Page 25 of Gamechanger

On a nearby shelf, I spotted a set of framed photos. Quinn featured in a number of them. I also saw a younger Moose.

He interrupted my quiet inspection. "Those were the chubby days."

He'd overplayed his self-assessment. To me, he mostly looked like a kid with rosy cheeks. On either side of him were the adults that I took as his parents. They displayed forced smiles, bringing Moose's comments about their breakup to mind.

The entire apartment, except the bedroom and bathroom, was an open concept. Moose kept his kitchen space impressively tidy. He'd draped a string of tiny multi-colored Christmas lights above the cabinets. He'd nearly covered his fridge door in magnets—NHL team logos, science puns, and individual letters to spell out words.

No single element struck me. It was how effortlessly it all came together to tell Moose's story. The impact was complex and thoughtful, with surprising depth.

I shrugged off my jacket and hung it on a coat rack that looked like a tree. "Nice place. Very you, Moose."

He chuckled and rubbed the top of his head. "Thanks. I think I'm still getting settled. Every day, I move stuff around. You make yourself comfortable, and I'll grab the cookies. Axel's sister decorated them."

As I relaxed on the couch upholstered in worn leather, I realized it was even more comfortable than it looked. Moosejoined me with a tray holding a plate piled high with frosted cookies and two mugs of eggnog.

"I better give you a fair warning." He handed me one of the mugs. "This stuff has a kick. You know… Axel."

I sipped the rich, creamy liquid, and it warmed me from the inside out. The added bourbon had a pleasant burn. "Damn, you need to get that recipe."

"I watched… no particular recipe."

"Got it."

Moose settled in beside me. "So, how was your Christmas? I hope it wasn't too bad. Were you by yourself all day?"

I shrugged and picked up a cookie that looked like a lopsided star. "It was quiet except during the long call with my family this morning. Mom cried a little, and Dad tried to be stoic, but that didn't work."

"Oh, that sounds rough."

"It wasn't all bad. In a lot of ways, it was peaceful. I watched TV and didn't have to worry about anybody carping at me to change channels. How was Christmas in Sweden?"

Moose laughed. "That was something else. Axel's family goes all out, and there are only three of them. It all started on Christmas Eve, according to Quinn, and they hadn't completely wound down yet when I left less than an hour ago. Did you know Swedes watch Donald Duck on Christmas Eve?"

I raised an eyebrow. "No."

"Have Quinn or Axel tell you about it sometime. It's a long, complicated story, but they've been watching since the 50s."

I laughed. "Learn something new every day."

"Oh, yeah, that's true, and then there was the food, Finn. So. Much. Food."

"Yeah, you mentioned the fish soaked in lye."

Moose grinned. "That was an experience, but there was a whole lot more. Axel's dad made this potato thing called Jansson's Temptation."

"Sounds tempting," I smirked lightly.

Moose shoved me playfully. "Yeah, it was, smartass. Damn, those curls." He reached out and ran some of my hair through his fingers.

Without even thinking about it, I leaned into his touch. "Feels good."

"I missed you today. That was the only down thing."

The words were powerful to me, and I drank a little more of the eggnog in hopes that the alcohol might calm my nerves. "I… I missed you, too. Being away from home over the holidays isn't easy when you're not used to it."

"Yep, I understand that." Moose leaned in a little closer. His arm pressed against mine. "This whole move has shaken stuff up for me, too. It brings back memories of when my parents split when I'd just started high school, except now Quinn got custody of the Moose."

I chuckled and then caught myself. "I'm not laughing at you. I'm sorry. Just the idea of Quinn having custody struck me as funny."

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