Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
The microwave dings, and I pull the bowls out, then make us plates. I hand his over, and we go back outside.
“It’s all I could talk about all night. My parents were a little thrown simply because I’d never been so excited about something before. I asked if I could go watch again the next day, and they let me. On the third day, Dad was off—Mace isn’t my biological dad. I can’t remember if I told you that. But he’s the only father I’ve ever known. He was always good to me. So he had the day off, and though we didn’t have to go to the rink, he asked if I wanted to go watch the practice. I did, and afterward, he asked if I wanted to try and play.”
I pause for a moment, surprised I’m sharing all this. I haven’t thought about it in a long time.
“And you did?”
“I was stuck because I wanted to, but even though I was young, I understood that things like this cost money, and we didn’t have a lot of it. Mom had me when she was young, and my biological dad left us. Neither my mom nor Mace were college educated and didn’t have high-paying careers. Money was always tight, though much better after Mace came into the picture, but…I wanted it more than anything, and I knew—I know it sounds unbelievable—but I knew from that first moment that hockey is what I’m supposed to do. So I said yes. My parents were fucking great. They had to buy equipment, and I had to learn to skate, but I just…I can’t explain it. It felt right. And I was a natural. I caught on to everything right from the start. That’s the first time I ever remember feeling good at something.”
I feel Hayes looking at me, but I don’t lift my gaze to him. I’m not one to be embarrassed about much, but for whatever reason, I am right now.
“There you are,” Hayes says, and that strange statement makes me give him my attention.
“What do you mean?”
“The real you.”
I shift uncomfortably. “I’m not fake. Everything you see about me is real. People can be more than one thing.”
“True. I guess I’m talking about the serious you.”
“That makes more sense.” Still, I feel…weird. The thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever told that story the way I just did. So honest and open and not joking my way through it. “Does it help if I tell you that even the first time I put on a pair of skates, I showed all those other little fuckers up? I’m basically the greatest ever.”
He shakes his head but chuckles softly. “You and your family are close?” Hayes changes the subject.
“We are. My parents sacrificed a lot for me over the years, and Mace…he worked hard to give me all my dreams when my biological father didn’t care enough to stick around.” I pull out my cell phone and show him a photo of them. My mom has fair skin but dark hair like me. Mace is Black, his hair short with tight curls. “They’ll be out here later this week. Dad was diagnosed with MS a couple of years ago. He’s doing okay, but the cold winters don’t always agree with him, so they’re going to stay here for the next few months. I can’t wait.”
He frowns as if unsure how to respond.
“What? A tough hockey guy with great pecs isn’t allowed to love his parents?”
“Oh my God. I never should have let you know I like your pecs.”
“They like you too. It’s why they get so bouncy when you’re here.”
Hayes sobers as he pushes his broccoli around his plate. “This is weird, isn’t it?”
“The fact that we’re talking to each other like normal humans? No.”
“That we’re here together at all. You’re…you, and I’m…me.”
Jesus, what the fuck did this Malcolm guy do to Hayes? But really, I think whatever he’s feeling has happened over a lifetime, and Malcolm just made it worse. He took advantage of Hayes, and I fucking hate people who do shit like that.
“Still not weird. I like who you are, and we both know I like who I am. So now I like who we are together—not together, together, but you know what I mean.”
“Maybe I was really wondering why I’m the one here with you.” He cocks a brow like he’s proud of himself, though we both know that’s not what he meant.
“Oh, well, that’s not weird either. I have an excellent mouth and one-of-a-kind cock. That’s explanation enough.”
He stabs a piece of chicken with his fork and takes a bite, but I’m pretty sure he does it to hide his smile. Unlike him, I don’t even try.
We chat while we finish eating and then head inside to blow each other before Hayes leaves.