Chapter Eight
Aries
Apple pie was the best thing ever.
Well, apple pie and apple cider.
Okay, apple pie, apple cider, and sitting on Vin’s lap while he enjoyed his treats that his mama had insisted that he finish so food didn’t have to be thrown out.
Evan had a cleaning crew coming once they all returned home who would throw away any perishable foods and take down the decorations.
So that meant anything apple was going in Aries’s tummy before he went to bed.
No matter how much his belly was already starting to ache.
Nix groaned as he pushed the nearly empty pumpkin pie dish away. “I can’t do it.”
Evan rubbed Nix’s back. “You gave it a valiant effort.”
“But,” Nix whined. “It’ll get thrown away.”
“We still have breakfast, guys,” Gem pointed out.
Aries paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. Could he have pie for breakfast? He sent Vin a sneaking look, hoping that Vin was on the same page as him.
“I would rather you finish it for breakfast than eat any more tonight,” Vin said. “Just watching you makes me feel like I’m about to burst.”
Gratefully, Aries set his fork down. He was quite sure if he’d taken that bite, he would have thrown up.
His mama stood in the doorway of the kitchen with her hands on her hips. “It wouldn’t be a big deal if someone hadn’t ordered so much food.”
Nix groaned. “Mom! I was guesstimating.”
She harrumphed. “Next time, leave the ordering to me. I've been doing this for years. I know how much my boys eat.”
“But what about Evan and Vin? Do you know how much they eat?” Nix teased.
“I do now,” their mom replied with a smirk.
Nix rolled his eyes. “Okay, Mom. You can order the food next time.”
Laying his head back against Vin’s chest, Aries watched his family. Gem was looking at his phone more than Aries had ever seen before. Aries hadn’t thought much about Nix teasing their oldest brother, but something was definitely up with him.
Maybe Gem has started to see someone?
It couldn’t be a teammate. That was one rule that Gem had put into place for himself and tried to enforce with both Aries and Nix as well.
Aries might have been the first one to break that rule, but Nix never followed it.
Aries couldn’t help that he’d fallen in love with his Daddy. Vin was his person.
Nix and Evan falling for each other wasn’t really a surprise. Nix had zeroed in on Evan from the beginning. Aries knew his brother. When Nix wanted something, he put all his heart into it. Evan hadn’t stood a chance.
But Aries couldn’t see Gem breaking his own rule.
Even though he was the social one of the triplets, Gem’s dating history was spotty at best. Gem always told Aries that he had enough to worry about watching over him and Nix. Aries had never believed Gem’s words. He also didn’t think it was his business. It might be because Gem was extra kinky.
And yes, Aries was fully aware of Gem’s activities in the clubs and with subs. He might not have ever sought out a kinky relationship before Vin, but Aries wasn’t as innocent as everyone thought. He knew how to use the internet. Duh!
If Gem did find someone, it would have to be a sub.
Aries could see why he wasn’t ready to share that yet.
Nix was still moaning about eating too much as Evan babied him.
That was a dynamic that Aries couldn’t help but be curious about.
Nix had been extremely interested in going to the clubs with Gem so he could experience everything. Nix loved trying new things. Aries had seen a substantial change in his brother during this short holiday.
Aries had always followed along with Nix’s crazy ideas because he knew that Nix would never do anything to cause him harm. Okay, except for that one time in Hawaii when they fell off the cliff. Usually Nix just wanted Aries to be happy and have fun.
These last few days had shown Aries a different side of Nix. He was still fun but maybe less reckless. He wasn’t coming up with crazy schemes just for the hell of it. Evan seemed to be able to allow Nix to be himself and still be super excited about everything.
Aries had been nervous about how Nix and Evan’s relationship would affect his brother’s career.
There was no way that Evan would allow anything bad to happen to Nix or his career. Aries knew that as much as he knew that Vin loved him. Evan and Nix just worked together.
His mom rejoined them with a smile on her face.
“Thank you, boys, for making this a wonderful holiday,” she said as she sat down next to their dad. “I’m so happy to have spent this day with you.”
“I wish it could have been for longer,” Aries said. He was glad to have Vin. That didn’t mean that Aries didn’t miss his family.
“Once we get back, the games are going to be stacked,” Gem said. “We’ll have four to five games a week.”
“We only play each of you one more time before playoffs too,” Nix said.
Playoffs started in March. Aries was sure that the Vegas Vikings would be in the running for the Iron Cup this year.
They were currently sitting at the top of their division.
There was a good chance that Nix and Evan would also make the playoffs, since they were second in their own division.
The only question would be if Gem and his Boston Beans were able to pull off an upset.
They were in the middle of their division but had plenty of time to bring their stats up.
“Hawaii!” Aries announced loudly.
Nix snorted. “Really?”
“As soon as we win the Iron Cup, we can rent that same house again,” Aries said.
“You mean after you watch me and Evan win,” Nix said with a glare.
“Hey!” Gem barked. “Don’t count us out. Boston has a long history of making a comeback.”
“I’m sure you’ll try your very best,” Aries said sincerely.
Vin snorted a laugh as Gem scowled at him.
“What?” Aries asked. “I was being nice. I think Boston can turn it around. If they try hard.”
“You’re such a little shit,” Gem accused.
“Language!” their mom said.
Aries didn’t get it. He always rooted for his brothers. They just weren’t going to take the Iron Cup away from him. This was Vegas’s year. “So, Hawaii?”
Nix turned his head to look at Evan.
“As long as you promise to stay away from cliffs,” Evan said.
Aries giggled. They were never going to live that down.
“And I’m just relieved that I won’t have to watch the two troublemakers by myself,” Gem said.
“I want to invite Zany and Robbs. There were a couple of houses on that beach we could rent, right?”
“Yes,” Gem answered. “And if we book early, we’ll have our choice.”
“And you can invite some of your teammates too,” Aries offered.
“Lithis might like to go,” Nix said. He rubbed Evan’s arms. “Maybe the two of you can even find somewhere to fly?”
Evan nodded. “Lithis has a place up in the mountains he goes to. He’s invited me before. It might be nice to give Eirwen somewhere new to explore.”
Nix beamed.
“That’s a yes then?” Aries clapped his hands.
“I’ll start looking at houses when we get back,” Gem told them. “I’ll email the details.”
“And maybe you can bring your mysterious guy?” Nix taunted.
“Drop it, brat,” Gem ordered.
Nix held up his hands as he smirked. “I’m just saying…if it is a teammate—”
“It’s not a teammate,” Gem said quickly.
“But it is someone,” Nix said with glee.
Gem lurched out of his seat, but their stepdad caught his arm.
Gem glared, Nix cackled, and Aries had to remind himself that he missed this.
* * * * *
Gem
“Come step out back with me,” his dad said. “I want to check out this ice rink.”
Gem accepted his jacket from his stepdad and pulled it on. He wasn’t surprised that he was being called out. Gem knew better than allowing Nix to push his buttons. Nix was just trying to get a rise out of him since he hated not knowing something.
Following behind his stepfather, Gem shivered in the cold. He was getting more used to the cooler weather by being in Boston. But he still found it uncomfortable.
“This is amazing,” his dad said.
The ice rink that dragon Evan had made was truly magnificent.
He’d love to meet a dragon someday but wasn’t comfortable enough to ask yet. Maybe when they all went to Hawaii during the offseason. And Gem wasn’t kidding about having help keeping an eye on Aries and Nix.
“You know Nix just wants a reaction from you.”
“I know,” Gem admitted. “This time it’s different.”
“You have feelings for this guy?”
Gem laughed. “I’ve never even seen his face.” It felt good to get the confession off his chest.
His dad lifted a brow.
“We met at a club and wore masks. We’ve kept the masks even though we’ve only been able to communicate by video. He’s on the west coast,” Gem admitted.
“That can’t be easy.”
There was no censure in his dad’s tone. Gem huddled inside his jacket. He needed to talk about this. “There’s something about him,” Gem shared. “This connection that I’ve never felt before. I don’t need to know his name or what he looks like under the mask. Not when what we have is raw and real.”
“Then you work on it like any other relationship,” his dad advised. “You be there for him and let him be there for you.”
“I’m trying.” But when Nix had mentioned Ty being in Hawaii with them, Gem realized he really wanted that.
It would be over six months until they would be breaking for the offseason.
Gem didn’t doubt that he would still have interest in his boy.
He just didn’t know where their relationship would be at that point.
“You’ve never done anything the easy way or taken a short cut. Remember communication is key.”
“It’s hard to communicate when we have to hide so much,” Gem said.
His dad hummed. “Not if you’re talking about what’s truly important. Names don’t matter in the long run. Or your jobs. Share what you can and make sure you’re always honest.”
Gem could offer Ty more of himself. Maybe not about hockey but what he really wanted out of life. “That’s good advice.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” his dad teased. “To give my boys advice.”