Page 69 of Cherry Picking
As much as I like to joke about the only other serious relationships I’ve been in being dumpster fires, they sure did a damn good job of leaving their mark.
I might be a little insecure and needy, but there haven’t been any complaints so far.
“Riley isn’t Ethan.”
“Ethan who broke up with you in the team locker room with a dick in your mouth because he found a woman he liked more?”
“He doesn’t even play anymore, and the puck bunny left him. So, I’m still winning.”
Locke laughs and shakes his head. “Didn’t know it was a competition. I’m just saying. I know I’ve been hard on you, and I know that you’ve been hiding this insecurity from Riley. It all builds up. I’m proud of you for giving him space, but don’t forget to take care of yourself, too.”
I shift on my feet and dart my eyes around the room, which only makes Locke laugh more.
“Speaking of self care, how is Camry doing?”
Thankful for the brief reprieve, I let out a sigh and shake the tension out of my shoulders. “She’s alright, I think. Picked up drumming from one of her housemates and swears she’s going to drive Dad nuts around the holidays.”
“I bet she’s ecstatic about it.”
“Get hell, give hell is basically the Foster Family Motto.”
“Are you prepared for your share of hell when she finds out you’re spending those holidays with Riley?”
I cross my arms and bite down on my lip. “I told her a little while back, and she made me promise to run phone call interference. Even if I’m ‘flat on my back taking it up the ass’ I’m required to answer her calls.”
Locke snorts, and I whack him with the rag again before he yanks it out of my grasp. “That’s fair. Do you think your dad will behave?”
My eyes hurt from how hard I roll them. “Get hell, give hell, remember? It’ll be a bloodbath, and I’ll come home early to bleach the place up.”
Cutting my four day plan to huddle up in Riley’s Colorado home for a winter staycation down to three is enough to make me curse my dad out long and harshly in my head, but it wouldn’t do any good in person anyway.
He can’t even be bothered to come out to any of the games an hour away from his own house.
“Maybe you could convince Riley to go back with you. Three birds with one stone?”
“Three?”
Locke counts off the points on his fingers. “One, you fulfill your promise to your sister. Two, you get backup in the form of your big, bad defensemen. Three,” he stops to give me a pointed stare, “you get to introduce your family to your boyfriend. And vice versa. Four birds, then?”
That is only a mildly nauseating thought. Camry would be head over heels to butt into my love life. Dad on the other hand …
He accepts the gay thing as long as it doesn’t interfere with my work, but he’s never been one to hide his distaste for my out and proud status.
“I’ll ask him about it. Maybe after a blowjob when he’s nice and relaxed.”
Not that Riley has ever given me much pushback when I ask for something. Other than the whole coming out thing, Riley is weak for giving me what I want.
Not that I feel comfortable asking him for anything after the last twenty-four hours. Coming out to the team was a huge step—a request I’ve made countless times, and now that it’s happened, I can’t help but feel like I pushed too hard.
I needed this.
I need Riley.
Why does my chest hurt like I’ve lost something instead of gained it?
2:45PM
This is a last ditch, paranoid effort.
