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Ander’s right shoulder lifts. “If you say so.” He looks back at his parents and sighs. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m not really in the mood for dinner tonight either. Can we do lunch tomorrow?”

“Of course, darling,” Momma B says. “Go home. Take care of that adorable little dog of yours.” She wraps him in another hug, then kisses his cheek. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Ander nods and lets go, then gives his dad a quick hug goodbye as well. And now, the two of us are alone.

With his hand he rubs the back of his neck as he looks at me.

Guilt washes over me. I know tonight wasn’t my fault. Maybe it’s a goalie thing. A special understanding. A bond. Something the other players on the ice will never experience. Yes, our teams played against each other tonight. And yes, he was my opponent. But I’m not the one who scored those goals. The goalie battle in a hockey game isn’t a physical one. It’s mental. And I won tonight. Handily.

Probably because of all of this, I don’t smile at him, because that would feel like rubbing it in. But I do offer to buy him a drink.

Ander

Bumping into Nikolai is the last thing I was expecting. And also the last thing I would have ever thought I wanted. But actually, a drink with him at this moment sounds perfect.

Except for one thing. “I wish I could. But Shutzie needs a walk.”

“Oh. Right.” I watch in wonder as Nikolai’s cheeks turn pink. What an odd thing for them to do. He looks at his watch. “I think bus left.” He turns. “I can walk back to hotel.”

“Or,” I say, grabbing his shoulder, “you can come walk the dog with me. It’ll be like last time.”

“Like in St. Louis?” he says.

“Yes.” I laugh. “Because we’ve walked him in so many other cities.”

“It could be our thing.”

I bump him with my shoulder. “Are you trying to steal my dog from me?”

“No,” he says seriously. “But is not my fault if he chooses to come home with me.”

A huff of a laugh escapes me. “You’re a heartbreaker, Ivanov. First you steal my game, then you steal my dog.”

“I am sorry about game.” He winces, furrowing his brows together.

I’m surprised seeing this look on his face. It’s not his fault I failed my team. So I bump him with my shoulder again and joke, “But you wouldn’t be sorry if Shutzie chose you over me.”

“No,” he says, serious again. “I would be sorry about that, too.”

“Come on,” I say, gesturing with a tip of my head towards the exit. “Let’s get out of here. We’ve got a dog to walk.”

The walk to my car and the short ride back to my place is spent mostly in silence. A silence I’m grateful for. I don’t really feel like talking. And since Nikolai is another goalie, I don’t feel like I owe him an explanation. He understands. Some things don’t need to be spoken aloud. And even though I refused everybody else’s, his quiet company is welcome. Pleasant even.

It’s not until we arrive at my building that he speaks again. “This looks like my place.”

“It’s similar,” I say. “You know these newer buildings are all kind of the same. It makes things easier.”

“Yes,” he says, getting out of my car. “I guess it does. Gavin and Connor live here too?”

“Mm-hmm. They live a few floors above me.”

“Like Ryan and Brandon.”

“Yeah.” I smile. “You and I are kind of in the same boat.”

He smiles back at me as we step into the elevator. “But I do not have dog.”

“Not yet, you don’t,” I say as I press the button.