Page 68 of One More Time

He spun on a growl, charging up to me and stabbing his finger into my chest—right over my heart.

“Because of that, because you made me yours. You called me baby like I was yours!” He screamed loud, too drunk to care if anyone heard. I glanced to the door to see if anyone noticed the scene he was making.

His cheeks were red, face soaked with tears. He had a black eye and a small knot on his head from colliding with the goal post, along with a nasty bruise forming on his chin. Frankly, he was a mess—my beautiful fucking mess.

“See what you just did there? Looking around to see if anyone sees the gay hockey star losing his mind. That’s my fucking future: always looking over my shoulder, pining after what I can’t have. Looking at you with hearts in my eyes, even though I’m destined for the same fate as Zane: throwing punches at your future lovers who fall for your smart mouth or that soft touch that makes me feel like I’m the only one,” he choked out, one jab of his finger before withdrawing from me once more.

“Before you, Boston, I was happy being in the closet. My friends and family were enough. I told myself that one day, when my dreams were said and done, I’d run back home and move to a small country town and meet a country boy and settle down. “

The thought alone was enough to make me snap. I lunged, pinning his arms to his side and holding him tight to my chest so he could feel the low rumble in my chest—my sign of disapproval at the very idea. The whiskey bottle fell to the ground, glass shattering at our feet.

He let out a sob, crumbling in my embrace. “But then you fucking happened, Boston. You saw me, you made me feel. You showed me what I was missing. You gave me another dream that I shouldn’t even be fucking thinking about. Because this dream, you and me, could destroy everything.”

I held him tighter. “It is you and me, Aussie. I see you, and you see me. That’s all we need in this world. I don’t care what the future holds, whether it’s being miles apart or behind closed doors, I will always be yours—and you’ll forever be mine. You will fulfill your dreams, and I’ll be right by your side to cheer you on—no matter what. Then when your dreams are said and done, fuck that hypothetical country boy. You’ll have the man from Boston who will follow you wherever you go.”

His fingers dug into my sides and he shook his head against my shoulder like my words weren’t true.

“How do I know you won’t break my heart? I don’t know if I could survive heartbreak like that.”

I sighed, holding him even tighter, like I could keep him there forever. “I can’t promise perfection, but I can promise that you’ll get the best version of me possible. And if I do, I’ll grovel at your feet until you forgive me. I never want to break you, baby. Come to bed and when you’re good and sober, I’ll explain everything. Then you can decide if you still want me.”

He laugh-slash-sobbed into my neck. “I wish I could hate you.”

I’d taken many hits in my life, but his words hurt more than any fist I’d ever taken.

“Tomorrow, baby. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. And if you still feel that way, if you still want to hate me, I’ll help you forget. If it makes you happy to hate me, I’ll make that happen.”

He scoffed, soaking my shirt with snot and tears. “You make that sound romantic.”

Even through all the hurt, he still made me smile. “Just give me one more time to look after you tonight.”

He hummed his approvals. “One more night.”

I could tell that the alcohol was taking its toll the more he sank into my touch. “Yeah, baby, one more night.” I shifted to put his arm around me, trying not to let my bad shoulder buckle under his weight. Somehow, I managed to trudge his muscular ass across the snow and into the house.

“Oh-ho-ho Aussie is hammered!” Mouse screamed.

In response, Tyler mumbled an almost incoherent “snot-shammered."

I couldn’t help but laugh, though with the way his head hung on his shoulders, I felt like I was holding up a ticking time bomb.

Cal rushed over, Eric at his heels. “Fuck, is he okay?” Cal moved in and lifted Tyler’s gaze to his.

Aussie barely had it in him to give a lazy smile. “Hi Capt’n ‘merica.”

“Oh my god, this is all my fault. I should have been watching him.”

Cal flustered, to which Tyler replied, “S’fine, I’s a big boy.“

That only made me laugh again. “Okay big boy, let’s get you to bed." Then I turned to Cal. “Let Jamie know he’s crashing here?”

Cal agreed, but his concern didn’t waver. I took pleasure in knowing that if Tyler did want to hate me at least he wouldn’t be alone.

Tyler’s dead weight flopped onto my bed. I rolled my injured shoulder as he groaned and rubbed his head again.

“Head hurts.” I wondered how much of that was from the bump on his head and how much of it was booze.

“Alcohol does that, baby.” I filled a glass with water from the bathroom and plopped in two aspirin tablets.

---