I dropped my gaze, buttoning my white dress shirt. “Things are fine. They’re great, I mean. Guess I have some pent-up aggression after that shit Morrison pulled with her.”

And by some, I meant a metric fuckton. Much as I tried to let it go, I couldn’t. What Morrison did had been weighing on my mind since Bailey told me. That he got away with pulling that without any form of immediate consequence was making me insane.

“Still can’t believe he did that. He’s lucky you didn’t show up.” Dallas shook his head, square jaw set.

“Incredibly lucky.” Though James was right; it was probably lucky for me too. Morrison couldn’t fight for shit. I would have demolished him. Literally.

He thumped me on the back hard enough to almost wind me. “Don’t worry. We’re going to crush Callingwood next time we play. I’ll make sure of it. Already laying the groundwork with the other guys.”

“You’re going to help me plan the perfect hit on that fucker too,” I said. “Take him clean out of the game again.”

I had been fantasizing about that more times than I cared to admit.

The impact, the crunch, the fall.

Maybe a light splatter of blood left on the ice.

It was going to be spectacular.

Dallas nodded. “Oh, I have a few ideas.”

“I do too,” Ty chimed in. “I saw this sick hit Stevens took from Younger last week. You should look up the replay. Younger fucking creamed him. He’ll be out for weeks.”

“Doubt Stevens will ever see the ice again anyway. He’s suspended indefinitely because of that sex tape scandal. Did you guys hear about that?” Dallas let out a low whistle. “That’s messed up, man.”

“I know,” I said. “What a fucking creep.” Nothing worse than a guy taking advantage of women like that.

“No kidding.” Ty snorted, slipping into his navy blue suit jacket. “And everyone knows if you’re going to film shit, you have to make people sign a waiver.”

Dallas glanced over at him. “Um, what?”

My phone pinged, and I glanced down, expecting a text from Bailey but seeing Derek’s name instead.

Derek: FYI, had to tell Bailey the financial situation had improved. Didn’t tell her why. Leaving that up to you.

Chase: Thanks, man. Appreciate it.

Well, shit. I’d been hoping to delay that talk, but now I’d probably have to come clean before she put the pieces together herself.

But maybe I could delay a little longer. Guess I could gauge the mood when I saw her.

“You still coming for dinner?” Ty asked.

“Yeah, just have to head out after to pick up James.”

* * *

Halfway through my chicken club sandwich, Penner slid into the seat next to me at O’Connor’s.

“Carter, haven’t seen you out in ages.”