Page 70 of Just a Footnote

He studies her for a long moment under the flashing lights of the bar. She’s proven herself trustworthy over the past few months. If there’s anyone that can know this, it’s probably her. After all, she’s not entrenched in their friend group. The likelihood of her ever meeting Liam is small, almost miniscule. He stares at her for another moment before releasing a resigned sigh.

“Do you follow hockey?”

“Not much,” She admits with a small shrug. Leaning back in her chair, she studies him, taking a long drink. “I just know about your brother and his boyfriend.”

Aiden clears his throat awkwardly. “Ever heard of Liam Walsh?”

Anna gasps. Her eyes almost glow with glee. “He was on the cover of Men’s Health.”

Aiden nods. “Yes.”

“Are you saying yes that he was on the cover of that magazine or yes that you’re in love with him.”

“Yes?”

“Holy fuck.” Anna pitches forward to grab Aiden’s drink then downs it in one go. She grins big, waves at their waitress,easily ordering them both doubles with some type of silent communication. “How long?”

“It started in college, our senior year, it’s just fucking around though. For him. He’s it for me though.”

“It?”

“Oh, I will never love anyone else. I don’t think I’m capable of loving someone else actually.”

Her eyebrows furrow dangerously like when she’s confused by something in class. “But you’re not together?”

“Right.”

“And you don’t plan to be? Because he doesn’t want to? You don’t want to?”

Aiden shifts in his seat awkwardly. The truth is going to spill out of him. And he’s going to sound stupid. “He wants the American dream. Big house, a wife, two and a half kids. He’s said so himself. So, he’ll get bored of me one day. Just protecting myself until it happens.”

“Why can’t you have the American dream with him?”

“I don’t want all that. It’s not for me.”

“Interesting.”

She stops asking him questions after that.

Suddenly, it’s September. Aiden anxiously sits in a box before Liam and Archer’s game. Other family members mill around him in the family box while he sits and warily watches the game between New York and Seattle. Archer plays with the same fierce concentration he always does, shutting out almost every shot aimed his way. Liam is a blur on the ice, but Aiden’s eyes stay firmly on him. This is familiar too, the way his eyesalways find Liam wherever he is on the ice. Like moths to a lamplight in a pitch black night.

New York wins. The frustration of the loss hangs hard on Liam. It’s visible even from the box. The way Liam’s shoulders rise with tension, his grip firm on his stick, lips drawn into a tight line. Aiden works his way down to the locker rooms, allowed back thanks to his face. He leans against the wall, one foot up against it, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

Archer comes out first with a smug smirk on his face.

“He’ll be in a mood tonight. Have fun with that,” Archer says as he walks past. Aiden wants to ask him how he knows he’d be with Liam. Some things are better left unknown though. He also wouldn’t put it past Archer to ensure his team won just to piss Liam off. Liam appears down the corridor, hair still wet from his shower, but he’s a sight for sore eyes all the same.

“Hey,” Liam greets him with a tight smile.

Aiden’s heart beats a tattoo inside his chest. “Hey.”

“Come on,” Liam orders, walking away without turning back.

Night greets them when they exit the arena. The city at night is one of Aiden’s favorite things. The sky is dark, barely any stars visible, but the city takes on a whole new look. The night is still early considering New York City never sleeps. Aiden wishes they had more time so that he could show Liam his favorite parts of the city. He’d take him to the Museum of Natural History to watch the awe spread over Liam’s face. He’d show him Central Park. He’d show him his favorite art galleries scattered around Brooklyn. But there’s no time for that.

Instead, he takes Liam to this little hipster bar he found a few weeks ago in the East Village with Anna. It’s the type of place Liam will undoubtedly enjoy. All low lighting, wood floors and walls, with steampunk decorations around the entire bar.Aiden can’t keep his eyes off of Liam. His eyes stay on Liam even as they push their way into the bar.

“Jack and Coke, double Jack,” Aiden tells the bartender. He slides his gaze over to Liam, who’s watching him expectantly. “An amber beer for him. The nicest one you have on tap.”

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