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“Cold woman.”

“You keep saying that as though you believe it.”

I stop and look at her.

That’s not a line I expected, and she didn’t throw it away either. She said it and stayed where she was.

She looks back for one beat, then bends to pick up the ruined fabric.

I reach for it at the same time.

Our hands meet on the floor.

Neither of us moves.

No crowd. No force plate. No room full of teammates giving me a reason to turn this into a joke. Just her fingers under mine and the quiet after the rink and the fact that I’m still half undressed and she hasn’t looked away from me.

I let go first.

“Spare shirt’s in my bag.”

“I know.”

“You went through my bag?”

“I watched you pack it this morning.”

“You watch me a lot.”

“I am paid to.”

“Right.”

Her eyes drop to my chest before she turns away.

I put the new shirt on the way she showed me.

Elbow in first.

It goes clean.

When I look up she’s pretending to read the tablet.

I decide not to call her on it.

Apparently I can learn.

By the time Maren takes the tablet and disappears toward her office, Astrid’s badge is clipped to the strap of her bag.

Work is over. She could leave.

I point toward the staff room. “Coffee.”

She checks the time. Not my shoulder. The time.

Then she says, “One cup.”

That yes does more damage than it should.