Page 64 of Riding Pine
Families are all buzzing, excited to greet their partners after a road trip, and the first time I did it, I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal. Until I noticed how much Lukas enjoyed it. No wonder hemauled me in the dressing room when I was still acting as mascot after his first return home.
The welcome-home thing is an experience, and while I didn’t quite understand it the first time, I do now. When he steps off the bus, he immediately searches for me, and once I’m found, he smiles, and there’s a hop to his step that I wonder if anyone else notices.
He keeps his arm around me or holds my hand the whole time. I’ve met most of his team now at the welcome-home moments after road trips, and thankfully, nobody asks why they don’t see me at the games. That Evans’ guy always stares at me like he knows me, and it’s borderline creepy, but when I mentioned a goal he scored was a beauty—something I heard from other players—he cracked a small smile and seemed to be better.
“Pine! I need to pick up that plant slip on the way home for the girlfriend. If I forget again, she won’t be happy.”
“Yeah, for sure. I should’ve asked Ben to bring it.”
Without a pit stop to the dressing room this time, Lukas enters my car, and I drive him home with Burnsy following behind us.
“You don’t mind if he stops in for a bit, do you?”
“Of course not.”
Lukas squeezes my thigh from the passenger seat. “I saved the last photo of you naked with my plants. You really know how to brighten a guy’s day.”
I squeeze his hand back. “I didn’t know you were losing that badly, but I’ll take the timing as a win.”
He leans his head back with a sigh. “You can’t go undefeated. It’s just not possible, but man, I hate losing now that I have a taste ofwinning again. We’re such a good team. There’s a greatness with this group. I can feel it every game, and it keeps growing.”
The team has been winning since the season started. At 15-3-1, they’re on top of the league, and when Lukas rattles off other stats I don’t understand, I smile and cheer when it seems appropriate.
I don’t know what all the numbers and acronyms mean. I just know they’re good, and that’s what matters. Especially since some of those numbers are the sales of Slappy merchandise and ticket sales. That’s what I pay attention to when Christine sends me biweekly reports. The trend looks good for Slappy.
“I’m happy for you, Lukas. It helps when you love your job.”
I pull into the parking lot of our building. It still feels weird to say it’s our place and not just his. After parking, Lukas leans over to kiss me. “One day we’ll drive to the rink together for work, and it’ll be even better.”
We linger in the car, sharing soft kisses until a tap sounds on the window.
“Oh, lovebirds! Can you take a break so I can get my plant, please?”
Lukas glares at his friend, but there’s no malice, and laughing, we both exit the car. Burnsy walks alongside us as we cross the parking lot. I shove my hands in my pockets as the winter wind picks up, and Lukas wraps his arm around my shoulders.
“Are you all moved in now, Ben?”
“Yeah, actually. I was waiting for Lukas for a few big things that need to move around, but it’s mostly done.”
Lukas smiles as he places a kiss on my cheek that makes me feel like a shaken bottle of champagne. “I like being your muscle. We’ll get it done.”
As we step off the elevator, Burnsy tells me how Lukas was an absolute beast on the ice last night. A Gordie Howe hat trick, whatever that is, and if it weren’t for Lukas, they likely would have lost Youngblood for the season.
“Lukas is a great player when we need protection, but don’t let his numbers fool you, Ben. They may be low, but he makes shit happen. He’s a great captain and a force on the ice. I’m honoured to play with him.”
Lukas nods at his teammate, suddenly at a loss for words as he opens the apartment door.
As Lukas gets the plant slip from the living room, Burnsy excuses himself to the bathroom.
“Do you want me to order in tonight, and we can just…I don’t know…reconnect?” Wrapping my arms around his waist, I let my fingers dance along the belt and zipper of his dress pants. He hums under his breath before turning to wrap his arms around me.
“I think that sounds like the perfect welcome home. Tomorrow we can take care of the heavy stuff you mentioned.”
My thumb brushes under his eye. A slight bruise is starting, but it’s not from a punch. It looks more like a scratch. “This game keeps hurting you.”
“You make it feel better though.” He kisses me again. “I still can’t believe you’re here every night.”
“I know. Me neither. I’ve never lived with someone I was sleeping with.”
