Page 28 of Wrap Around
"My husband," Ives answers quickly, cutting Landon off before he can make any guesses. His voice is steady, but cautious, like he's expecting blow-back from his teammates. His eyes dart nervously around the table, and I notice that he looks over at Gideon more than once. Like he might be afraid of Gideon's response the most, perhaps because Gideon's back has gone ramrod straight and the color has drained from his face. "Phillipe is my husband," he repeats, as if for clarity. "We have been married for almost eight years."
Silence falls over the table. Ives flicks another quick, nervous glance at Gideon.
"I know many are religious and feel uncomfortable."
"Not in this house," Lily says firmly. "In this house, God loves everyone exactly how He made 'em." She reaches over to take my hand and squeezes it, sending me a silent show of love andsupport while also comforting Ives. "Isn't that right?" she asks me and then looks at her brother pointedly.
"Of course," I agree, reaching out my free hand to pat Ives on the shoulder. "You're all good here, man."
Ives blinks fast, like he's not sure he believes us. Or maybe he's still waiting for judgement from his other three teammates who haven't spoken up yet. "I don't always know where it is safe to talk about my family. I don't want to offend anyone."
"Anyone who's offended by who you love is a fucking idiot," Landon says, then cuts a look at Addy and winces. "Sorry," he whispers, then turns back to Ives with a scowl. "What I'm offended about is that you didn't feel you could tell me. We've been playing together for years. You're more than a teammate to me, you're like a brother."
"Yeah, man," Valdez agrees. "We're not all like that."
"I appreciate that," Ives says, relaxing a bit, although he still doesn't seem sure about the large defenseman staring at him from across the table. If I was sure I wouldn't hit someone else by accident, I'd kick Gideon in the shins. Right now, he and I are the only ones at this table that know he isn't judging our teammate. He needs to speak up or calm the fuck down. "And I didn't mean to offend. It's just… how many openly gay players do you know in this sport? I can never be too safe. So we keep our relationship quiet."
"For eight years?" Lily exclaims sadly, then gives Ives a funny look. "I know me and Silas were young when we got married, but you must've been a baby!"
Ives laughs. "I am twenty-six, although I appreciate that you thought I was younger. We were married just after I turned eighteen. It was my version of teenage rebellion."
Everyone laughs, and I finally catch Gideon’s eye. I give him a pointed look, trying to send him telepathic signals to calm the hell down. It's not as if anyone has figured out his secret. He looks away from me, staring down at his plate like it might have answers. His posture is tense, and I'm worried he's giving the wrong impression, especially when the laughter tapers off and the tension hangs in the air.
It's time to pivot this conversation, and fast.
I clear my throat. "Speaking of love lives," I say, shooting a look at Landon. "When's the last time you convinced a woman to stick around longer than a weekend?"
Valdez howls with laughter. "You gotta stop going after them puck bunnies, my friend."
Landon groans dramatically and throws his napkin at Valdez. "It's not my fault!" he insists. "I need someone who understands the hockey lifestyle."
"Maybe the problem is that you only date women who like the idea of a hockey player, not the reality," Ives interjects, grinning.
"That's rich coming from the guy who's been married since he could drive," Landon grumbles good-naturedly.
Valdez smirks. "Don't hate the player, hate the game, bro."
The table dissolves into more laughter, the heavy cloud lifting a little. Even Gideon cracks a faint, tired smile.
Ives, Landon, and Valdez help clear the table, and then leave after Landon and Valdez have helped finish another bottle of wine. Ives is driving them home, thankfully.
Gideon has also had too much to drive home, but Lily has already made up the guest room for him and he agreed to stay.
After everyone is gone, Lily takes a very sleepy Adaline upstairs for a bath and bedtime. The house suddenly feels too quiet.
Gideon and I wash whatever dishes didn't fit in the dishwasher, pretending neither of us notices the awkward silence. The large kitchen feels too small, too charged with the palpable tension between us. When the last serving tray is clean, I pass it to him, risking a glance at his face. It's tight, strained, and paler than usual.
"You alright?" I ask, keeping my voice low and careful.
He shrugs, setting the dish a little too hard on the drying rack. "Why wouldn't I be?"
I lick my lips, debating if I should say anything. Screw it. I'll blame the two glasses of wine I had.
"How do you feel about Ives?"About his husband. About not being the only one. About how our teammates took it in stride.
Gideon stiffens like I've accused him of something.
"Why would I care?" he says sharply.
