Page 23 of Friendzone Hockey
I always pay attention when it’s Dash. Always, fucking always.
“I convinced him to let me stay with Dirk and Hunter for a few days. You’re comin’ home soon, right? Will you talk to him?”
We’re nearing the end of a whole hockey season. My, Casey, and Jack’s first with the Kelowna Wildcats, the farm team for the Vancouver Orcas. That’s nine long months away with only a quick trip home for Christmas break. We’ve reached April. Dash knows I’m not coming home for another month at least.
Wait, did he say Hunter? My hackles rise. Fucking, ruggedly handsome, always around, Dash’s first crush, Hunter. Ask me how sick I am of hearing Hunter this and Hunter that, and I’ve heard a lot about Hunter while I’ve been away. I wish he wouldn’t stay with Dirk and Hunter, but I can’t ask him to suffer at his dad’s since Hunter and Dirk’s is the only place Travis feels comfortable allowing him to stay. Things were cramped a long time ago, but Travis couldn’t afford the price of a two-bedroom condo in Vancouver plus the payments on the restaurant, and he’s firmly against Dash moving out on his own yet.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“Thanks. Fuck. I gotta go, but there’s something I wanted to talk to you about later. It’s … about Robin. Will you be free?”
A guy from the team wanted to take me out on a date, which is weird to begin with. I don’t want to date anyone from the team. But I said yes anyway. Why? Because if I don’t get my mind off Dash somehow, I’ll get the idea that I can date Dash, and I can’t.
That would be wrong on so many levels of wrong.
I’m his emotional support human. A mentor. Unofficial counselor. His dad—my boss—trusts me to treat him with respect, not get into his pants. I’m in a position of power, and he looks up to me, which means he’s off-limits.
Forever.
I’d never manipulate him, but it’s an automatic manipulation by virtue of our current relationship.
I have to get over my inconvenient crush, so I said yes to the guy from the team. But if Dash needs me, fuck that guy.
“Yep, no problem. I’m free,” I tell Dash. I’m sure that guy will take a raincheck. And if not? Don’t really give a fuck. I just wish I hadn’t told Casey about my date—he’s so gonna give me flak for this.
Off-Season One - End of June
My hand’s pressed against the wall, feeling for her heartbeat. Honey and cherry blossoms fill my inhales and exhales. I open my eyes, half-expecting her to be there.
She’s not.
“What are you doing, Stace?” Casey asks. His gaze rakes over me from where I’m standing in the doorway to Mom’s room. He gives a mild glance at the room before crossing his arms. Is he doing that twin thing again, the one where he reads my mind? Or am I just that easy to read?
“Thinking. Bill and Ted will be gone by the end of the month, we need new roommates.”
“Roommates? Plural?”
“Isn’t that what we had?”
“They were a couple. A stoner couple who only required one room. Whose most precious belongings were their PlayStation and collection of glass smoke pipes.”
“It’s Vancouver. Those kinds of couples come a dime a dozen.”
“Maybe, but it’s not what you’re thinking.”
He’s right.
“What am I thinking?”
“You’re thinking that you’ll be the answer to a certain pretty brown-eyed man’s problems by inviting him to live here because you know his dad trusts you. You also know that where Dash goes, Dirk goes, and Dirk will need a room and you’re thinking of giving him this room because there’s no way Dash isn’t sleeping in the room next to yours.”
I really wish he didn’t know about my inconvenient crush on Dash, but it’s hard to hide shit from your twin. I’ve opened up to him about Dash little by little over the season. I didn’t share Dash’s personal stuff, of course, just from my end. How I feel. Why I’m in a gridlock with those feelings.
“I should have moved Mom’s stuff out a long time ago anyway,” I argue, unwilling to tell him that he’s hit the nail on the head.
Casey laughs. “You have it bad, Stace. So, fucking bad.”
“Even if I did have any feelings?—”
