Page 18 of Cross Checks

I suspected it would resemble a gingerbread house with its intricately carved and detailed wooden facade. I climbed the steps to the porch, and they creaked lightly under my feet.

Chase had told me to simply walk inside and climb the staircase to the second floor. When I questioned why the outside door wasn’t locked, he responded, “It’s Cold Pines.”

When I knocked on the upstairs interior door, I waited patiently. I heard the sound of stirring inside, and moments later, the door swung open, and there stood Chase.

He was backlit by the soft interior light of his apartment, and it cast a gentle halo around his solid silhouette. He wore a Cold Pines Cougars t-shirt that hugged his athletic frame just right, and his tousled hair made me want to reach up and brush it back. Instead, I opened my arms and offered a hug.

“Hey, Hank,” Chase greeted me as we wrapped each other up tightly. I planted a light kiss on his lips and felt the electricity race to my toes.

He led me into his apartment, and as I crossed the threshold, it felt like I was stepping into another world. It was Chase’s realm, and everything revealed another facet of his warm personality.

His pride in his home was evident as he gave me a quick tour. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he said.

The living room looked cozy and lived-in, with an overstuffed sofa and a coffee table that bore the marks of frequent use. On one wall, framed photographs and hockey memorabilia occupied a range of bookshelves. I leaned in closely to gaze at a photo of a teenage Chase hoisting a trophy, his face glowing triumphantly.

He was excited to show me the rest. We approached an aquarium on a stand straddling space belonging to the living room and a parlor of sorts. The water was crystal clear with a miniature underwater world of castles and waving green plants.

Chase pointed. “These two are Romeo and Juliet.” I watched two vibrantly colored fish swim around gracefully, ignoring my presence.

“What kind are they? They look a little more elegant than an ordinary goldfish.”

“Dwarf gouramis. I had my first ones when I was 12, and now I feel like I always need a pair.”

“They’re beautiful.” I couldn’t stop myself from thinking,just like their owner.

“Yeah, they’re pretty low maintenance, but I think they’re great company, and they’re peaceful. Gouramis aren’t going to fight with anyone or chase smaller fish around. I’m thinking about adding some neons soon.”

As we continued the tour, Chase proudly showed me his kitchen, small and well-organized. Pots and pans hung on a rack above the stove, and fresh herbs grew in water glasses on the windowsill. It all spoke of more sophisticated cooking skills than I could muster.

Once we returned to the living room, we settled on the couch with our takeout meal. “Do you need a fork?” Chase asked.

“I usually struggle along with the chopsticks. I’m a little clumsy that way, but it helps the meal feel at least somewhat authentic to me.”

“Then it’s chopsticks for me, too,” Chase grinned.

I set out the takeout containers on the coffee table in front of us. We opted for kung pao chicken and Mongolian beef with fried rice. The enticing aromas swirled through the air around us.

“Hope you’re hungry,” Chase said with a grin.

“Honestly, I’m starving. Chief put us through some drills today. He does that every few days, even if we have no calls. It keeps us all on our toes.”

We both dug into the boxes. As we ate, Chase’s playful side emerged. He picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks and held it out to me. “Open wide,” he insisted, and I obliged, letting him feed me.

It was an intimate gesture, and I repeated it with a short ribbon of beef. He did his best to maneuver his tongue sensually, and we both laughed. I loved seeing how the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled and laughed.

The meal continued with occasional bursts of laughter and teasing. At one point, a stray grain of rice stuck to Chase’s cheek, and I reached out to wipe it away.

Our eyes locked, and I couldn’t resist the sudden surge of affection that welled up inside me. I leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips, parting mine while his tongue slipped inside.

He tasted of Chinese chicken, and I savored the shared flavor.

We continued to feed each other playfully and shared stories from earlier in the day.

“So, today at practice, we pulled off the funniest prank on one of the new guys,” Chase began, trying to stifle his laughter. “You know, we’ve gotta keep the team spirit high and all. November can be a pretty dreary month otherwise.”

I leaned forward, grinning in anticipation. “Oh, this sounds good. What did you guys do?”

“Well, one of our rookies is Wesco, Matt’s his first name. He’s super talented, but man, just a little gullible.” Chase’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “So, we convinced him that Coach Z has a weird tradition.”

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