Page 14 of Cross Checks

I started up the coffee maker and then sat at the kitchen table to watch Chase get to work.

He was confident and set about making pancakes from a memorized scratch recipe. “Did you learn to cook from your parents?” I asked.

“Mom taught me a few things, but I’ve learned a lot by trial and error.”

As the golden stack of pancakes grew, I said, “Looks like you’ve probably had a lot of successful experiments in the kitchen.”

When we finally sat together at the table, I marveled at how normal the experience felt. We were two men who cared a lot about each other, sharing a comforting meal and laughing softly over shared stories and clever comments.

When I’d finished my pancakes and was sipping the last of my coffee, I had a request. “Would it be possible to keep this to ourselves for now?”

Chase paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “You mean not letting anyone know about what we’ve got together?”

“Yes, I guess I shouldn’t assume there is something that we have. We’ve not really talked about that yet.”

Chase grinned. “Oh, you’re so my boyfriend. You can’t back out of that.”

I laughed out loud. “I guess I just don’t want the gossip and judgment of people in town complicating things.”

“Neither do I,” Chase agreed. “Let’s take our time to figure it out for us first. We’ve got plenty of time to share with others when we’re ready.”

“Perfect.” Relief washed over me. I reached out, and our hands met in the middle of the table, fingers weaving together.

A few minutes later, we prepared for Chase to leave. “I’ve got chores I need to do at home before the next game steals all my time,” he said.

While he stood in the doorway, he reached out to trace his fingers down the side of my face. “This beard is awesome,” he insisted. “I could never grow one so nice and thick like that myself.”

“You don’t need to. Your face is incredibly handsome just the way it is.”

“Aww, thanks. By the way, I had a great time.”

“Me, too,” I admitted. “Before I met you, I never imagined anything like this could happen to me.”

Suddenly, he pulled me into a scorching kiss that left me breathless. As our lips broke apart, Chase stared into my eyes. “Let’s plan our next secret rendezvous soon, okay?”

“You’ve got a deal,” I agreed.

With one last lingering touch, he stepped back, and I watched as he climbed into his car. He waved briefly as he drove away.

I closed the door and leaned against it, my heart pounding. “Chase Taylor,” I whispered. “You’re something else.”

Chapter5

Chase

It all sounded so easy when I left Hank’s house on Sunday. We’d get together again soon, maybe have another roll in the hay, and our relationship would move forward. By Monday morning, it all felt a lot more complicated than that.

I had an undeniable, powerful attraction to Hank. The pull was so strong that it still unnerved me. Unfortunately, the entire idea of being with a man in a serious, long-term way was unsettling. My past was straightforward: I’d only ever been in relationships with women.

To kick off the new week, I decided to swing by a locally-owned fast-food joint on my way to a grueling full-day practice. It was a no-frills spot on the edge of town, but it was on my way. We were practicing half an hour away in Portland while construction crews did their best to repair the fire damage to our home arena quickly.

The fast-food place had the best coffee in town, and their breakfast sandwiches were among the best guilty pleasures for miles around.

As I stood in line, thoughts about Hank and my complex web of feelings for him took over. Suddenly, a familiar voice snapped me back to the present.

“Chase! Chase Taylor, is that you?”

I turned around. It was Anna, a former girlfriend from my first season with the Cougars. She hadn’t changed and looked like I remembered—shoulder-length red hair and a bright smile that could light up any room.”

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