Chapter Thirty
Cole
Iwas miserable for the next couple of days.
Walking through the townhouse like I was in mourning.
Maybe I was. Maybe I was mourning what could have been with Reed.
For a second time. Feeling like this time, things weren’t going to work out.
Because if Reed didn’t trust me enough to let me in on his darkest secret, then he would ever trust me at all.
All I wanted was for him to let me in. Because I loved him.
I would do anything for him. Couldn’t Reed see that?
“Hey.” Wyatt nudged my arm. “You with us today? You need another day off? Or can you handle this? We don’t want to make things worse for you.”
I hadn’t even realized I had zoned out. It shouldn’t come as a surprise.
I did that at home, too. Oscar would wave a hand in front of my face or clap them together to get my attention.
He didn’t push me to talk about it. He had his own secrets.
The hickey on his neck was evidence of that.
I figured it was probably Tate. They had always flirted around that part of their relationship.
And I was happy for them. My uncle and my best friend.
But it hurt, too. Because the love of my life had been so close, and I let him get away. Again.
I plastered a smile on my face. “I’m fine.” Lie number one.
“Oh, yeah? How are things with Reed?” Wyatt grinned as he finished putting on his gear. He tilted his head as he waited for my answer.
I tried to smile, but I felt like I was going to come across as a serial killer. “Fine.” Lie number two.
“Mm, okay, sure.” Wyatt rolled his eyes.
“A little birdie told me that he slept at the hospital with you. But the way you’re acting now, it doesn’t seem like it worked out the way you had hoped.
” He leaned closer. “I’m here for you, Cole.
As your friend, not your captain. You can talk to me if you need to. ”
I assumed that little birdie was someone in the WAGs group. Dean was part of that group, too, but I didn’t think he would be spreading rumors. He wasn’t a big gossip, but if he had told Killian...
“How did you know that Seth and Noel were the ones? Did you fall in love instantly, or was it gradual? Like, over time you realized you were into both of them. That you wanted to spend the rest of your life with them.”
“That’s...Wow, that’s a lot to ask. I mean, Noel and I were friends first. It just sort of felt natural for us to fall in love, too.
Seth was another story. That took some convincing.
” Wyatt paused. “But he was the beautiful enigma I was fascinated by. He wasn’t shy about the fact he wanted to sleep with both Noel and me.
But that was all he had wanted in the beginning.
Seth was scared, though. Of giving himself to us.
He thought he wasn’t good enough. Which he was.
He was too good for us, if I’m being honest.”
My heart thumped against my chest. “How did you convince him that he was? That you loved him, too?”
“We didn’t convince him, Cole. We showed him. And we still do that every change we get.” Wyatt mussed up my hair. “Reed is here tonight, if that helps you at all.”
My eyes went wide. “He is?”
That had to be good, right? I hadn’t reached out to him after he left. I didn’t want to push him. I figured Reed would come to me when he was ready. Was that tonight? Had he come here to fix things between us. Or maybe he was going to end it once and for all before he went back to New York.
“This is a good thing,” Wyatt assured me. “He’s sitting in the VIP section again. With your dads. With the rest of the WAGs.” He smiled. “Reed is one of us now. We’re going to take good care of him.”
I stared at him. “You mean, you let him into the group chat?”
“That’s not up to me. That’s all Ezra. But he likes Reed. And Zach, too.”
“Zach was brought into the chat, too? I thought it was only for partners?”
Wyatt chuckled. “That’s something you’ll have to ask them about.
” He paused, then stood. “All right, everyone! Listen up!” Wyatt waited for the locker room to grow quiet.
“I want you all to go out there tonight and give it your best. I know we’re exhausted, we’re hurt, and we’re battered.
But we’re this fucking close to winning another Cup.
” He held his thumb half an inch from his index finger.
“I know you all want this as much as I do. It will be worth all the blood, sweat, and tears when you’re hoisting it above your head. Let’s go kick some ass!”
We all cheered while we knocked our sticks against the floor in solidarity. Wyatt winked at me before he headed out to the ice, and I followed right behind.
WE BEAT SEATTLE SIX to two. Wyatt scored a hat trick, and I was pretty sure I heard both of his husbands screaming from the crowd.
I couldn’t help but look up to where I knew Reed would be sitting with the WAGs.
With my dads. I wondered what he was thinking about while this happened.
Was he happy for me or was he hardly paying attention?
Maybe he was there just to be with his friends.
And that he would go home before I had a chance to talk to him again.
The thought made my stomach twist into knots.
“Are you coming out to celebrate?” Oscar surprised me with that question.
I grinned. “Are you?”
“Fuck off, Whitaker.” His ears burned pink as he ducked his head. “And yes. I am.”
I nodded. “Let’s go.”
The bar was packed solid with friends, family, and fans as we headed inside.
I couldn’t move without someone telling me congratulations.
Some asked for a selfie, others for an autograph, and I even had a couple of girls give me their phone numbers.
I didn’t want to be rude, but I wouldn’t use them.
They weren’t who I wanted. I looked around the bar, trying to find Reed, hoping he was somewhere in the crowd of people.
I nearly swallowed my own tongue when I saw Oscar kiss Tate, who was holding Zach’s hand. Okay, that was new.
“Well, shit,” I muttered. Guess he had a lot of things to fill me in on.
Dad found me first. His smile spread wide across his face as he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.
Then Dean told me how proud he was of me.
But it was the thin, blond man standing behind them who had all my attention.
Reed was here. He was here, and he was smiling at me; his honey-colored eyes filled with happiness.
Was he still mad at me for the way I yelled at him?
I owed him an apology. I had no right to get so upset.
“Hi.” Reed ducked his head as I stepped closer. “Great job out there tonight.”
I gripped his chin between my thumb and forefinger to force him to look at me. “Can I kiss you?”
Reed leaned forward and pressed his plump pink lips against mine. They tasted faintly like lemonade, and I wondered what he had been drinking. I slipped my arm around his waist and pulled him flush against me before he broke the kiss.
“I’m so glad you’re here, baby,” I whispered.
“Really?” Reed dug his teeth into his bottom lip. “I wasn’t sure—”
“I love you,” I said firmly. “And I shouldn’t have pried into things that weren’t any of my business.”
His dark eyes grew sad. “You only did it because you care about me.” Reed let out a slow breath. “I’m going to start seeing a therapist. About my eating disorder. And I think I might come home for a while. Get away from the city.”
“Home? Here? To North Carolina?” Was that because he wanted to be with me or because he was sick?
Reed nodded. “I need a break.” He reached for my hand and threaded our fingers together. “And I want to spend time with you. Try to make things work between us if you’re still willing.”
“Fuck yes.” I kissed him again. I couldn’t stop myself. Reed wanted to be with me. He was going to come home to me. “But what about ballet?”
He shrugged. “My mom wants to expand her studio. Open another one in Charlotte, and I might help her run them.”
“Baby.” I cupped his head between my palms. “That would...Are you sure? I thought you wanted to be a famous dancer. Like Brasincoff. What about your dreams?”
Reed leaned up to press his lips to mine again. “I don’t think I want that dream anymore.”
I crushed his body against mine. He was going to come home. He wanted to be with me. He—
“Are you sure?” I pulled back to search his face.
“My dreams have changed, Casanova. I want to be wherever you are. We have a lot of missed time to make up for.”
Tears stung my eyes. “You mean that?”
“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”
“Fuck, you’re going to make me cry.”
Reed chuckled softly, the sound music to my ears. “I hope they’re happy tears.”
“Yeah, baby, they are,” I assured him.
I held Reed tightly against me as I glanced around the room.
Dad jutted his chin at me from where he stood talking with Jackson and Maverick.
Dean was busy with Killian and Matthias, while Wyatt was with his husbands, Noel and Seth.
Ezra was talking in a rush, hands flying, to Carson.
I was surprised to see Asher and Saint in conversation with Oscar, while Tate stood giggling with Zach.
Even Watts and Holt Brooks were here in a rare outing.
“Will you come with me to watch Silas race on Sunday?” Reed murmured. “I mean, I know it’s a big ask. Everyone is going to see you and ask questions. They’ll want to know why you’re there, who I am to you, and if that’s going to make you uncomfortable, I completely understand. You can say no.”
I tried to swallow around the lump in my throat. I didn’t care what anyone thought about me being there. I just wanted to be with Reed.
“I’d love to.” We had Sunday off before we flew out to Seattle on Monday afternoon. “And if they ask me who you are to me, I’m going to tell them.”
“What is that exactly?” Reed gripped the back of my neck as he met my gaze.
I smiled, happiness filtering through my body. “The love of my life.”