Page 57 of Good Pucking Luck

Rylan: Okay. If you’re sure. I’ll make it worth it. Gotta go. Talk soon.

He ends the text with a wink emoji…and then an eggplant, followed by a peach because he’s Rylan and of course he has to do something like that.

I bite my bottom lip, looking at the messages and ignoring how fast my heart is beating. He’s absolutely ridiculous in every way, but he’s also fun, and makes me smile, and confuses the shit out of me.

On that note, I tuck my cell away, grab the veggie tray I agreed to bring for tonight, and get out of the car.

After I knock, I’m surprised when a guy I don’t recognize answers the door. I try not to frown, wondering if this is a party and I didn’t know it. I assumed that like always, it would just be the Jilted Exes. “Hi. I’m—”

The guy holds out his hand. “Hayes. It’s great to finally meet you. I’m Eric.”

Oh. Eric. That’s Donovan’s best friend. He’s mentioned him a lot. “Nice to meet you.”

We shake hands, and he holds the door open for me. The house smells delicious, the sliding glass door open and smoke coming in from the grill.

“I’m making my special wings,” Eric says.

“He’s a really good cook,” Donovan tells me as I join him and Anthony in the dining room.

“I wouldn’t say really good, but at least I keep this guy fed. He would be hopeless without me.” Eric wraps an arm around Donovan, who rests his head on Eric’s shoulder.

“Really, I don’t know what I would do without him.” Donovan kisses him on the cheek and then pulls away.

Has something changed between them? The three of us have talked about how we have no desire to get into another relationship, but they seem very affectionate.

“They should be just about done, and then we can eat before the game,” Eric says before going to check on them.

“How ya been?” Anthony asks as I set the veggies on the table.

Oh, just nervous to watch the game with them tonight. Afraid I’m going to make it obvious that I’m having sex with the right defenseman for the Los Angeles Rebels. Not that I can say any of that to Anthony. “Good, and you?”

We chat as we continue getting the food together, and then we all sit down outside to eat. I can’t help noticing Eric and Donovan together. The two practically finish each other’s sentences and anticipate each other’s needs. Donovan picks up the salt and hands it to Eric without him asking, and when I try to put ice in Donovan’s glass for him, it’s Eric who tells me he doesn’t like drinks with ice unless he has a straw, and they’re out.

“You guys have been friends since you were kids, right?” Anthony asks.

“Yeah. I was sick a lot as a kid. I was left out because I couldn’t do all the things other kids could do…plus, some of them were just assholes. I was gay, smart, small, and quiet. My younger years weren’t great. They were only bearable because of him.” Donovan motions toward Eric, who puts his hand on Donovan’s nape and rubs. “He was always my friend, even when he got teased because of it.”

“I liked you better than them.” Eric winks, and I feel emotion clogging up my chest.

I should offer something about me. That’s what Rylan would do. That’s what the annoying hockey player would tell me to do if he were here. “I didn’t grow up with many friends either. I wasn’tteased, but I just never connected. I always felt like an outsider looking in. Even when I was with other people, I knew they would rather I wasn’t around, or just didn’t care enough about me to be bothered if I was there or not.” Wow…holy shit. I can’t believe I just said that. The difference is, I hadn’t had an Eric, but now I have a Rylan, and maybe a Donovan and an Anthony too.

“I was painfully shy as a kid,” Anthony admits, and I must say, I’m shocked. He’s a dancer in a bar and is very vocal about his hookups. He laughs, noticing my surprise. “I know, right? But I worked hard to change that. I don’t give the important stuff easily, but I’ve learned to be able to do the rest of it. It’s interesting, though, how all of us were loners when we were younger. I think that’s something else Malcolm targeted.”

“That, and the way none of us had much relationship experience, if any,” Donovan adds.

“I fucking hate that bastard.” Eric’s fists tighten.

“But he’s out of our lives now and he’s brought us all together,” Donovan replies. He’s always looking on the bright side.

“And not only do we have our own group of friends, but we’ve reclaimed Jilted Exes. It’s ours now,” Anthony says to a round of agreements.

I can’t help smiling, enjoying this evening with them, and strangely, wishing Rylan were here to see it.

He would be happy for me.

*

“Oh my God!Go! Go! Go!” I jump to my feet and shout at Rylan. He and New Jersey’s center are fighting over the puck, sticks hitting each other’s, bodies ramming as they somehow manage to stay on their feet and not eat shit on the ice the way I would.

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