Didn’t matter. Even with the mess that my private life had been, I’d played fucking well this season. There was no doubt I was an asset to a team, and if it wasn’t the IceCaps, I’d find someone else who’d take us. Me and Rigby. It would be tough, but we were good enough that someone would commit to us both, even if we had to take a bit of a pay cut. It was worth it to keep our family together.

“Thanks for coming, boys. I know you weren’t expecting this, and I appreciate you taking the time.”

Well, I hadn’t expected polite Monderra. That shit made me even more suspicious.

He continued, “My daughter has informed me that I have handled this situation all wrong.” The girl in question raised an eyebrow at us. “She tells me that my expectation for the relationships of my players is… What is it you said?”

“Archaic and out of touch with most of today’s societal expectations, unless you’re a middle-aged white man who has all the benefits of society and expects everyone to conform to your belief system since you hold a position of power over others.”

Rigby sucked in a breath, and Tony snort-laughed, then badly tried to cover it up.

Monderra gave baby Monderra a haughty look. “Indeed. So I apologize, personally. What happened to your girlfriend is horrifying to me, as a father and a husband.” He gave the girl a soft look, before turning back to us, now all business. “As such, I’d like to extend your contracts for another year and promise you the full support of the team in your unconventional relationship.” Baby Monderra sighed and rolled her eyes, but I just grinned.

“We appreciate the offer, Mr. Monderra. We’ll have our agent and the lawyers look over the contracts,” Rigby answered, and I nodded.

I stared Monderra down. “I love the IceCaps. But I love my family more.”

He nodded. “I understand.”

The lawyers and Tony went over the specifics of the deal, negotiating among themselves, while I zoned out. I liked our agent, and it benefited him to get the best deal possible for us. I would have kept the same deal as always just to stay in this place, with my friends and a home where Nova and Huey were settled, but I didn’t tell him that.

Once we were finally free of the meeting, Rigby and I got the hell out of there.

“What do you think? Is Monderra giving us blood money so we don’t out him after this disaster?” Rigby asked as I negotiated the traffic.

I shrugged. “Probably. But I’d prefer Nova to be secure and happy where she is then take revenge on the fucking old bastard for the way he handled shit.”

Rigby grinned. “Did you see the way Tony was eyeing the tiny Monderra? I can’t even remember her name.”