Page 123 of Finding the Forward: Part One
“Of course. Grif? AJ?” Dean asked, hopping off his stool.
“We’re good,” AJ replied, putting an arm around me.
“Can I have a beer? Promise I’m legal,” Dare replied, not taking a seat.
The three of them left. Dare stood there, staring at me.
“My sister’s dating Grif Graf. Fuck. There’s a shrine to you in one of the practice rooms at BosTec,” Dare told me, voice hushed.
“There is?” AJ eyed me.
I’d heard about it but hadn’t seen it. Also, I didn’t talk a lot about my non-hockey time at BosTec.
“Is that where you go?” I knew he attended university in Boston and studied music.
“I do. You’reGriffin the Music Magician. You set the record for playing piano for the longest amount of time without taking a break during the music-a-thon. In orchestra we’re playing a piece you wrote. Can I take a selfie?” He beamed.
“Um, sure?” I took a selfie with the young alpha who smelled like a sea storm.
“Griffin the Music Magician?” AJ smirked and toasted me with his beer. “I knew you studied music, but what? You compose?”
“I wrote them for class. That was back when my backup plan for hockey was to conduct the Boston Symphony.” My smile went wry.
“Airplane Guy. Sweatshirt Guy. Tall, Blue, and Dangerous.” Dare peered at AJ. “So, you must be Cow Boy.”
“Yes.” AJ nodded.
“You’re a music major? I was a piano performance major with a conducting minor.” I took another pull from my beer. Those were the days. The thrill of conducting an orchestra was as great as being on the ice.
People who got interested in my time at BosTec always made me uncomfortable. I only got in because I could handle a stick and Dean’s dad was on the board. Dean, however, had earned his place with top grades. Mine had been decent, but Dean and I were in every class together in prep school so he could help me.
“I’m cello performance. Parents were so fucking pissed that I got into a top science school and chose to major in music. I’m wasting my future and will amount to nothing.” His phone rang, and he checked it. “It’s my boy, gotta answer.” Dare stood and left the table.
Yep. Their parents were fucking assholes. Most of my music classmates had gone on to do great things–or at least made a living.
“I forgot that you once wanted to conduct an orchestra,” AJ said as we sat alone at the table.
“Given I didn’t even finish my degree, it made no sense to still have those goals. Also, I’m a shit composer.” I still wrote music for fun once in a while. Sometimes I missed the way composing and conducting made me feel.
“I’m sure you’re not a shit composer. I haven’t heard you play piano in ages. Maybe we should get a piano for the living room? Next day you have off we can go to a showroom and try some out?” he offered, stroking my arm.
“I’d like that. I don’t need anything fancy. One we could stick in the corner would be fine.” Now that I was all moved in, I kept meaning to bring it up. I missed playing. Back when I was with the Hurricanes, my apartment building had one in the rec room. It was a good way to unwind.
“Wait.” AJ sucked in a breath. “That’s why there are music notes with your Griffin tattoo. I never made the connection.”
“Yep. I got it after I’d won a big competition.” Time to change the subject. “How’d things go with Verity tonight?”
“Fine. You’re right, I don’t hate her.We fixed her investments and watched the game. Janessa loves her. They were trading recipes and book recommendations.”
I’d seen that. At one point, Verity had been holding one of the Royce kids and it wasadorable.
One day.
“You failed to tell me she’s related to Spencer Thanukos?” His eyebrows rose.
“How do you think we met him in Glitter City? They were all there with Verity to watch Mercy play in the big all-rookie match.” I took another sip.
“Oh. That makes sense. While I’d go up to a random table and chat him up, you three aren’t the type.” He took a drink of beer. “Verity’s shoes aren’t cutting it with the ice and snow. She needs something with a better grip so she doesn’t hurt her leg further. Also, they don’t work with most of her outfits.”
