Gage leaned in and lowered his voice. “Maybe that’s true. Maybe you and I know it, but the rest of the team? They don’t know it. So you’re going to do this. Or not do this, in this case. No more hooking up with her.” Gage took in Pace’s expression and nodded. “Yeah, it’s stupid and juvenile, but it’s as good as fact that if they believe you’ve screwed with the routine and it’s over, then it’s as good as over.” With that, he got up and left him alone.

And he stayed alone for about two seconds before Wade slid into the spot. “Hey. Are you—”

“Don’t ask me how I am.”

Wade looked at him for a beat, his eyes sliding to Pace’s shoulder, and then he nodded. “Fair enough. We got some interesting rumors going on.”

Pace leaned back wearily. “I don’t care.”

“There’re two camps,” Wade said anyway. “One says you’ve already done the deed with the hot reporter and the lack of sexual tension between the two of you is the reason we lost.”

Pace closed his eyes and shook his head.

“The other says that you haven’t slept with her yet but that you took it too far in the shower room today, and that’s why we lost.”

Pace sighed.

“Personally, I have a different theory.”

“That we lost because I pitched like shit?”

“That we lost because we sucked today. All of us.” Wade smiled wryly when Pace opened his eyes. “Look, man, I’m going to make a suggestion.”

“Do you have to?”

“Screw the team and our stupid superstitions. Sleep with her already.”

“How do you know I haven’t?”

“Because if you had, you’d be a helluva lot more relaxed. At least if you’re doing it right.” He lifted a brow. “Is that the problem? You forget how? You need some pointers?”

“Wade?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Shut the fuck up.” Again he looked at Pace’s shoulder, still packed in ice, and his eyes sobered. “I meant what I said before. You need to go for it with her. You need to get yourself something outside this game.”

“Why her?”

“Because she’s the first woman to drive you insane instead of the other way around. Because you’re different with her. You’re happy around her.”

“What if I told you that she’s decided to go after a drug story regarding the Heat?”

Wade was quiet a moment, then he blew out a low breath. “Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That I had nothing to tell her.” He closed his eyes again and rested his aching head against the headrest. “And I just hope to God it stays that way.”