Page 191 of Game Misconduct

Mickey nodded. “I understand. I would want to be on a team with Rafe too, if we were in your shoes.”

“Yeah, but we’re gonna miss you,” Rafe said. “I was all psyched about planning gaming nights and stuff. So we didn’t miss living together.”

“I know, big guy.” Tanner stood. “C’mere. Let’s hug it out.”

He stood and pulled Rafe into a hug.

“There’s always online gaming,” Mickey offered.

“Yeah. True.” Tanner got crushed against Rafe’s body and a moment later, Mickey patted his shoulder as if to say that was enough of that.

Tanner pulled back and yanked him into the hug too. He really was going to miss these guys.

Leif followed directions from his mom to the third floor but found his dad standing in a doorway when he made it to the landing on the second.

“I thought you were having a cigar with Gavin,” Leif said, confused.

His dad turned to face him. “Well, I was. Until I realized I’m too sober to enjoy them now.”

Leif chuckled.

“There’s a lot of history in here, huh?” Aksel said, nodding toward the room.

Leif stepped into what looked like a study/trophy room. There were framed photos and articles commemorating decades of Boston Harriers history. Leif studied the photos, but his father wasn’t in many of them. Most of them were from their Cup wins.

He’d been gone by then. Traded away?

“Do you think you’ll end up in New York,” Leif asked.

“For the head coaching job?”

Leif nodded.

“I think it’s possible. I’m considering it but I wanted to discuss it with you and see how you feel about it.”

“I’d like it,” Leif said. “It would be cool to have you coach me. And we certainly need good coaches there.”

“I don’t know if they’ll even choose me,” Aksel said with a sigh. “My history with Hawke is a—complicating factor.”

“Yeah. Definitely,” Leif said. “Would you want him to stay on?”

“He’s a damn good goalie coach,” Aksel said. “The best in the league. Roman is talented but he wouldn’t have made it as far as he did without Hawke.”

“I know.”

“So yes, I’d ask him if he’d stay on. But I don’t know that he’d want that.”

“Are you two sleeping together again?”

Aksel released a startled laugh. “Uhh, what makes you ask?”

“You’ve been weird after the games we played in Boston. I thought maybe you two …”

“We had a moment,” Aksel admitted. “That was completely ill-advised then and doubly so now that we could potentially be working together.”

“Do you still love him?”

Aksel blew out a breath. “Probably. I suspect a part of me never stopped completely. But loving someone isn’t always enough, Leif. I found that out twice in my life and right now, I’d rather focus on hockey.”