Page 68 of Pucking Amazing

Maybe I’m overthinking it.

Maybe I should just enjoy this wild ride, no matter where it leads. For the first time in forever, I’m following my heart instead of my head. And right now, my heart wants DJ and Tyler.

Both of them.

CHAPTER 23

TYLER

I take a deep breath as I lace up my skates, trying to focus on the familiar ritual and push away the thoughts swirling in my head. Dinner with DJ and Sydney last night was...a lot. The idea DJ proposed—exploring something more, together, the three of us—it’s intriguing but scary as hell.

I’m still wrapping my mind around being bi, and now this? Fuck.

I step out onto the ice, surprised to see Ryan already out there waiting for me. He gives me a knowing look, like he can see right through me. Great.

“Hey man, ready to get those legs pumping?” Ryan calls out, skating over.

“Always,” I reply, falling into rhythm beside him as we start warm-up laps. “What’s with the look?”

“What look?” He feigns innocence that I’m not buying but I’m all too happy to keep the conversation to a minimum.

We pick up speed, making tight turns around the goal posts. My mind keeps flashing to DJ’s lips on mine, imagining Sydney joining us, her soft body pressed between our hard...

“Tyler!” Ryan’s voice jolts me back to the present. “Get your head in the game, bro. Those posts aren’t going to dodge themselves.”

“Sorry, just...distracted,” I mutter, focusing on my stride.

“This about DJ?” Ryan asks casually as we switch to suicides, sprinting back and forth.

My feet nearly tangle and I have to windmill my arms not to face-plant on the ice.

“What?” I sputter. “Why would you think that?”

“Dude, you’ve been drooling over him all season. Anyone with eyes can see it. And lately…seems like you guys are getting closer, that’s all.”

Thankfully the arrival of the rest of the team and Coach’s whistle saves me from responding. We spend the next hour running drills—passing, shooting, checking.

But when we break for lunch, I know I’m not getting away that easy. Ryan suggests burritos and I agree, if only to get out of the locker room and away from DJ’s curious, charged glances.

“So?” Ryan demands around a mouthful of carnitas as we sit tucked in a back booth. “What’s going on with you and DJ?”

I push rice around my plate, hesitating. It’s probably not the best idea to talk about this with another teammate, right? Sydney technically being the team counselor and all…

But I know Ryan won’t judge me, and I do have a lot I need to sort out…

“He umm...he sort of asked me… totryadatingthingwithhimandSydney,” I mumble.

Ryan’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Like a throuple? Damn.” Then he grins. “Something in the water on this team.”

I pause. I vaguely knew that Ryan was involved with a few other players and Emma, our newest coach, but I’ve never brought it up, unsure if it’s cool to ask for details.

“Yeah...” I drop my fork, raking a hand through my hair. “It’s a lot. I mean, I like them both so much but...I don’t know, man. This polyamory thing is way outside my wheelhouse.”

“I get it,” Ryan says candidly. “When I first considered the poly thing, I felt so lost. It took me a while to really understand and accept that it could work for me.”

“Really? I had no idea.” Suddenly I don’t feel so alone.

“Not exactly something I shouted about in the locker room,” he shrugs. “But yeah, it’s a journey. There’s no roadmap.”

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