Nathan sighed.
“I had hoped nobody had noticed.”
“Well, I noticed. And the players are noticing Jake’s behavior in training. He’s not normally like this, and everyone’s walking on eggshells. CJ has spoken to him, and it’s not done anything.”
Nathan didn’t answer for a moment. He just stared out onto the ice and watched his partner skating backwards as one of the forwards came charging at him with the puck. With a neat flick of his wrist, Jake managed to get the puck away while the forward shot past and sent it back across the ice. Then he stopped abruptly and began berating the player. Darren realized it was Leon, and from what he could see under the helmet, Leon looked pissed. He wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them started fighting. Leon was damn good, and Jake had never gone off on him like that.
“We miss her, Darren.”
“Hmm?”
“Marigold. We miss her.”
Darren frowned.
“I thought you suggested it would be a one-night thing, nothing more after that.”
“I know I did, but things changed. Jake and I noticed a change in the air afterwards, and it took us a while to realize what was going on.” Nathan turned to face Darren. “We want her. More than just one night. We want her to be with us.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in. Darren’s mouth fell open.
“You want to keep on sharing her in hookups?”
“Not hookups. I mean more than that.”
“In a relationship?” Darren blinked. “Is that even allowed? Or possible?”
“Allowed? As long as everyone consents, there’s no problem with it. Possible?” Nathan gestured at Leon, who was skating angrily across the ice to the back of the line. “Leon and Stephen are with Allison at the same time. They’ve made it possible.”
They wanted Marigold in a relationship? Darren didn’t know what to say to that for a second.
“But...you can’t.”
“Can’t? Why not?”
“Because...” Darren floundered. “Because Marigold wouldn’t allow it.”
Nathan snorted.
“How do you know that?”
“I just know.”
“You just don’t want Marigold to be with anyone other than you.”
Darren swallowed, aware that he was going red.
“I’ve wanted her for a long time, Nathan. I’m not about to have you and Jake swoop in and take her from me.”
“Come off it, Darren. You could have asked her out ages ago. And you haven’t.”
“She said she didn’t want a relationship. I was respecting her choices.”
“And if you keep going on like that, Marigold is going to be swept up by someone else and you will have lost her chance.” Nathan looked bemused. “You were happy to share her that night.”
“Because one night was all I was willing to give. I don’t think I can share her beyond that.”
“Trust me, it’s not difficult to share. Jake and I have done it several times.”