“Yeah, it is.” I clear my throat. “Anyway, what’s the deal with Dunaway’s family?”

My change of topic doesn’t land as smoothly as I’d hoped it would, and Noah raises an eyebrow at me.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, I was just wondering if he has any more kids besides, uh, what was her name?” I ask, playing stupid about Hannah.

“You mean Hannah?” Maxim offers, and I snap my fingers.

“Yeah, Hannah.”

Noah’s expression softens a bit. “I think Dunaway used to have another kid, but he died a long time ago. He doesn’t talk about it much, but then, he’s pretty private in general.”

Even before I signed with the Aces, I did a ton of research on the team and Dunaway, but this is the first time I’ve heard anything about Dunaway having a kid who died, so Noah clearly isn’t kidding about how close Dunaway keeps that to his chest.

“Oh, shit, sorry. I didn’t know.”

He waves me away. “Nothing to apologize for. Better you ask one of us than Dunaway himself.”

“Right,” I say and take another sip of my beer while I weigh what I want to ask next. I’ve got to be careful here because I don’t want any of them getting even a hint that Hannah and I already have a connection. I set my beer down carefully on the table in front of me. “Does Hannah hang around the arena like that a lot?”

I make sure to keep my tone casual, conversational—just a new guy trying to learn the dynamics.

Noah shrugs. “She comes to games sometimes, but from what I hear, she’s pretty busy with school and her side job.”

Theo laughs. “Yeah, and I’m sure Dunaway is thrilled she’s so busy with her own shit that it keeps her away from the arena. Poor guy. I can’t imagine being a hockey coach with a daughter.”

Reese nods. “Yeah, seriously. He’s made it abundantly clear to anyone who comes near her that he’d never let her date a hockey player. I’m surprised he hasn’t pulled you aside and given you ‘the talk’ yet.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “‘The talk?’ What the hell does that mean?”

Noah laughs at me over the rim of his glass as he takes a drink. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.”

“Yeah, especially since you’re one of the few guys on the team who isn’t partnered up yet,” Theo says. “Tread lightly, rookie.”

I nod as the guys change the subject, but I’m barely paying attention to what they’re saying because my mind’s stuck on Hannah. She said almost the exact same thing earlier—that her dad has forbidden her from dating hockey players—but as far as I’m concerned, that’s not going to stop me.