Page 89 of Cross Checking

“Blowjobandbreakfast? Please don’t tell me this is a one-off,” he jokes.

I spin around to face him. “Nah. I like doing all this.”

He exhales. “Can you cancel your flight back to Canada? I need game-day morale boosters.”

Tempting, but impractical. I still need a job, no matter where I live. “Be patient, you,” I say, handing Erik a loaded plate. “I’llbe here full time by the start of your next season, if everything goes to plan.”

Moving here feels like the right thing to do, and I sure as hell am gonna make it happen, no matter what. Waking up with Erik, going to his games, and being together with him? I can’t possibly get enough, and I can’t wait for that to be a regular part of my life.

20

ERIK

MARCH

Distance in a relationship is tough as hell, but Luke being my long-distance boyfriend is a million times better than him being my long-distance crush. Looking back, we were both idiots before we got together and basically acted like a couple without the label. Now that we actuallyareofficial, everything feels… more. The flirting is freer and way more intense. Our conversations are deeper. Our dirty calls are somehow even hotter.

And those good morning texts from him at one in the afternoon never fail to put a smile on my face. I spent months wanting Luke, and now I’m all his. Having a boyfriend rules.

Today, we had our usual morning call as he got ready for work, and then I lounged around doing nothing. The season ended with a whimper for Alvik since we got trounced in the quarterfinals, which stings, but at least we aren’t being moved down a league.

Silver linings, right? And at least now I have a ton of free time to chill, work out whenever I want, and catch up on sleep.

At around six, Luke texts me again.

Luke Tremblay

Finally heard back from HR

Only took them a month to send me the right form to request a change to my payroll base

I filled it out and sent it to my manager this morning. Hopefully things go quickly

That’s amazing! So happy to hear that

I punch the air in celebration. His company jerked him around and made him go to something like fifty different people in order to get the ball rolling on transferring his job here, so it’s a huge relief and a huge boost to my morale to hear that things are progressing.

Luke and I agreed that we’d stay quiet about our relationship until his move to Sweden was on more solid ground. Our feelings for each other haven’t changed, but we both know that long-distance relationships are a lot more stable when there’s a concrete plan to reunite. I’m grabbing dinner with my family tonight since Eva is home from boarding school for the week, so the timing works out perfectly. It’ll be a great chance to tell them about me and Luke.

The drive over to Lidingö is quick, and I pull up to my parents’ house a few minutes early. I let myself in, and I’m immediately greeted by Eva, who feigns reluctance while giving me a hug.

“Mom and Dad are buying wine before the liquor store closes,” she says, stepping into the kitchen.

“Oh, okay. How are classes going?”

“Fine.”

That’sexactlyhow I used to answer that question at sixteen, so I don’t push.

“What have you been doing with your life?” she continues. “Do you have a boyfriend yet?”

Teenagers, I swear, that’s all they care about.

“Actually, I do. I was going to mention that to everyone?—”

Eva smirks. “Is it Nils?”

I snort. “No, it isn’t fucking Nils,” I say, laughing. “His name is Luke, and we met when I was in Canada.”

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