Page 141 of Goaltender Interference

Connor nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

“Wait,” Nolan said, his voice cracking. “Wait. Dad, I need to tell you something.”

Jesse held his breath as Connor turned to look at his son. “What is it?”

“I …” Nolan’s voice was shaky.

Jesse took a deep breath, trying to silently push all of his support and encouragement into Nolan as if it would somehow help. Somehow strengthen him.

“Dad …” Nolan whispered. “I didn’t join the GSA because of Jayden. It’s because … it’s because I’m gay.”

For a long, silent moment, Connor stared at his son, his lips parted, his expression filled with surprise and confusion.

Nolan’s lip trembled and he clenched his fists by his sides and Jesse itched to reach out to tell him it was okay, his dad would come around, he just needed a moment to process it.

And then Connor broke.

He seemed to crumple and he reached out, yanking Nolan close. They clung tightly to each other for the longest time, Connor’s head bowed, his lips pressed to Nolan’s hair. Nolan’s body shook as he let out big, heaving sobs, only partially muffled by Connor’s jacket. Connor’s emotions came out more quietly but were still obvious in the tight grip of his arms around Nolan and the faint trembling of his body.

“I love you,” Connor finally whispered. “You know that, right?”

Nolan let out a broken wail and it went straight to Jesse’s heart because it was clear that if Nolan knew it, he’d been afraid he’d been wrong.

For a long time, they stood there, holding each other while Jesse watched, hardly aware there was a tear trickling down his own cheek until he could taste the salt when he licked his lips.

Eventually, Nolan’s ragged breathing slowed and the sobs stopped and he stepped away from Connor. Nolan wiped his eyes on his sleeve and Connor did the same, looking for all the world like he was hardly any older than his son.

Jesse wanted to say something, wanted to hug them both but he was afraid of getting it wrong, of breaking the fragile moment, so he got in the SUV and waited for them to join him.

The ride home was silent except for the GPS directing Jesse where to go.

Nolan sat in the seat behind Jesse, staring silently out the window, while Connor did the same in the passenger seat.

It was almost eerie how alike they were.

Whatever Viv had said earlier, whatever had gone down between her and Connor, it had been ugly. Jesse had a feeling she might know about him and Connor, based on the look she’d given him before she left. Jesse was glad Connor knew about Nolan now, but Viv clearly still didn’t and Nolan didn’t know about Jesse and Connor and …

Jesse suddenly hated all of the secrets, hated that everything was such a mess now. And worst of all, he felt like it was his fault. He wanted to apologize to Connor because he’d never meant to cause this kind of chaos.

But maybe that was what he did. Maybe that was just who he was.

It had all seemed funny and innocent when Connor called him his chaos demon but right it felt like a leaden weight in Jesse’s stomach.

“Stop. Stop up here please,” Connor rasped, pointing ahead.

Jesse jerked, his hands tightening on the wheel. They still had a few miles to go before they were home. Why did he want Jesse to stop here … oh, but there was a church up ahead.

“Pull up to the curb,” Connor said. “Right there.”

Jesse put on his turn signal, praying he wouldn’t get taken out by one of the crazy drivers zipping around him as he eased into a spot, the vehicle a little crooked but mostly out of traffic.

“What’s wrong?” Jesse asked, putting the SUV in park, then glancing over at Connor.

He looked exhausted, eyes red-rimmed, his mouth set in a thin line as he unbuckled his seat belt. “I—take Nolan home, please. I need to—I need some time to get my head together.”

Jesse wanted to argue, wanted to tell him he wouldn’t find the answers he was looking for in that church. What he needed to do was fucking sit down andtalk. But how the hell would Jesse know what he needed? He’d never been religious and maybe thiswouldhelp Connor in some way.

“Okay,” he said. “Uhh, you need me to come back to pick you up?”

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