Page 33 of Goalie Interference

“You? No.” I laugh again, harder than I need to as my cheeks pull up. The thought of fighting Ander is absurd. Even if our teams were going at each other, I don’t think I could bring myself to fight him. He’s too dear to me.

Wait. What? I did not just think that thought.

But goddamnit, I did. Just like I thought about his lips the other night. And just like I thought about how his sturdy, lean, muscular body had felt in my arms when I hugged him before he left me at my hotel.

“Yeah…” he says, his voice trailing off. “I don’t want to fight you either. But everyone else in the league, watch out!”

“I will be sure to warn them that you are looking for fight.”

“I don’t know how surprised they will be. If you scroll back far enough in the group chat, you’ll see me losing my mind in there about your fight. I blew that chat up that night.”

“You blow up chat every night,” I say.

“So you have been lurking!”

“I do not lurk,” I say. “But I see that I miss hundreds of messages in there a day. There is a lot of conversation going on.”

“How come you never join in, then? Do you not like us?”

“It is not that.” I pause and collect my thoughts. A part of me would like to participate more. I like the idea of knowing everyone better, but it’s also not really my style. “Texting is hard for me. I do better talking.”

“Oh,” he says. I can see his face in my mind. Brow furrowed, gears grinding behind his eyes as he tries to figure out a way to include me more. “Maybe we can do a weekly video call or something,” he suggests. “Like a group one.”

“Or…” I drag it out. My heart rate picks up. I can hear it beating in my ears. I can’t believe it and I don’t know why I’m going to suggest this, but before I can stop myself, I finish my sentence. “You and I can talk more often.”

“I’d like that,” he says, sounding almost shy.

It makes me feel warm all over and the vulnerability in his voice tugs at me. He’s always been so gregarious and social. I’ve always assumed he’s someone who is surrounded by friends and a solid support system.

But I guess if he’s like me, one of the only single members of his team, he spends a lot of time by himself. Add to that, his parents, though they do travel a lot to see their sons play, still live in Green Bay. And now, his younger brother is away from him as well in St. Louis.

I wonder if this is part of why he’s struggling this season. Well, struggling by his standards, but still.

I’m about to ask him when instead he says, “It’s getting late. I should probably let you go.”

“You do not have to.”

“No. I should. We’re traveling tomorrow. What about you?”

“We play in Pittsburgh on Saturday, then head back to St. Louis. You?”

“We fly down to Florida for four days, then back here for a week before we head to Seattle. Wait a minute.”

My brow furrows. “What for?”

“I’m checking the schedule. Hold on… Ah ha!” he exclaims. “That’s what I thought. We’re going to pass each other in the Pacific Northwest. Do you want to catch dinner in Vancouver?”

Excitement bubbles through me. I try to tamp it down. Especially since I don’t want to make any assumptions. “Yes,” I say. “I cannot speak for Brandon and Ryan, but they will probably want to join, yes?”

“Oh… yeah…” he says. “We can ask them.”

My stomach drops. I don’t think he meant to invite them. I think he may have just wanted it to be us two alone. “We do not have to,” I say. “They will be fine on their own.”

“Those two are always fine on their own,” Ander says. I sense a slight bit of bitterness in his tone. “Besides, it’ll be fun! Two single guys out in Vancouver without the couples around.”

“So no Gavin and Connor, either.” I smile.

“Nope.” He laughs, again with a touch of sadness in it. “My partner in crime is preoccupied these days.”