Chapter 31 - Tanner
TANNER
“Iknew that Third Eye Blind CD was a lucky charm,” Hank says in the locker room before our next game. “You guys…just beautiful.”
Usually celebration happens after a game when we win, but my teammates are in a celebratory mood already. Des and I told them the good news. We’re in love.
Have you ever seen big hockey players get schmoopy? It’s a very weird sight.
“If you guys decide to have a proper wedding, the Stone’s Throw Tavern is always open to you,” Mitch says.
Griffin throws an arm around both me and Des.
“I’m not one to get choked up like Hank, but I think this union is a wonderful thing.
Tanner, we’re so happy you found love after experiencing a devastating loss.
And Des, seeing you become a father to those kids—seeing you actively wanting to be around kids—is beautiful. ”
“Des also experienced a devastating loss, too,” Derek cracks in the corner as he pulls on his padded pants. He points down to his crotch.
Des flips him the bird. I put my hand over his chest, signaling that I have this.
“I assure you that there is no loss in that department,” I say. That’s about as close to trash talking as I get.
Des gets dressed in his hockey pads. He keeps looking up and smiling at me every few seconds, like he’s checking that I’m still here.
“You look very sexy in your hockey gear,” he says to me under his breath.
“Funny. I was going to say the same thing myself.”
We share a look that makes the whole locker room melt away. Des really does look hot in his uniform. It makes him tougher, stronger. Yet his hair is perfectly coiffed. The debonair man and the hockey goon. Two sides to the man I love.
Bill claps his hands between us, breaking up this moment. “We’re very happy for the both of you, but we need to establish some ground rules.”
“Lighten up, Bill,” Derek says. “It’s cute.”
“Yeah, I thought now that you have a boyfriend, you’d be more of a romantic.” Griffin laces up his skates.
“What’s more romantic than banging your assistant?” Hank jokes and puts his hands up as a shield, seeming to predict Bill’s response.
“Hank, for the final, final, final time, I wasn’t banging my assistant. Tate stopped working for me before we started dating.” Bill stays calm, as if talking to his child, but the vein pulsing in his neck is a warning that he’s always close to snapping.
“I think technically he was still working for you when you guys…” Hank wiggles his eyebrows.
Bill is not one to talk about his private life, but when he and Tate were snowed in during a work trip last winter, apparently things happened.
In his new romance high, he divulged the whole thing to us.
The night in a Chicago hotel room that sounded so hot my ears almost burned off listening to his retelling.
It was one of the only times Bill gossiped about himself.
Yet Bill is not in a gossipy mood currently. He turns his attention back to Des and me.
“I said I’m happy for the both of you. As we all know, this wasn’t exactly a surprise.” Bill arches an eyebrow.
“I think I take offense to that,” Des says.
“But we’re laying down some ground rules so that this relationship doesn’t interfere with what’s most important: winning.
” Bill paces in a circle so we can all hear.
He’s naturally inclined to these types of speeches.
His jaw remains tense. “Number one, in this locker room, you guys are teammates, not husbands. Any marital drama…you leave that in the parking lot.”
I don’t see us having big fights. In thirty years of friendships, we’ve never had a blowup. But I nod that I understand.
“Got it. Compartmentalize or die,” Des says.
“What’s rule number two?” I ask, trying to be peacemaker.
“I think all of these rules are number two,” Des whispers to me. I fight the urge to crack up.
Bill shoots daggers at him. “Rule number two. No PDA.”
“The fuck?” Des shouts back. “Is this a hockey team or a nunnery?”
“Again, once you enter this locker room, you are teammates, not husbands,” Bill explains.
“Do you think we’re going to have sex in front of everyone?” I ask.
Griffin seesaws his head. “I wouldn’t put it past Des.”
“Griffdog, don’t make me gouge out your other eye,” Des says.
“Look, I don’t think it’s going to happen, but I want to address any potential conflicts before they arise.
This way, we’re all on the same page. Rule number three, no calling each other romantic pet names when we’re playing.
We will use our hockey nicknames on the ice.
We don’t want to mess up our good juju,” Bill says.
I open my mouth to object, but he has a point. I can’t imagine calling Des sweetheart in the middle of a play.
Hank raises his hand. “Rule number four, Bill is banned from talking for the rest of the game.”
“I second that,” Griffin says.
“Third,” says Derek.
“This is mutiny,” Bill says.
Des gets up and throws his arm around Bill.
“Billy boy, don’t worry. We will abide by all of your rules.
We’re here to play hockey and win. But I promise that if Tanner and I accidentally have locker room sex in front of our teammates, we’ll make sure to call out your name when we climax.
” Des pulls Bill to him and kisses his head.
Bill looks like he wants to vomit, although I have this sneaking suspicion that he and Tate have probably gotten it on in this very locker room.
We put on our helmets and charge out of the locker room. Des tugs me back by the jersey. He whips off my helmet and pulls me into a kiss that sets off fireworks in my chest.
“See you on the ice, husband,” he growls between us.
“Love you.”
Bill clears his throat behind us. Yet even he has the tiniest bit of a smile on his lips.
“That wasn’t what it looked like. I was giving him preventive CPR,” Des explains.