Page 41 of Friendzone Hockey
“Just had this chat with Travis. I totally agree with you—and his dad.” I don’t even hold it against him. I’m glad Dash has someone like Dirk who’s willing to stick his neck out for him. “Now can you please stop plotting my murder? I’m not an enemy.”
He twists his lips and raises his brows. “Is it that obvious?”
“On the first day you moved in, you barely spoke to me, but you became instant best friends with Casey.”
“I dunno. I just sensed something, like a dog senses a bone, I guess. I’ll back off. You’re a good guy, Stace. I know you’ll keep it clean.”
With the Travis and Dirk mafia on my tail, they’ll make sure of it.
The front door slams. Did I wait up for everyone? Sure fucking did. But it’s only Dash storming through the house until his angry gaze slams into me. Casey must have gone out with Jack after work.
Damn. He’s something otherworldly when he’s angry. I can’t … can’t even breathe.
“Did mydadtell you to stay away from me?” There’s a lot of sarcastic emphasis on the word dad.
“No. Nothing like that.” I keep my voice as calm and cool as I can. It’s dark, and I have all the lights in the living room on, the window open to let in the smells of a summer night.
“He sure as fuck did something and he had no right to do it.” Dash’s chest heaves.
“Yeah, he did, Dash. He’s your father.”
“I’m an adult. I don’t need him interfering in my life, and I don’t need you telling me shit like that, for the record.”
“I’m just telling you what I think. You can take it or leave it. You’re lucky to have someone look out for you like your dad does.” I’m not trying to underline that I was an orphan before I became a real adult, but it’s true. I know he regrets the time hemissed with his dad. He doesn’t have to take my advice, but he should know that his attitude is a sure-fire way of getting more of what he doesn’t want.
Parents care about you. The end. It’s the suffering of having a parent, but it’s one I’d give anything to have back.
His lip trembles. “Oh, fuck. I’m sorry, Stacey. I just meant … well, I was worried you’d do what he said.”
“I was gonna do what he said, but not because he said it. Because I agree it’s the right thing to do.”
“Are you saying nothing’s going on between us?” He takes a few tentative steps forward and then sits his ass on the edge of the opposite couch.
How do I answer that without lying? “I’m saying we’re friends and that’s how it’s gonna stay. I’ve been through a lot, and you’ve been through a lot. We’re not in our right minds.”
Will he let me get away with that?
“Okay, but let’s say we were in our right minds.”
Guess that’s a no to me getting away with my answer. I rub a hand over my face. How do I explain it to him without insulting him? Without ruining what we’ve got? Without promising something I can’t give him?
“I’ve had some feelings,” I admit. He smiles way too brightly. “It’s not happening, Dash.”
“But I like our closeness, Stace. Something kinda cool was building. I was hoping maybe it could turn into something eventu?—”
“No.” I shake my head. “It can’t.”
“I can’t even think about being with anyone but you. Who could I even begin to trust?”
“You’re only proving my point, Dash. Until you can be with anyone you want, there’s no way you can choose me.”
He’s not acting as heartbroken as I would have expected. That can only mean one thing—he’s decided it’s a timing thing. Or maybe he can convince me eventually.
He won’t. Time might heal him—will heal him if I have anything to say about it—but it won’t change our beginning.
There’s something else playing out on that expressive face of his. “What’cha thinking?”
“I thought Dad ruined this,” he says, gesturing to the invisible yet very real bond between us. “But this is a real moral dilemma to you.”
