Owen’s laughter sounded over the radio a second later. “I was just having fun. We’ll put out some buckets Grant can use. Owen, out.”

“Fuck this.” Grant started for the door, took one step, and twisted back to me. He took the radio in one hand, my arm in the other, and walked me out the door. “You’re helping me.”

A warm feeling exploded in me. I felt it shoot down my arms, and I couldn’t have stopped my smile if I’d tried.

This was the old Grant, the old dynamic of someone pushing on his buttons for the fun of it. The fact that it had been Owen made it even funnier, and like those previous years, Grant was huffing and puffing, but he was going to get the job done.

And I was going along for the ride, even though I was supposed to stay and man the gym.

“The cage, dude,” I said.

He growled. “Fuck that too.” He shot a look over his shoulder at Reese, who’d lined up for a three-pointer. The ball swished as Grant added, “Keith’s being paranoid if he thinks Reese Forster is going to steal a ball.”

“But where are we going? Tubs won’t have to be filled till after their practices.”

A hard bounce sounded behind us.

Grant hit the screen door with the palm of his hand. “You can help me bring all the stuff up.”

A second hard bounce.

We were out the door and walking for the main lodge when I felt a tingle in the back of my neck. I looked over my shoulder, and as Reese bounced the ball between his legs, I met his gaze.

A shiver ran all the way down my back.

I couldn’t read him. His face was locked down into an impassive wall, and I had to reflect for a second. He’d been pissy, furious, bossy, commanding, and then suddenly he’d laughed at me. Now there was nothing. He was devoid of all emotion.

His eyes were dead.

Chapter Twelve

“The team has to go to their first preseason game. They have to use Fairview’s airport, so you’re going to go with them, show them the way.”

I blinked.

I saw the Boss mug first, then it moved from the opening in front of the cage’s window and Keith appeared. He was hitching his khaki shorts up, his belly jutting out even farther than normal because he wasn’t watching me. He was leaning against the cage, one of his legs crossed over the other, and he was watching the practice.