“We’ve named our team captain,” he said.
And then he paused, like he just had to hold me in suspense and drive me nuts. Of course, he couldn’t just come out and name the team captain. That would’ve been painless. For the first time, I actually doubted whether I would be selected as captain. It didn’t matter whose fault it’d been. It’d still landed in a ridiculous on-ice fight with a teammate. I was supposed to be the one discouraging that shit. I shouldn’t have engaged in it myself. My picture-perfect reputation had been stained thanks to Kayden.
I hung my head a little, hoping to block out the results. At the very least, Kayden could forget about being team captain too. Think about it. He was as responsible for what’d happened as I was. Not that it healed my wounds or anything.
“We’re gonna do something that’s never been done in the history of the Larkin Lions,” Detenbeck said. “We allowedeveryone a vote, but the result was so weird that we made sure everyone was on board with this before going for it..”
“For God’s sake, would you come out and say it already?” The words spilled out of my mouth.
The room fell silent, and everyone stared at me. Normally I had complete control. I was cool and calm. I was patient. But Ryan Detenbeck had tested me by taking as long as humanly possible to get to the freaking point.
“It’s okay, Erik,” Detenbeck said. “I think you’re going to like this.”
“I am?”
“Just stay tuned, okay?”
Since I’d already made an ass out of myself Kayden-style, I wouldn’t make matters worse.
“The team had decided that its best chance at bringing a championship home to Buffalo is to start with the best team captain we can find.”
And then he paused, maybe for dramatic effect. I didn’t give a shit. I just wanted to know their decision before I split in two.
“And we have chosen Kayden Preston as?—”
“Yes!!” Kayden shouted, pumping his fist. Then he threw his arms into the air like he’d won the Stanley Cup. If he’d started dancing or jumping up and down, it would’ve offered a refreshing note of subtlety. “I knew it, Iknewit! In your face, De Ruiter! Didn’t I tell you they’d never pick you over me?”
He looked straight at me with a smirk when he said it, like he’d forgotten that the whole team had been standing there to see how gracious he was. Tell you what, I felt relieved—and even surprised—that he hadn’t directed an obscene gesture at me.
“But hold on just a second.” Braxton Wilson emerged from a cluster of players. “You’ve got to let him finish.”
Kayden Preston paused, looking like someone had popped his balloon. To him, it must’ve felt like winning ten million dollars and then being told “just kidding” moments later.
“That’s right,” Detenbeck said. “There’s a lot more to this announcement, so I’ll need everyone to keep it down for a minute and let me finish. Team captain is a big job, and we know anyone filling that role needs a lot of help. That’s why we’ve decided that you won’t be the team captain alone, Kayden.”
“I won’t be?” All the life drained out of his voice.
Ah yes, he was the child who’s been told he has to share his toys.
Detenbeck shook his head. “Nope. The ballot was actually tied right down the middle between you and another player. The Larkin Lions as a team has decided to make you a co-captain. You’ll be sharing the reins with the other teammate.”
“Wait a minute, you can’t do that. You’re supposed to pickacaptain. That means one guy.Me!”
He aimed a cocked thumb at himself as if the word ‘shame’ could be found nowhere in his vocabulary.
There my teammate went, being all Kayden Preston again. He couldn’t just savor the glory of being named team captain, even if he had to share the honor with someone else. He should’ve just felt glad the team wanted him for anything after his display in practice the other day. That was a hell of a lot more than I could say.
In true Kayden Preston form, he put his hands on his hips and glared at Ryan Detenbeck like he wanted answers right this minute.
“So, who’s my co-captain going to be?” he asked. “You? Braxton Wilson?”
“I asked you not to interrupt, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you doing right now?”
“Interrupting.”
