Page 37 of Role Model

“Making GIFs from the last game.”

“How do you even make those? I’ve always wondered.”

Harris gave him a curious look, like he thought this might be a trap. “You want me to show you? It’s pretty easy.”

“Yeah.”

So Troy watched Harris make GIFs out of video footage of the last game. And then some from video Harris had taken during that day’s practice. He didn’t retain any of the process of making GIFs, but he did enjoy listening to Harris’s cheerful, warm voice, and watching his green eyes dance whenever he looked at Troy. He knew Harris probably didn’t actually smell like apples, but he couldn’t get the idea out of his head. He swore he smelled apples whenever he was close to the man.

“Um,” Harris said, “I posted a photo of you earlier that has gotten a lot of likes.”

“From practice?”

“From before. Here, I’ll show you.”

Harris held out his phone, and Troy saw a photo of himself in the locker room, crouched down and smiling at Chiron.

“Oh,” he said, because he hadn’t seen many pictures of himself smiling like that. He couldn’t believe he was able to smile like that these days. “People just like the puppy. Anyone can get likes with a cute puppy.”

“That’s not what the comments say.”

“Don’t tell me what the comments say.”

“Okay,” Harris said. Then he bit his lip, and Troy could tell it was killing him not to read them.

“I’m serious.”

“Fine. I won’t tell you that everyone thinks you’re adorable and sexy.”

Troy huffed. “I doubt it.”

“I can read them if you—”

“No. That’s okay.” Troy felt his cheeks heat, and he ducked his head to hide it. “Adorable, huh?”

“Yup.”

Troy was sure he’d never been called adorable in his life. He absently rubbed Chiron’s belly, and wondered if Harris thought he was adorable. Or sexy.

For a few minutes, Harris worked while Troy kept his attention on the puppy in his lap. Then Harris swiveled in his desk chair and said, carefully, “How have things been going?”

Troy exhaled harder than he’d meant to. It startled Chiron. “You’ve seen the games. I’m playing like shit.”

Harris looked like he wanted to argue, but obviously he couldn’t. “Is there a reason? I mean, sorry. That’s a really personal question. But I’m a good listener, if you want to talk.”

Troy wasn’t sure what to say. He hadn’t come here to talk. Not really. He liked being near Harris, that was all. He was a calming presence. Something nice to distract Troy from all the shitty things in his life. And he didn’t want to think about the shitty things right now.

“Or,” Harris said with a shy smile, “you’re welcome to stay here and cuddle Chiron while I quietly do my work.”

It was staggering how Harris had just casually offered Troy exactly what he needed. Troy managed a slight smile. “Do you do anything quietly?”

Harris laughed—loudly, of course. “I’ll try.”

Harris found it distracting, having Troy Barrett in his office. It was hard to get any work done when one of the most beautiful men in the NHL was snuggling a puppy a few feet away.

Why was Troy Barrett in his office? Something was on his mind, obviously. And he clearly had no interest in talking about it. Maybe it was nothing more than the stress of being traded, of not being able to play at his usual level. Maybe it was the Dallas Kent stuff. Had Troy talked to anyone about that? Like, really talked?

Whatever was bothering him, it still didn’t explain why he’d brought Harris another coffee. Why he was here at all.

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