Chapter 28 #2
“I don’t even want to imagine how far down the rabbit hole I’d have gone,” he was saying, “and how much I’d have destroyed my life, my career, and my body if Peyton Hall hadn’t been incredibly persistent. I owe him more than I can ever repay.”
My breath lodged in my throat. Fuck. I didn’t think… Holy shit.
Before I could even get my thoughts in order, Eminem reeled me in tight and slapped me on the back. “We all owe you, man.”
“No, you don’t.”
“We do.” He pulled back and put his hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eye. “You saw something we didn’t. We all knew he was in bad shape, but whatever you did—he’s getting help.” His voice actually wavered a little as he added, “We’re gonna have Calds back because of you.”
“He’s right.” Baddy looked at me with the most serious expression I’d ever seen on him. “This could’ve gotten real bad if it wasn’t for you.”
I could barely breathe, but I managed, “I’m just glad he’ll be okay.”
“He will.” Baddy clapped my shoulder. “And we all owe you for that.”
They didn’t, but I didn’t argue. I couldn’t. Not when I was getting this choked up.
It didn’t matter who or why.
The bottom line was that Avery was going to be okay.
Avery came down to the locker room after the game, and he was going to need to dry clean that suit after being crushed in hugs from everyone in sweaty gear.
He didn’t seem to mind. He was smiling more easily now; I hadn’t even realized how much tension he’d been carrying in his neck and shoulders until it had relaxed.
How much have you been piling on yourself, Avery?
And now I was going to be gone for a few days? Shit. I trusted him to take care of himself, especially now, but I’d still worry myself senseless if I couldn’t see him or talk to him.
Who was I kidding? I’d worry, but I’d also miss him like crazy. I wasn’t even gone yet and I already missed him.
I’ve lost my damned mind, haven’t I?
Probably, yeah.
I finished showering and getting dressed, and I ate with Avery, Baddy, Eminem, and some of the other guys. Then Coach was shooing everyone toward the bus so we could head to the airport.
I admittedly dawdled a little. Though I was usually one of the first on the bus because I was always afraid of missing it—lesson learned in my youth days—I hung back, and I was rewarded with Avery walking out beside me in an otherwise deserted hallway.
Near the door to the parking lot, we stopped. I had no idea what to say. The urge to wrap him up in a hug was almost irresistible, but I held back.
Finally, I said, “By the way, that was a great interview.”
Avery laughed as he slid his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. I didn’t realize they were going to play it during the game.” He snorted and added, “Not that anyone heard it.”
“Eh, not when it was played on the Jumbotron, no, but I bet half the stadium downloaded it so they could hear it.”
“Oh God,” he groaned. “I don’t even remember half of what I said.”
I chuckled. Interviews could be like that sometimes—the camera and microphone were still intimidating after all this time, and more often than not, I’d walk away from an interview wondering what I’d actually said. Or, as much as I hated to admit it, cringing because goddammit, I really said that?
“The interview was fine,” I told him. “Trust me.”
“I hope so,” he whispered.
“It was. And I’m also I’m not surprised everyone went nuts when they saw you.”
Avery’s laugh was silent but genuine. “I was surprised!”
“Not me. Not at all.”
“Yeah, well. Either way, thanks for making me come tonight.” As soon as the words were out, he winced, and color bloomed in his cheeks. “For fuck’s sake. Thanks for getting me to come to the game.”
I snorted. “Yeah, I figured that was what you meant.”
He facepalmed and groaned. “Open mouth, insert skate.”
You can open mouth, insert something else if you want.
I cleared my throat as some heat rose in my own cheeks. “It’s all good.” I sighed. “Too bad you won’t be able to come to the next few.”
Avery frowned. “Yeah, I know. How long is the road trip again?”
“Four games,” I said. “I… can’t remember how many nights. You know how it is—they all kind of bleed together.”
“Yeah.” He laughed. “They kind of do.” He locked eyes with me, and then, to my surprise, he wrapped me up in a tight hug. “Kick some ass out there for me, eh?”
I laughed, closing my eyes as I returned his embrace. “I will. I promise.” As I let him go, I added, “You can text me any time, you know. Or FaceTime if you need it.”
He studied me as if he wasn’t sure he’d understood me, or if he worried I didn’t mean it.
“Seriously,” I insisted. “I can’t always be on my phone because…” I gestured around.
“No, no, I know.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “Trust me. I get it. You need to focus on hockey.”
“Not 24/7, though. So… if you want to chat…”
God, that man’s smile was going to be the actual death of me.
“I might take you up on that,” he said softly. “But either way, I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Yeah. See you in a few days.”
Our eyes locked, and my pulse ticked up. The impulse to step in and kiss him was almost overpowering.
Not here, though. Not now.
“If there’s something here,” I’d told him, gesturing at each of us, “it’ll keep, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
Trust my own words to come back and remind me to settle down.
We’d get there. Avery still had a big hill to climb, and anyway, if we gave in to that kiss right now, we’d just have the whole damn road trip to lose our minds over being apart.
I wasn’t sure either of us would get through that in one piece.
So I just hugged him again. “I’ll see you soon.”
“You will. Now go get on the damn bus before they leave with out you.” He gave me a playful shove. “I’m not driving your ass to the airport.”
I laughed and let him go. “You’re such a dick.”
He shrugged unrepentantly. “You knew what this was.”
Yeah, I did. And damn, it was good to see his snarky side coming out again.
I was going to miss that over the next few days.