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“It is,” Zane said. The relief in his voice was unmistakable. “It really, really is.”
He looked over his shoulder. The coaches were almost done talking.
“It comes at the perfect time, too,” Zane added. “Not worrying about mom gives me the freedom to move around. To travel wherever I’m needed.”
Tyler jerked his chin. “With this team you’ll be traveling a lot.”
“Yeah,” said Zane.
“Enough that you’ll miss some of our games,” said Axel.
Zane and I looked at each other. We were both thinking the same thing.
“I’m afraid I’m going to miss all of our games,” he said glumly. “Once I sign with the River Kings, that’s it. I’m theirs.”
Axel nodded understandingly. “Can’t have you getting hurt playing street hockey,” he joked.
“No,” Zane agreed.
“It’s for the best anyway,” said Tyler. “We can finally give Kyle a shot. He’s always wanted to play goalie anyway.”
“I know,” said Zane. “But I mean… I still feel bad.”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll be the first time we’re not playing together since we were kids.”
Axel shook his head. “Not true. We played without you when we went off to school, remember?”
“I know, but—“
“And you stayed home and took shots at this net,” Tyler said pointedly, grabbing me around the waist. He pulled me close, squeezing me against him. “We still don’t forgive you for that, by the way. You broke her in without us.”
I poked him. “And how do you know I didn’t break him in?” I asked slyly.
Axel laughed. Zane too.
“She’s right,” Zane said. “If I remember it right, she almost broke me that week.”
“Two weeks,” I corrected him. “Nonstop. Every day, every night—“
“Alright, alright,” Tyler cut in. “Now you’re both trying to make us jealous.”
“Hey, you were the ones who went away to college,” I teased. “And would you rather I stayed a virgin forever?”
“No,” Axel agreed. “Definitely not.”
“Then you should be thanking this guy,” I bumped Zane, “for stamping my V-card. For getting the proverbial ball rolling.”
“Among other things,” Zane winked.
“The point is, this is something you could’ve told us,” said Axel. “We’re on your team, Zane. Always.”
“Yeah, totally,” said Tyler. “Did you really think we wouldn’t understand?”
The coaches finished up and headed into the locker room. Zane would be expected in there, I knew.
“Go,” we told him in unison. “Do your thing.”
