Page 64 of Friendzone Hockey
Maybe I could poke around his dad. See what he thinks.
The door swings open. I jump.
“Are you gonna prowl around outside my door all night, Alderchuck?”
I look into his big brown doe eyes. I mentally walk into a wall. A goofy smile splits my face despite everything, and I don’t know how. The very air around us is filled with devastation and heartbreak, but the sight of him illuminates my world.
Dash’s gaze drops to the floor, my smile evaporates. A helpless sort of ache begins in my stomach.
“I don’t want you here tonight,” he admits. “But I can’t sleep without you. I’m worried you’re gonna vanish. That all the love we have for each other’s gonna vanish.”
A dark voice curls into my spine, whispering about how wrong that is. He should be able to sleep without me. That he can’t means he’s too dependent.
But, fuck, I like when he depends on me. When I can be his big bad hero.
His thinking my love for him would ever go away’s gotta stem from what he went through with his mom. Robin isn’t the only thing twisting the thoughts in Dash’s mind.
Mom wouldn’t hug me. I just wanted her to hug me. I wished I had known the last hug I ever got from her was the last hug I’d ever get. I woulda held on just a bit longer.
Becoming his partner at a time like this, when he’s already so codependent, would make me the monster.
It’s a fucking pickle, though. I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.
There’s only one thing I can think of that would make this remotely right. I tug his wrist. “C’mon.”
He doesn’t argue, his bare feet padding over the wood floors. I bring him to my bedroom. One thing I saved my ass off for recently, was a king-sized bed. I pull out my phone and send a text to the group chat. While we wait for them, I open the covers and gesture for him to get in.
Before long, the feet of three heavy hockey players pound their way up the stairs. They burst into my room, arguing over who gets to sleep where. Jack pushes Casey, and Dirk glares at me. Guess he already knows what happened, but as always, we’re gonna have to form a silent truce for Dash’s sake.
“It’s a big bed, but are we all gonna fit?” Casey says, tugging on Jack.
“None of you motherfuckers can tell Rhett. You know what he gets like,” Jack says. “He doesn’t believe in platonic cuddling.”
“You don’t have to, Jack,” I say.
“No. I do.” He slides in behind Dash while Dirk wraps around the front of him.
“Love you, bro,” Casey says in my direction. “But I’m not cuddling you.”
“I’m sleeping at the end,” I tell him. He climbs in behind Jack, and I lie down with just enough room between the end of the bed and everyone’s warped hockey feet. But I get to lay a hand on Dash’s ankle.
For the second night in a row, I don’t get a wink of sleep, but Dash knows he’s got a gang of forever family who’ll never turn away his hugs, who’ll always let him climb into bed with them, and that’s all that fucking matters.
Chapter
Thirteen
NOW
Same Day - That Evening
Dash
Syd doesn’t like it when I go out at night alone, but I’m only popping over to the restaurant. I need beer and Dad’s signature wings. I also need to be away from the house, but we’re not gonna talk about that, except to say that my “avoid Stacey Alderchuck” plan is back on. After whatever the fuck that was earlier, I need to reestablish gravity.
Dad’s finally home, but I haven’t seen him yet. I might be a grown man, but I’ve never wanted to run to Dad as badly as I do today. Bet he’s in his office already. Probably hasn’t even unpacked yet. He’s a workaholic and it’s so him to find out what he’s missed at the restaurant before he’s had the chance to shower.
I haven’t opened the door yet, but the music’s already loud from the outside. What’s going on? Opening the door, removing the only thing muffling the sound, it’s as loud as a nightclub.A crowd’s gathered around the bar, forcing me to push my way through.
