Page 3 of Icing the Play

“Sounds good. Bye now,” he said.

“Bye, Dad.” I hung up the phone, tossed it on my bed and curled into a ball, wrapping my arms around my drawn-up legs. I’d kept so many secrets all these years, from my family and even my friends. Tyler didn’t even know the pressure I was under to play professional hockey and the fact that I wasn’t sure I could. Which was probably why he’d told his agent about signing me. “Fuck it.” It was time to get ready for bed.

The next day,after the morning skate, post workout, and shower, I hustled across campus to my social media class. At least one thing in my life would be easy. With my backpackbouncing on my shoulder, I strode across a concrete walkway under tall palm trees and between brick buildings the color of clay in the midday sunshine.

When I reached my building, I ducked inside a set of metal doors and down a hallway filled with students. As I found my room, I stepped inside and scanned the long rows of tables set up with chairs behind them. Most of the spots were already full.

I spied an open spot and strode to it, pulled the chair out, and dropped in.

The guy next to me turned, his athletic shirt pulling tightly across his muscled shoulders and chest and his straight brown hair on the longer side. “Myles?” He stared at me, his mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God.” He stood up.

“Holy fuck.” My heart lurched. Fucking Cooper Hayes. My big ass crush from high school. “Coop, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were at Northwestern?” I rose.

He wrapped his thick arms around me for a fierce hug. “I transferred here for my last year.” Clapping me on the back, he let me go. “You heard how good the Devils were in football last year, right?” His mega-watt smile reached his stunning hazel eyes, surrounded by thick black lashes and resting under full brows.

“Uh, yeah.” I looked him up and down. Damn, he’d filled out a lot. And he’d grown a few inches over my height of six-two. “You look, um, you look good, man.” I wetted my lips, and my cock twitched. He was even more fuckable than in high school.But he’s straight, Myles.

The professor approached the podium at the front of the class.

“Better sit down. Don’t want trouble on the first day.” He patted my shoulder and took his seat as I sat in the one next to him. Leaning in, he said, “I have to admit, I knew you were here. I guess you had a class with my buddy JJ last year?” He lifted his brows.

“JJ?” They were friends? How? “Yeah, we had a math classtogether. We also hung out down on Mill Ave…” I lowered my brows. “When did you get here?”

“About a month ago. I moved into an apartment with some guy that, oh hell. We need to talk.” He squeezed my forearm. “Are you free for lunch after this?”

“Uh, sure.” I set my backpack on the desk and slipped my laptop from it. How had this happened?

The professor started the class.

After class,I packed my things, stuffing them into my bag. Standing, I said, “So, where should we go?” I faced Cooper and my gaze settled on his generous lips. Fuck me. My attraction to him hadn’t faded at all since high school. I had to tone this down and just be nice.

“Where’s a good burger joint?” He slung his backpack strap over a muscled shoulder.

“Five Guys? I’d say they’re the best.” I strolled toward the door with my heart pattering and he followed me. Jesus, I’d be seeing him every day.

“Sounds good. Lead the way.” He came up beside me as we walked into the sunshine among all the other students.

“So, you know JJ?” I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my athletic shorts, my gaze raking over him. God, I couldn’t stop looking at him. But I had to.

“Yeah, when I got here and worked out with the team, he was the first guy to introduce himself.” He glanced at me and a grin crept over his lips. “I told him I was from Chicago, and he told me he met a hockey player from there last year.” He arched a brow. “What are the chances?”

“Yeah, what are the chances.” I gave a stuttered laugh. “I got a few texts from JJ over the summer, but then the texts stopped.”

“I’m surprised you two never hooked up.” He gave me a pointed look. “Have you come out to your family yet?”

I stopped. “Wait, what did he tell you about me?” This was weird. Only a select few of my friends, Cooper among them, were aware of my sexuality in high school.

Furrowing his brows, he said, “Not much. He thought you were hot, but not interested in him.” He cocked his head. “I already know JJ can be a lot to handle, but…”

I started walking again. “He’s a good guy. We had some fun times with our study group.” JJ thought I was hot? That was news. I’d gotten no vibes from him that he was interested in me, either. But would I have done anything about it?

He followed me around the corner and onto Mill Avenue, the traffic at a constant crawl between all the streetlights on the corners. As we came to the brick building housing Five Guys, I stopped.

Cooper opened one of two glass doors for me and waved me in. “After you.”

“Thanks.” Just like old times. Cooper had always been a gentleman. It had been one of the many things I’d admired about him.

After ordering our food and grabbing some drinks, we brought our white paper bags filled with burgers and fries to a table in the corner. I slid into a wooden chair by the wall while he dropped into the one across from me. I scanned the white subway tiles with the red checkered swath running across the diner. The place was clean and plenty of other students filled the tables scattered over the bare concrete floor.

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