worse, he wasn’t sure how to answer the question, which sucked in more ways than he could count.

Shoving aside the pain that accompanied any mention of his family, Grady decided to answer as honestly as he could. “I used to have two. And two sisters.”

Jack’s brows drew together. “Used to?”

Grady took a deep breath, steeling himself to say, as dispassionately as possible, “I was disowned. I no longer have any family.”

Jack’s mouth dropped open.

A voice from behind Jack squawked, “Wait,what?”

Jack tilted his head to hear whatever Colt was saying, shaking it twice before standing upright again.

“What’s your full name?” Jack asked.

Grady paused, the question making a tendril of unease uncurl in his stomach, but he gave Jack his answer. “Grady Samuel McDonnough.”

A yelp issued from behind Jack as Colt, for lack of a better description, fell off his skates. His feet slid between Jack’s, tangling their legs together, and they both went over backward.

“Jack!” Grady shouted, darting forward.

Jack twisted at the last second to avoid landing on Colt but it meant his shoulder took the brunt of the fall. His helmet hit the ice with a loud crack.

Grady fell to his knees mid-stride, sliding the last four feet to Jack while Christian rushed to Colt, who, unlike Jack, was wearing full protective gear. The boy was back on his knees almost as fast as he’d fallen.

Jack, however, rolled onto his back and lay still, his blue eyes stark in his pale face under the wash of bright arena lights.

“Jack?” Grady checked for injury, cupping Jack’s shoulders in his hands and running his palms over Jack’s arms and chest. “Are you okay?”

Jack blinked up at him.

“Jack,” Grady said again, nerves stretching. He touched Jack’s cheek and leaned closer, his voice low and warm. “Come on, Jack. Say something. Please be okay.”

Jack licked his lips and croaked, “I’m okay.”

The air rushed from Grady’s lungs. His heart was beating so hard he probably should have lain down next to Jack on the ice.

When Jack still didn’t move, Grady frowned. “Does anything hurt?” He pressed his fingers to Jack’s elbow and squeezed firmly, watching for any sign of pain before repeating the process up Jack’s arm to his shoulder.

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