Page 185 of Slapshot Baby

"Yeah."

"Running meetings. Talking to Brennan. Handling the media. Keeping the guys in line."

"Someone had to."

"You've done it well."

Jordan shrugs. "I know."

A laugh almost gets out of me. "Modest."

"Never claimed to be."

"Then why don't you want it?"

His expression shifts, some of the humor leaving it.

"Hargrove walked into the room and put the C on me." He winds the tape once around his fingers. "So I took it. Team needed a captain, and they weren't ready to reinstate you."

"And now?"

"And now they're fucking morons if they still aren't ready."

"It's not that simple."

"Seems pretty fucking simple to me."

I stare at him.

Jordan pushes away from the wall. "Look, I can run a meeting. I can yell at Wyatt when he does something stupid. I can smile for a camera and tell reporters we're taking it one game at a time until I die of fucking boredom."

"Sounds like you love the job."

"I love this team." His eyes hold mine. "That's different."

Something in my chest tightens.

He looks down at the C on his jersey, then back at me.

"I wasn't replacing you, Kai. I was covering for you."

"You don't think you could be captain?"

He gives me an incredulous look. "Of course I could. But I don't want your C." He pauses. "I want you to take it back."

"Why?"

"Because half these idiots would skate through a brick wall if you told them there was a puck on the other side." His mouth kicks up at one corner. "Me included."

The tape snaps between his fingers. He tosses it into the bin.

"So get your shit together and take it back. I'm getting tired of answering questions about line combinations."

I push off the wall, but Jordan calls after me.

"Donovan."

I turn.