A Secret for a Secret (All In #3)(77)

He has a point. Corey is about as well endowed as a Chihuahua.

“What the hell are you two talking about?” Rook reaches around Bishop and steals his deodorant out of his locker.

“Hey! What the hell, man?”

“I ran out. I’m borrowing. You’re family.”

“Uh, no, in-law is not the same as a blood relative. And even if you were my blood, I would not lend you my fucking deodorant.” Bishop tries to snatch it back, but Rook’s on his feet and Bishop’s skates are only half-laced.

He pops the cap off, and it hits Bishop in the chest. He grins as he lifts one arm high in the air and rubs the stick all over his armpit.

Bishop makes a gagging sound, then smiles right back. “Reverse cowgirl.”

“What?” Rook frowns.

I elbow Bishop in the side before he can repeat himself, aware that this conversation isn’t going anywhere good. “I have a brand-new one in my bag. Rook, you can keep that one.”

Rook’s eyebrows pop as he finally digests what Bishop’s said. “You son of a bitch!” He hurls the deodorant at Bishop, who ducks out of the way. It ricochets off the wall behind him and lands on the floor.

“I’m fucking kidding, man, but you asked for it. Borrowing deodorant is like borrowing underwear or a toothbrush. The only person who gets to do that is the one whose tongue is routinely in my mouth, and that person happens to be your sister.” Bishop is still grinning, aware he’s skating near the edge.

“Even that was more information than I needed.”

“Well, maybe you’ll think twice before you go around borrowing deodorant.”

“Winslow, Bowman, you’re worse than a couple of toddlers fighting over the last cookie. Give it a goddamn rest or I’ll change the starting lineup, and one of you isn’t going to be happy about it.” Jake has the uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere, generally when those two are in the middle of one of their bitchfests. Since Queenie made the suggestion, they’ve been putting them on the same line for home games to change things up, and so far the results have been highly favorable. While Queenie might not always believe it, it’s clear that she has good instincts and she sees solutions or possibilities that others might miss.

“Rook used my deodorant.”

Jake grimaces. “That’s just wrong.”

“He divulged personal information about my sister’s sexual-position preferences.” Rook thumbs over his shoulder at Bishop.

“I was joking, and I only said it after you used my deodorant.”

“Just get your asses dressed and game ready.” Jake turns to me. “King, you good?”

“Yes, sir.”

He gives my shoulder a squeeze. “It’s been a rough week; thanks for sticking by her,” he says quietly.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, sir.”

He nods, then continues on over to Corey, expression stoic. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it’s been for Jake to deal with him through all this.

Bishop and I finish getting game ready. “Hey, check this out.”

He shows me his phone. There’s a picture of Queenie with Lainey and Stevie, hair done and dressed in my jersey and a pair of jeans, and she’s smiling. It looks genuine.

Once we’re on the ice, I scan the arena, look for the girls, and find them up in a box. At least Queenie is here, even if she’s not close enough to steal a kiss from. I find my family in another box on the other side of the arena.

I shift my focus away from my family and Queenie—the latter is more difficult than the former—and get my head in the game. It’s intense since we’re playing one of the best teams in the league, but I manage to keep the puck out of our net during the first period, and Rook scores a goal. In the second period our opposition gets lucky with a rebound off the bar, but Bishop scores for Seattle, keeping us ahead in the game. In the third Corey gets back-to-back penalties, putting us at a serious disadvantage. Offense has to work twice as hard to keep the puck on the other end of the rink, and the defensemen are all over it, protecting the net. We take the game 3–2, so it’s still a win, but I blame Corey and his chippy playing for the close score.

Regardless, we won, my family is here, Queenie’s divorce is finalized, and we’re in a good place, which I’m taking as a positive sign.

Half an hour later I’m showered and dressed in my suit, ready to meet up with everyone. Bishop and I arrive at the bar together. My phone is blowing up with messages from my family, and I have a bunch from Hanna, which I assume is her letting me know she’s here. I hear my family before I see them.

“Oh, man, you ready for this? Sounds like Gerald is already three sheets to the wind.” Bishop’s expression is somewhere between a cringe and a smirk.

“It would be cause for concern if he wasn’t.” I shake out my hands, almost like I’m preparing for a fight. My family in public can be a lot to deal with. At least my cousin Billy didn’t tag along, as he sometimes likes to do. “You see Queenie anywhere?”

“Stevie messaged a while ago and said they’re waiting for the bathroom, and there’s a line or something. Sucks to have to sit to pee.”

It’s at that moment that Gerald spots me from across the restaurant and yells my name. My entire family turns around as if they’ve been practicing a choreographed dance move. My mother pushes through the crowd, not gently either. She elbows at least three people out of the way. I love my family, but man, they can be a rowdy bunch.