Page 42 of Sleepless Nights and Hockey Fights

Molly: You flirt very well, Mr. Rhodes. (PS-I intend to figure out your love language on our first date).

Benny yells across the courtyard that it’s time to go. I slide the book in my backpack and hustle to the bus taking us to the rink for tonight’s game.

I have three more nights to flirt with Molly. See, the key to a good date is knowing what matters to the girl. You don’t show up with a box of chocolates if dairy makes her gassy. You don’t take her to a wine and cheese pairing event if she’s a recovering alcoholic. I’ll get to know Molly as best I can long distance and then wow her on our first date. Like a proper fucking gentleman.

But first, I have to get through this dinner with Coach tonight.

Chapter Eighteen

Molly

“I did something,” I confess the nanosecond Ramona opens her front door.

“Don’t tease me.” She beckons me in with impatient hands. She’s still wearing her scrubs from work and has half of her dark braids arranged around the top of her head like a crown. When I start to speak, she shushes me. “Something tells me we need wine for this conversation. At least I hope so.”

Once we’re settled on the overstuffed couch in her living room, I’m finally permitted to share. “I agreed to go out on a date with the hockey player.”

“Praise Jesus.” Her eyes go to the ceiling. Ever since I filled Ramona in on everything from the kiss and the dating app snafu to Bobby showing up for Matty the other day, she’s been firmly on Team Bobby.

Figuring I have nothing to lose, I decide to share every last detail. “And I sent him a half-naked selfie.” I bite my lip and brace.

Ramona almost spills her Pinot Grigio on a throw pillow. “Shut the front door!” Good thing we opted for white.

I laugh and take a fortifying sip. “I honestly have no idea what’s come over me, Ramona. We’ve been texting nonstop since he left town, and I’m starting to feel so...emboldened!” Who knew I could still flirt?

Bobby texting me that picture of him reading a relationship advice book was the straw that broke the camel’s back and had me agreeing to a date. Although, I’ll admit him opening up to me over the previous days’ texts was probably enough. He’s turning out to be so much more than I thought.

At this point, I can perfectly picture his poor mother surrounded by a gaggle of rowdy boys and pulling her hair out while his dad tried laying down the law. If Bobby’s brothers are anything like him, their childhood home must have been filled with energy and humor.

He’s just so thoughtful, not to mention funny and enthusiastic—and completely self-deprecating, which he must know makes me more comfortable letting my guard down. I even started telling him a bit about my childhood in return, something I don’t usually talk about much.

We’ve texted about everything from his craziest hockey moments and his therapist to my path to Farnsworth Realty and my obsession with the nearly impossible to find key lime Twizzlers.

And then there’s the genuine interest he appears to have in both me and Matty. Although, I’m hesitant to let Matty in on whatever this is between Bobby and me. He’s finally started opening up a little, and I’d hate for him to get his hopes up about anything real happening with the man he clearly looks up to. Especially when this could crash and burn so easily.

“I’ll tell you what’s come over you,” Ramona says, jarring me back to our conversation. “A man is finally worshipping theground you walk on like every man should. You’re a ten, Molly, just like I’ve always told you.”

“To be fair, you didn’t know me when I had bangs in high school.”

“We all had bangs in high school. It’s a right of passage.” She sets her glass on the coffee table and focuses all her attention on me. “So, exactly how naked was this half-naked selfie?”

“All the important parts were covered.”

Ramona nods and points at me. “Ah, leaving things up to the imagination. Clever move.”

“I have no idea what I’m doing, but I finally just decided to throw caution to the wind and go on a date. How bad could I really be at dating, right? I mean, if Blake can date a man for the first time, I can date astraightman for the first time.”

“Aha! I knew meeting Blake’s new boyfriend would knock something loose.”

She’s right about that, of course. The other day, I dropped Matty off at Blake’s apartment for the week. I’d called him after my talk with Matty about Raiden so he’d be up to date, and he mentioned he’d like to introduce Matty to his new boyfriend this week. When he asked my thoughts, I was at a loss since I didn’t know how serious he and this guy were. But, in the end, I trust Blake, and I know he’ll always put Matty first. That turned out to be the right move since Matty texted me this afternoon in good spirits and said he’s having a great time.

What I didn’t expect was to meet the boyfriend myself when I dropped Matty off. Blake pulled me aside and apologized for blindsiding me. Apparently, he and Luke, the boyfriend, got their signals crossed and Luke wasn’t meant to be there when we arrived. It was probably better that way, anyway, though. Matty wasn’t fazed at all, and I didn’t have time to obsess or worry over the first meeting. Luke turned out to be really gracious and sweet.

But seeing the way he and Blake interacted left me full of all sorts of feelings. Their unconscious gestures of affection—a hand on the small of the back or a warm private smile—just further highlighted how very off my relationship with Blake had been. How forced it was by the end. Blake and Luke are clearly deeply in like, if not love, and I left the apartment with a sense of emptiness I haven’t felt in a while.

I sigh and run my finger over the base of my wineglass. “I just...didn’t expect it to make me feel so lonely.”

Ramona tilts her head and sinks back into a cushion. “I think that makes perfect sense, babe. I mean, if Amir started dating someone, it would depress the hell out of me.”

---