Trade Deadline - Avon Gale Page 0,15

dolphins, and during breaks in the action—or inaction, for the beleaguered Thunder fans—he showed them the #selfiewithsilver hashtag and they’d both promptly followed it.

“Do you know him?” the girl, Jennifer, asked with wide eyes. She’d seen Daniel’s wave from the bench.

“Well, kinda,” Micah said with a laugh, as play resumed. “Danny and I were besties when we were kids. That’s why I’m here. I heard he was back in town and wanted to see him play, but I never dreamed he’d remember me.” Hoped, maybe. Definitely.

“That’s so cute!” Jennifer beamed. “Courtney and I met in high school, lost touch, and met again at a fan-fiction convention.”

“Do you have to tell everyone that story?” Courtney, a tall girl with hair as red as Micah’s, had skin that was just as fair.

“Yup,” Jennifer said with a grin. “Anyway, that’s so great! He’s an amazing player. I couldn’t believe when they said he’d been traded from the Venom. I mean, they just won the Cup! It makes more sense if he’s from here, I guess.”

The Condors scored again, and Jennifer looked a little guilty when she jumped up to cheer. “Um. Sorry?”

Micah had to laugh. “It’s all right. Like I said, I’m not really a hockey fan.”

“Good,” said a guy a couple of seats down. He sounded weary. “That’s about the only way you can make it through Thunder games.”

“Amen to that,” the kid next to him said. “Dad, let’s leave at intermission and beat the traffic.”

They weren’t the only ones who had that idea. When the team skated into the locker room for the first of the two intermission periods, a lot of people left and Micah didn’t think it was to get a drink. He honestly thought about doing the same—traffic from downtown did suck, and he wasn’t looking forward to the postgame adventure home. But Daniel had noticed him, and it seemed rude to leave. Besides, the Condors fans seemed nice and they were happy about the outcome so far, so there was that. And Jennifer even bought him a beer to cheer him up.

As he was scrolling through his Instagram feed after posting an artsy pic of the ice under the lights, newly smooth thanks to the Zamboni, a shadow fell over him.

“Mr. Kelly?”

Oh no. Was he going to get in trouble for colluding with the enemy? Micah glanced up to give the usher a bright smile. Maybe he wasn’t supposed to accept beers from visiting fans. Maybe he could bribe his way out of trouble with some discounts at the aquarium gift shop. “Yes?”

“I have a message for you. Mr. Bellamy says to stick around and meet him after the game.”

Micah laughed, delighted even as nerves fluttered in his stomach at the thought. It was one thing to wave at Daniel from behind the glass, he wasn’t sure he was prepared to actually talk to his friend after all these years. But no way was he going to say no. “Sure!”

“Great. Here.” The usher handed over a pass hanging from a plastic lanyard. “You’ll need this to get to the area where the players will be. After the game ends, you’ll want to go down to the second level and follow the press. You’ll see where to go, and as long as you have that, you’ll be fine.”

Micah nodded, slipped the lanyard on his neck and arranged the scarf again—a hand-knitted chevron scarf from his friend Maria, who’d moved to Toronto after college. Her Cuban family had lived in Miami for generations, and she’d been unprepared for the snow and cold of a Canadian winter. Her knitting habit meant Micah now had two scarves, a few mittens, and an adorable hat that he never wore. He played with the edges of it, fighting back his sudden onset of nerves. This was silly. He and Daniel might not have seen each other in years, but Daniel recognized him and wanted to see him.

“Hmm,” Jennifer said, glancing at him. Her grin widened.

“Totally not like that,” Micah protested, his face flushing. Damn his fair skin, because she smiled—not meanly—and gave a small laugh.

“He’s pretty cute,” she said. “I’m bi, and hey, your team might suck but at least he’s pretty.”

“Jen,” Courtney said, rolling her eyes. She leaned around her girlfriend. “Don’t mind her. She’s actually trying to rein in her natural Condors-fan tendency to be obnoxious, believe me.”

Micah laughed despite his blush. “I believe you.” He wasn’t surprised she’d ascertained that he was gay—most people assumed, and he’d never bothered to