Page 6 of Off Season

“I come bearing cake!” I sing, but my smile wobbles slightly at the sight of the three larger-than-life men looking forlorn. There’s a fourth one I don’t recognize, but he doesn’t look as sad as the others.

Alex extracts himself from the octopus hold Blaine’s got on him and heads over to me. I hold the box out to the side and return his hug while his rescue puppy, Ernie, bounces over and starts tugging on the shoelaces of my Converse.

“Thank you, I’m sure the boys will appreciate it.” Alex whispers in my ear.

Right on cue, Blaine’s big, gentle giant of a teammate, Zach Reid, unfolds himself from the couch and walks over to us. He waits until I’ve placed the box of cupcakes on the kitchen island before enveloping me in a bear hug. I stiffen for a brief moment on instinct, then relax, sinking into his embrace. He’s nearly a foot taller than me, so my face presses into his solid chest.

“Thank you for the cupcakes, Jacob,” he says quietly when he releases me, a soft smile on his face.

I like Zach. He’s a regular in the bakery, as he has an immense sweet tooth, and his presence is kind of soothing. How he remains so fit blows my mind considering what he eats.

He picks up two cupcakes from the box and takes them back to the couch, handing one to the dark-haired guy I don’t recognize. He’s the biggest guy in the room. He reminds me of the boys from school, and my blood pressure instantly spikes. My body goes on high alert—spine stiffening, stomach churning. I sway slightly as black dots cloud my vision.

My breathing falters, and Alex places a hand on my forearm, bringing my attention back to him.

“That’s Carter; he’s Zach’s childhood best friend. He lives in Denver.” Alex lowers his voice, adding, “He’s nice, really kind, I promise.”

Carter raises his hand in a wave, unaware of my spiraling thoughts. “Hey, man.”

I force a smile, tipping my head in greeting, but my heart is still beating wildly in my chest.

Jocks make me nervous, and it’s not because of the ones sitting in this room. High school was hard for me, and the repercussions have wreaked havoc on me since.

Kids don’t realize the impact their words or actions can have on someone until it’s too late and the damage is irreparable. It’s been over ten years, and I still get anxious. I tense up, like I’m waiting for the push and shove that used to follow whenever they were around. It’s taken a little while for my brain to catch up to the fact that these guys are good people. They’re not going to hurt me.

Alex makes me coffee, and we take a seat in the living room. Blaine instantly drags him back onto his lap and hides his face in the crook of Alex’s neck.

“I’m sorry about your game.” I give him a sad smile.

I have no idea what to say to these guys. Their faces are long, their eyes filled with sadness. Even Blaine’s twin brother, Elliot, who is usually the epitome of bright and bouncy, looks miserable. He’s slumped in the corner of the couch, combing his fingers through the soft fur on the sleeping puppy’s belly. “I feel like it’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not, El!” Blaine answers sternly. He lifts his head and glares at his twin. “You were fucking awesome out there. It just wasn’t our time.”

“That’s very diplomatic of you,” Alex says, kissing Blaine’s temple. “You played amazing—you all did. You can scrutinize your game all day long, but you can’t beat yourself up over it.” He leans over and gives Elliot’s shoulder a squeeze.

“How’s everyone else holding up?” I ask.

I don’t want to ask outright because Alex has alreadybeen teasing me endlessly about it, but I want to know how Ethan’s doing.

Ethan Parkes, aka the amazing man who helped replace our broken oven and saved me from drowning financially not too long ago, also happens to be the captain of the Chicago Thunder.

At the start of the year, I was living a nightmare. Alex and I were up to our eyeballs in debt. Equipment broke that was no longer covered under warranty, rates became higher than expected, and along with things going wrong in the house our grandparents passed down to us, credit cards and loans became a savior.

We were caught in a vortex, living paycheck to paycheck as we tried to pay it off. Then, one gloomy February day, Ethan approached me about a deal: he would pay off all our debt, and I would pay him a realistic amount every month, without interest.

I was skeptical at first. Who wouldn’t be? We were virtually strangers, with Blaine as a mutual connection. Alex and Blaine’s relationship was still fairly new at that point, too. It seemed too good to be true, and I was convinced there was an ulterior motive for his offer. But then Ethan explained how his mom worked three jobs when he was growing up to keep him in hockey, a roof over their heads, and food on the table. It made sense.

He didn’t want to see us struggle or drown under a mountain of debt like his mom had, especially when he had a solution.

So, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse, and ever since, a rather unusual friendship blossomed between us.

And somewhat of a crush.

Yeah, let’s not go into that.

I mean, we’re not talking every day, but he stops by the bakery at least once a week to check in and see how I am. His attentiveness hasn’t helped the crush I have on him, but those moments have become the favorite part of my week.

“Just say it. I know you’re talking about Ethan.” Alex smirks.

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