Page 14 of Collisions and Decisions

Thanks for letting me know, baby.

Ask Drew to take you to the family lounge after the game so we can meet there.

Fuck.

Familylounge?

That’s…hardcore?

Like,family.

It’s intense, right?

Then why the hell am I smiling down at my phone like I just won the fucking lottery?

Because I did.

The voice inside my head, that has saved my life more than once, sounds more certain than ever. Can I let myself listen? Is it possible that this won’t blow up in my face? I’m pretty sure I already believe it won’t. Despite all my issues, my past, it seems Drew’s romanticism has rubbed off on me enough to believe Wyatt and I actually can be more than sex. It already feels like more than sex.

I laughed with him. I felt safe with him. I felt seen and cherished not for my body—though, hey, that too—but for me.

All the right pieces are already there, I know. All I have to do now, is enjoy the process of us building the puzzle of our relationship. Together.

“Xan?” Drew’s voice brings me back to the present.

“Yeah, sorry. Let’s go find two fans and make their day.”

“That’s a good idea,” Gab says, looking thoughtful. “Warmups start in ten,” she tells us like we better be back by then.

Okay, so… “How do we choose?” I ask Drew as he leads me down the corridor to the elevator.

“I don’t know, let’s just go to the highest seats and see what we find.

We’re on our way back to the suites in less than ten minutes. We found a man with his daughter, both fully outfitted in Pirates’ gear and looking excited as hell. It was so sweet, the girl—I’d guess her to be about ten years old—was reciting stats to her father.

Drew and I didn’t stand a chance. Their smiles after we gave them the tickets were everything we could’ve hoped for.

We sit in the club chairs next to Gab. She’s talking to two women who Drew waves to, but we don’t interrupt. Because the guys are starting to glide out to the ice.

My breath fucking catches the second they announce Wyatt. I can see the powerful control he has on the ice. It’s hotter than it has any right to be.

“Stop drooling over your boyfriend, Xan. Jeez, there are kids present.” I roll my eyes and resist flipping him off.

But I can’t say he’s wrong.

“He’s drool-worthy,” is all I say, and I get a delighted laugh in return.

“This is officially the best day of my life,” my best friend declares.

“Well just until Bear puts a pretty ring on your finger, right?”

“Probably.” He smiles like a fool and then spends a couple of minutes drooling over his own boyfriend.

“Who would’ve thought,” I muse out loud, and Drew snorts.

“Not seventeen-year-old us, I can tell you that.”

We share a long look at his words.

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