Page 9 of Rookie Rules

This time Rowan gave him one short nod.

Luca's mouth curved, not the full camera grin. Something narrower and more private. Then he turned before Rowan could decide whether the nod had been a mistake.

"He's going to be unbearable now," Finn said beside him.

"He was unbearable before."

"True. But now he'll think you like him."

"I acknowledged the read."

Finn's eyes stayed on the drill. "Practically a declaration."

Rowan moved to the front of the line. "You're up."

Finn went, still smiling.

Practice continued.

Vale increased the pace, then changed the defenders' starting points so the entry could not be completed by memory alone. Gabriel and Benji rotated in net. Pucks gathered in corners and were swept back into piles. Sweat darkened collars beneath practice sweaters.

Luca did not become obedient.

He tried a slip pass on one rep that arrived too early and sent his center reaching. On another he delayed at the line until the defense backed off, then found the trailer instead of either scripted option. The choice worked. More importantly, it belonged to the shape of the play rather than replacing it.

Rowan noticed.

He noticed Luca's recovery route after a turnover. He noticed that Luca listened when Finn called for width from the opposite side. He noticed that the rookie's jokes disappeared while the puck was in motion, all that scattered social energy narrowing into decisions.

Evaluation, Rowan told himself.

Camp existed for this.

The group shifted to small-area possession. Rowan finally lined up opposite Luca inside a marked section below the circles. Two-on-two, short support, no room to build speed. A drill designed to punish anyone who believed skill required open ice.

Vale dropped the puck.

Luca reached it first and tried to spin off Rowan's shoulder.

Rowan closed the space, set his hips, and pinned Luca along the boards before the turn completed. Not a hit. Nothing dramatic. Body position, leverage, patience.

Luca pushed once, testing.

Rowan took the puck off his stick.

"That all?" Luca asked near his ear.

Rowan moved the puck to Finn without answering.

Finn returned it. Rowan found the support option below the goal line. Their side held possession for six more seconds before the whistle.

On the reset, Luca skated backward into position, eyes on Rowan.

No grin now.

Good.

The next puck dropped.