Page 47 of Goalie Interference

I did this. I helped him feel settled. He trusts me to help and sees me as a solution. It endears him to me so much more.

“Yes!” I rise off my couch and yell as he makes another impressive glove save. “That’s my Ander!”

Wait. What? I did not just say that.

Except I did. I said it loud and all the pride I feel for him swelled across my body.

I collapse back down onto my couch. I have to get control over myself. But also, I don’t want to. Watching Ander right now, I’m filled with so much joy.

As his competitor, I should feel the opposite. I should have left him alone, helping to give my team the advantage on the road to the playoffs. But the noncompetitive side of me, the side of me that craves a deeper connection with someone, the side of me that is tired of going it alone, the side of me that is slowly starting to get more comfortable with a part of me I’ve been hiding, wants Ander to not only succeed, but succeed by my side.

TWELVE

Ander

Ask any NHL player and most will tell you that their favorite city on the road is New York. I think they’re all liars. I’ve never understood the hype. Maybe that’s just my loyalty to Buffalo showing but whatever. It’s still how I feel. I hate it here.

Well, I usually hate it here. This trip hasn’t been so bad. But that has nothing to do with the city and everything to do with the man sitting across from me at this table.

Nikolai. It’s good to hang out with him in the flesh once again. While I’ve been enjoying our now regular FaceTime chats on nights before games, it’s so much nicer to hang out in person. Having physical contact, like feeling his knees against mine under the table that’s too small for both of our long legs, is refueling my tank.

I’m a physical person. I like touch. I get lonely when I spend too much time by myself. And while a good phone call or even joking around with everyone in my various group chats helps, it will never be a substitute for being face to face, in person, with other people.

“I hope you’re hungry,” I say, flashing Nikolai my most devilish face. “Because I ordered the full meal. A thanksgiving feast for four.”

“Perfect,” he says. “Did you order anything for yourself?”

A laugh bursts out of me and a smile lifts my cheeks. Reaching across the table, I give his shoulder a playful push. “There you go being funny again.”

“Not funny,” he says, slowly shaking his head. “Easy, lame joke.”

I tip my head. “Still made me laugh.”

His lips pull up into a grin. “That is not hard to do.”

His teasing has me laughing again. I love it. “I bet you have the best chirps. It’s a shame I never get to hear them from my end of the ice.”

He scoots forward in his seat, causing one of his long legs to drag across the outside of my thigh. Then, after taking a sip of his wine, he says, “You are the one who is always talking. I do not have much to say when on the ice.”

“Nah, I may dish out the occasional insult here and there, but Gavin is the main chirper on our team. He gets under everyone’s skin. What about the Mules? I bet it’s Ryan. He’s always been pretty quick.”

Nikolai nods his head. “Yes. Ryan has smart mouth.” He raises one of his eyebrows. “So does your brother.”

“It’s that innocent face of his. No one ever sees it coming. Do you guys still call him Baby?”

“Of course. It is good name.”

“Good.” I grin. “Don’t ever let him have it easy.”

“You like watching your brother suffer?”

“Of course I do! We’re brothers. It’s our duty to constantly be a pain in the ass to each other. I’m guessing you don’t have one.”

“What? A brother? I have four.”

My eyebrows shoot high. Four brothers. Five Ivanovs. How did I not know this? Quickly I run through the entire league in my head. Have I not realized he has a brother or two or four hiding in the league as well?

“Four brothers,” I repeat as our server begins to drop off plates full of food. I don’t know how he’s going to fit it all on this table, but we’ll manage. I fully expect Nikolai and I to eat it all. “So you know how it is then. Brandon is my oldest and best friend. We know each other better than anyone which is how we know the ways to drive each other crazy.”