Page 65 of Riding Pine
Lukas and I both have stupid matching grins. We’re total buffoons, and I’m pretty sure I’m in love with him, but Burnsy interrupts the moment, and our smiles immediately vanish.
“So…I suspected, but I couldn’t confirm it until I went into the bathroom and almost screamed when the head of Slappy the Beaver stared back at me. It’s you, isn’t it, Ben?”
My eyes close as I curse under my breath. I forgot I had left the suit hanging behind the bathroom door after I picked up the dry cleaning. I rushed out to get Lukas, and I didn’t think anyone would come over. Of all the times not to have it stored out of sight.
“Burnsy…” Lukas starts, and I place a hand on his arm.
“Yes, it’s me, and my contract says I can’t actually tell anyone. When I met Lukas, he didn’t know either.”
He leans against the wall, gaze pinging back and forth between me and Lukas. “You have to tell Coach. This could be a conflict of interest, Piney.”
Oh, that’s something I didn’t even think of. I was so focused on just being honest with Lukas and making this work, I didn’t consider that there might be other rules he’s breaking.
“I will. It’s just not been easy to bring it up.” Lukas runs a hand through his hair and pins his friend with a sad look. “You won’t say anything, will you?”
He shakes his head with a small smile. “No. I think it’s a dumb rule to begin with, and how could I deliberately ruin my captain’s happiness? Just promise me you’ll follow procedure and let him know.”
“I will. I just need…” Lukas swallows and stares at Burnsy. “I don’t want to lose everything. I finally have everything I wanted, and I should be able to be just as happy as the guys who don’t have partners involved with the team.”
“I hear you, man, and I agree. But don’t get caught. That will look even worse if you’re not upfront about it,” Burnsy sighs. “We’re winning, Lukas. Just…make sure you do this right.”
Easier said than done. We aren’t very good at that part.
Lukas passes him the plant and sees him to the door. They talk privately for a moment, and I pace the living room. Now two people know Lukas is laying wood with the team beaver, and it’s against not just my contract but maybe his, too. Dammit. I’ve moved in, and I’m falling for the guy. This has to work.
“Ben?” Lukas has his tie off and tosses his suit jacket on the couch while he unbuttons his shirt. “Do you still want Chinese?”
“Yeah. I’ll go pick it up, and you can unpack.” Grabbing my keys off the counter with my wallet, I press a kiss to his lips. “I’ll get the orange chicken you like. You find something to watch.”
He snags my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just need to think.”
“Not about leaving, though, right?”
His kind eyes say what his lips don’t.
“Don’t you know beavers are resourceful? I just got here, Lukas. I’m not going anywhere except to get us food and walk off my mood. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Lukas nods, and with my hand on the door, he calls out to me. Turning, I watch as he slips out of his shirt and flips his belt open.
“I’ll be waiting.”
The Chinese place is busy for a Wednesday, and I debate running up to the old-style candy shop on the corner of the block. Lick it Up always has these old-school cherry twists with the original flavour you can’t get anywhere else. It’s a comfort food of mine, and lord knows I need comfort.
While I’m debating if I need a bag of candy to go along with my Chinese food binge, a middle-aged man with the most amazing bluish-green eyes bumps into me as he steps into the corner of the restaurant to wait.
“I’m so sorry.” He smiles, and my eyes catch on the pin he wears on his coat. It’s an orange cat waving a rainbow flag, and it sets me at ease. So much so that I yap at him like he’s an old friend.
“No problem. I’ll assume you’re in just as much hurry to get home and binge on noodles as I am. There’s nothing like drowning worries in food, is there?”
The man smiles warmly and pulls out a chair at the tiny table in the back. He motions for me to join him. “Sometimes when things bother us, it’s good to talk to people we don’t know. I have time if you want to talk.”
His kindness and openness to listen to a complete stranger catch me off guard, but I admit I take his offer with more than a little relief.
“Thank you.” I sit in the chair opposite him and just go for it. “It’s… I mean…have you ever dated someone you shouldn’t and hid it?”
To my surprise, he laughs and grabs my hand. “Oh yes. I’m very…intimate with that situation.”
