Page 45 of Pucking Your Best Friend

She nodded slowly and pretended she wasn’t incredibly curious about what kind of things Matt had to discuss that he couldn’t talk to her about.

Matt sighed and sank deeper into the couch cushions. “I don’t know why it upsets me so much.”

“Are you afraid he’ll replace you with Lucy?”

He turned his head abruptly. “I’m happy for him!”

“That wasn’t my question.”

Matt expelled a gush of air and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and middle finger. “I don’t have many good friends, Maddie.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “What are you talking about? You have dozens of friends! A whole hockey team full of them. And you have a huge family that adores you, you have…”

“…people who are obliged to like me, Maddie,” he whispered, raising one corner of his mouth cynically. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the guys. I would trust any of them with my life. Even Leon! But being on a team is different than consciously choosing to form a close relationship with someone. I’ve been on dozens of hockey teams and it’s just a law among us that we have each other’s backs. Which is fantastic, I wouldn’t want to do without any of the others. But…as soon as I left those teams, I lost touch. With Dax though, I have always been certain that would never be the case.” He frowned. “It’s probably the same with Fox, but the guy has a seriousfather-figureproblem. Whatever. Dax is mybest friend. The guy I can talk to about anything. Well, at least hewas.”

She swallowed and looked at him seriously. “He stillis. Matt, obviously you’re both on a team, but I’m sure all those guys would still be your friends if you were…”

“Yeah, maybe. Maybe not,” he interrupted with a sigh. “Bottom line, all I have is my team, my family…” he smiled slightly, “and you.”

She looked at him, her mouth open. “Lucy…”

“Is part of my team.”

“But all the women you’re with…”

“Sleep with me because I’m good-looking and play hockey.”

“And because you’re rich,” she added.

He laughed hoarsely. “Sure. That’s why. My point is the same: I don’t have many close friends who aren’t required to like me. No old classmates I see every Christmas and no former teammates that I keep in touch with. My family moved too much during my childhood and adolescence.”

Yes, she knew that. His mother had worked as a consultant for various wine companies and his father as a craftsman here and there before they bought their own vineyard and finally settled down. By then, Matt had almost finished school.

“So Dax is your best friend and now you’re afraid he’ll become another casual acquaintance?”

“Maybe,” he mumbled, closing his eyes. “I’m trying not to think about it too hard.”

“Oh, Matt,” she whispered. Her heart clenched painfully and she moved closer to him so she could put her arm around his shoulders. “Not all friendships fall apart.”

“Mine have so far.”

“Ours hasn’t,” she said warmly. “No matter what happens, ours won’t.”

“No matterwhat happens?” he murmured, opening his eyes and tilting his head to look into her face. His gaze was inquiring, curious, as if he were trying to figure out if she were lying or serious.

“Yes.” She smiled and ruffled his hair. “No matter what.” She was sure of that. “Now, watch the film with me. The best part is coming up!”

Matt turned to the screen with a frown as she flicked Netflix back on. “What’s the best part?” he wanted to know.

“The first kiss, of course. That’salwaysthe best part.”

He snorted. “Not the first time?”

“Oh, that’s usually not shown explicitly,” she said and waved her hand. “The kiss, though, always is. And this one is particularly good.”

“You know the movie?” he asked, surprised.

“Yeah. When I want to relax, I usually watch a romance I’ve already seen,” she said, happy that everything between them felt normal again.

---