Page 12 of The Waiting Game

“Love you, Grandma Ji-min,” Felix said cheerfully, giving her one last hug. “See you when we get back from the road trip.”

“Just say the word and I’ll find a nice boy for you, Jo-nah,” she called out as he beat a hasty retreat.

“No thank you,” he answered, waving before he turned the corner.

“I’m not getting any younger!” Her voice floated through the dim night air. “Remember that.”

Jonah grumbled under his breath as they followed the lit flagstone path to the gate at the front of the house. He unlatched it and held it open for Felix.

“I assume you’re riding with me?” Jonah asked.

“Yeah, I took a rideshare here,” Felix said, frowning.

Felix’s license had been suspended for a year and not being able to drive was still a touchy subject for him.

“Or you could leave your car here and we can get another rideshare, if you want to drink tonight,” Felix offered.

He’d already pulled out his phone to order one but Jonah shook his head, waving at him to put the device away. “Actually, a little birdie told me the guys are going to stick to non-alcoholic drinks tonight.”

“A little birdie or Birdie?” Felix asked.

Jonah unlocked his car, chuckling at the mention of their second-line center’s girlfriend. “Not Birdie Pope. It was Nico who suggested it, actually.”

“Our Nico? Our loveable disaster boy? Are you sure?” Felix asked doubtfully as he slid into the passenger seat.

“Oh, come on, don’t be so hard on him. He’s grown up a lot this season.” Jonah pushed the start button, the car roaring to life.

He petted the leather steering wheel of his Maserati GranTurismo absently. He had a much more practical vehicle for winter and hauling plants around, but he loved driving this car on game days and in good weather.

It made him feel much cooler than he actually was.

“Sure. Nico’s grown up since he had some of his brain removed, but he started off at such a low bar he’s still only half an adult,” Felix said, chuckling as he sprawled in the passenger seat.

Jonah resolutely kept his gaze from wandering to the way Felix’s thighs looked in those trousers and focused on backing out onto the street.

“Don’t be so hard on Nico,” he gently chastised.

Nico was only twenty-six and while he’d been a little spoiled growing up, he was a good guy and he really had settled down a lot lately. Apparently, a life-threatening brain tumor would do that to a guy.

“Yeah, yeah,” Felix groused.

“And August has been good for him,” Jonah pointed out.

“He has.” Felix shook his head. “I swear to fucking God though, only Nico would come through brain surgery with a fiancé.”

“For a hot minute there, I wondered if they were faking the whole thing,” Jonah admitted.

“Really?”

“I mean, you didn’t see them going at each other on the ice last fall. I found it really hard to believe they were actually together then but …” Jonah shrugged. “Of course, you spend twenty minutes around them now and it’s clear they’re obnoxiously in love, so what the hell do I know, eh?”

“Do you ever miss that?” Felix said, sounding wistful.

“Being in love?” Jonah asked.

“Yeah.”

Jonah shrugged, eyes resolutely on the road. “Not really. I’ve loved guys I dated, I just … I don’t know that I’ve ever been in love with them.”

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