Page 11 of Stick By Me

After drinking his beer, Leo said, “What are you studying?I’m assuming you’re here to get a degree, too?” He ate some potatoes.

“I’m studying exercise science and Jonah is a pre-med student.” I twirled pasta onto my fork. With my degree, at least if I didn’t make it into the NHL, I could find a way to still be close to the sport.

“Wow, those are pretty tough subjects. You guys must be athleticandsmart.” He tapped his head and smiled at us.

“Yeah, but all we do is study and play hockey. Okay and let off steam at the bars when we get the chance, but yeah, not much more than that.” Jonah stuffed a forkful of food into his mouth.

“My classes aren’t as hard as Jonah’s. I get out more.” I eyed Leo. Would he pick up on that and know I was open to hanging out?

“Good to know.” He nodded.

Later in the week,I was in the locker room following our afternoon practice at my stall, unfastening my elbow pads and shoulder pads. The room was filled with banter, Rodgers going on and on about a shot he got past Ace and Ace grunting his reply. We’d played hard today, and I couldn’t wait to hit the showers. I pulled off my shoulder pads.

“Jonah tells me you have a new guy,” Mason said, stepping into my space with only a white towel wrapped around his slender waist, his washboard abs and tattoos on full display.

“Not really.” I turned around and sat on the bench, then rolled off my socks. I’d only secured the tickets for the game for Leo and his friend and sent a few texts about it. But otherwise, radio silence.

Mason dropped in next to me and came in close. “Jonah says the guy is older and hot. But hot in a charming, Hallmark movie guy way.” He grabbed my cheek and turned my face to his. “Is that true? Are you going to be living the life over the holidays,having hot chocolates with the guy at the Christmas tree lot?” He chortled, then released me.

“Stop it.” I chuckled. Mason was such a character. I removed my shin pads, then untied my skates. It always felt so good to get these things off.

Jonah walked up to us, also ready for the shower, wearing only a towel, his straight black hair dripping down his shoulders. “Dude, you weren’t supposed to tease him about it.” He flicked Mason in the head.

“Ow, shit.” Mason rubbed his hair. “You know me better than that, Boehm.” He planted his hand on my shoulder. “So, spill. Are you dating? Hooking up? What?”

“Nothing. We’re nothing. He’s coming to the game on Friday with his best friend and he’ll be at the Knot Me show on Saturday.” I shook my head, flinging a wet lock of my blond hair off my brow. “He knows Milo, and his brother is that hot guitar player in the band with the black hair.”

“Really.” Mason rolled his lips, glancing up at Jonah for a moment. “So what? You think he doesn’t like sloppy seconds?”

A soft chuckle rumbled out of me. “Do you have to put it that way?” I cut my gaze to his. “Listen, I don’t know how interested he is. He doesn’t date guys or hasn’t anyways.”

“But he’s bi, right?” Mason stood up, squeezing my shoulder.

“I guess he’s bi. He didn’t really say, so I don’t know for sure.”

“And he’s coming to watch you play on Friday?”

“Yeah, he’ll be there.”

The banter in the room stopped and I looked around us, all the guys in various states of undress, focused on me, shit-eating grins on their faces. Damn it, now everyone knew and if I fucked up on the ice, they’d think my head was in the stands and not in the game. “Don’t worry. It’s all good.” I waved my hands.

The chatter started up again and the guys went back to undressing.

“Well, the least you can do is invite him out for the partyafter we kick Wildcat ass.” Mason tsked, then walked off, flipping his longer, brown hair off his shoulder.

“So, you and Leo haven’t talked since Sunday?” Jonah sat onto the bench, then rested his elbows on his thighs and rubbed his hands together.

“Not really. We texted a few times, but it was logistics about the game and how he’d get his tickets.” I sighed. They were all making a big deal out of nothing.

“But you like him, right?” He patted the thigh pads on my breezers.

“Yeah, I like him.” Truth was, I’d thought about him a lot. Okay, maybe even fantasized about him? It wasn’t healthy, but it was what it was. “We’ll see what happens.” I pointed my finger at him. “Don’t embarrass me this weekend. Remember, he’s not out to anyone. He only told me he’s hooked up with guys and he’s still figuring his shit out. Okay?”

“Jesus, okay.” He grabbed my finger and went to bite it.

I ripped my finger out of his hand, my lips quirking into a grin. “Stop it.”

CHAPTER FIVE

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