Chapter 11 Silas #2
“You gotta understand, in those days, our high school team was something real special. Folks who lived out of state had heard of the Wood Hollow Hornets. We’ve still got a decent team, but Elmwood’s hockey program has become the belle of the ball.
We’ll get our mojo again. Never fear. I’ll tell ya, more kids are interested in football than ever, thanks to Dexter.
Well, they love flag football, but that’s okay.
The whole town is participating—kids, parents, grandparents.
That’s got to be a good thing,” Jed reported.
I agreed and as nicely as possible, slinked away to pay for my groceries, then schlepped them to the Jeep. The mention of Dexter and the vaguely alarming yet curious thought of bacon jalapeno donuts inspired a quick jaunt to Dexter’s Donuts.
And yeah, Dex remembered me too.
“Are you kidding? I have a mind like a steel trap,” Dex boasted, tapping his temple.
Listen, even if I’d been a hundred percent straight, I’d have ogled the donut guy.
Dexter was an extraordinarily good-looking man in his midthirties.
He was anyone’s standard for tall, dark, and handsome.
How anyone didn’t give off dweeb vibes in a pink tee with a donut logo and a frosting-and-sprinkle smattered apron was anyone’s guess.
Christ, and the asshole had dimples too.
I tore my gaze from all that hotness to scan the empty store with its black-and-white checkerboard flooring, marble countertops, and white subway tile behind glass display cases that had been depleted by the morning’s customers.
A few kitschy framed posters of cartoon donuts hung on the walls, and at the large window, there was a built-in bar area with four stools on either side of the door for those who couldn’t wait till they got home to enjoy their fritters or maple bars.
I braved another glance at the donut hottie and pointed at the specials on a cake plate under a glass dome. “I think bacon and jalapeno could be a lethal combo, but I’m willing to take one for the team.”
Dex threw his head back and laughed. “That’s big of you.”
“I’m a giver. Actually, I feel like living on the edge…make it two.”
He quirked a brow as he used a pair of tongs to place the donuts into a small pink box. He sealed it with a sticker and slid the box toward me. “On the house.”
“What? No. I can’t—”
“I insist. It’ll make it easier to ask a few probing questions, so truthfully, you’d be doing me a favor.”
Uh…was Dex the donut guy flirting with me too? I couldn’t tell. My gay radar was glitchy as hell and hot though he might be, I had a serious crush on my lumberjack neighbor.
I played it cool, though. “What kind of favor? If it has anything to do with taste-testing, I’m in. Otherwise…”
“That could be a component,” he replied cagily. “But it has to do with our flag football league.”
“Jed was just telling me about it. I heard you’ve got the whole town playing football.”
“Flag football,” he corrected, crossing his beefy arms and casually leaning against the counter.
“I love it. I played college ball at Michigan State and got my bell rung so hard that I lost partial vision in my right eye and started getting debilitating migraines. The doctors told the coaches my football career was done for. Broke my heart.”
“So you ran away from home to make donuts in the forest,” I quipped.
“As one does.” He snorted. “You’re not far off.
I originally took a job as an assistant to a college buddy who’s now the head coach at the high school.
I still volunteer there, but they don’t need me full-time and I needed a real job.
Now I make donuts and organize flag football leagues in the Four Forest area. ”
There were large pieces of his story missing, but it seemed rude to probe, and I had a trunkful of groceries in the Jeep. “That’s cool. And the favor?”
“I was wondering if you might be coerced into coming to a flag football practice. Our Spring League opener is next weekend and if you have any spare time, I know the kids and parents would love to meet you.”
“Of course.” No hesitation.
Dex beamed. “That would be amazing!”
He offered his hand and shook mine heartily, then unsealed the pink box and dumped two chocolates, two glazed, and a dozen donut holes in it while he launched into a spiel about health, fitness, and the importance of a good diet.
I didn’t bother pointing out the irony. It was sort of charming and very on brand for this place.
I exchanged contact info with Dex and waved good-bye, high on the spark of purpose. Football…with kids, teens, adults.
Yeah, Wood Hollow was a good idea.
“I met your aunt and uncle today.”
Cooper loosened his grip on my wrists, unpinning me from the wall in the foyer where we’d been cleaning each other’s tonsils, our spent cocks pressed between us. “That might be the worst post-BJ line ever.”
I chuckled, pulling my joggers and boxer briefs up. “Sorry. That was bad.”
He rezipped his jeans and pursed his lips in amusement. “You’re forgiven. And yes…I know. Aunt Rhona called and threatened to bring soup. Lucky you.”
“Well, she claimed to be a terrific cook, and…I’m easy.” I nudged his shoulder on my way to the great room. “Beer, wine, gin? Cheese, crackers, hot dogs? You name it, I bought it. What can I offer you?”
“Just beer is fine, thanks.” Cooper perched on a barstool in Val and Naomi’s kitchen. “So you braved the market today?”
“Yeah, I liked it better this time around. Less frantic, no snow. It was kinda fun.”
“Fun?”
“Well, I don’t do in-person grocery shopping at home. I have everything delivered. It’s easier than dealing with crowds and parking.”
He thanked me for the beer, clicking his bottle to mine. “What else did you do?”
“I went to Dexter’s and was bribed with a fuckton of donuts to show up at the Spring League opener next weekend.”
Cooper lifted a brow. “And what did you say?”
“Yes. Sounds like fun.” I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t think so?”
“Of course, I do. It’s a big event here.
Which means, it gets some press. A few of the hockey players from Elmwood and their kids are in the league.
They bring a media presence to promote the juniors’ hockey camp and we don’t mind ’cause we’re hosting and it’s good for business here. Plus…the mill sponsors.”
“So…lots of cameras.”
“Yep. If you were truly intending to hide here, the jig would probably be up. Reporters are usually more interested in the hockey players from Elmwood than us. You might change that…also good for the town. On the bright side, it’s only one afternoon, and the reporters usually hightail it out of here quickly or book a room at the Black Horse Inn. ”
“Hmm. I have to go to Boston soon. I could leave the next day and return once the reporters were long gone.” I gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“Geez, I’m making it sound like I’m some big fucking deal and I’m not.
I just…I don’t know. This has been a weird year and for some reason, I feel normal here.
I really like this place. I don’t want to ruin the vibe. ”
Cooper took a swig and set his bottle down. “And what vibe is that?”
That was a good question. “Community, I guess. I met a lot of people today, and they were all welcoming and nice. In LA, I could meet the same person five times at a mutual acquaintance’s party, and they might look right through me.
Unless I was useful somehow. Davey hadn’t seen me in two months and he remembered my name, for fuck’s sake. ”
“Well, Davey’s extra friendly.”
“I haven’t met anyone unfriendly.” I skirted the island and sat next to him. “Do you have any assholes here?”
Cooper barked a laugh. “I’d say that’s subjective, but most folks agree that the highest concentration of assholes live in Pinecrest.”
“They’re the idiots who show off their Gucci bags and eat caviar for breakfast, right?”
“And I’m sure they all have their groceries delivered too,” he deadpanned.
“Sick burn, Coop.” I chuckled at his annoyed huff and couldn’t help thinking this felt so…easy. “Dexter’s extra friendly too. Is he…queer?”
“Why? Did you want his number?”
“He gave it to me. But don’t worry, I’m in my lumberjack era.”
Cooper rolled his eyes. “He’s bi.”
“And you know that ’cause…oooh! You and the donut guy? I’m jealous and turned-on at the same time and—”
“Keep your dick in your pants, ya perv. No, there’s never been anything between me and Dexter. And that’s the end of this discussion.”
I slid my foot along his calf. “Whoa. Dad mode kinda turns me on.”
“You’re a sick fucker, Anderson.”
“And a horny one.” I slouched on the stool and cupped my bulge. “Look at what you do to me. If your kids are coming tomorrow, I think you’re gonna need to do something about this.”
“Oh, I will.” Cooper covered my hand and squeezed.
I lowered my joggers and boxer briefs. “Be nice or I’ll tell on you. Remember, I’ve met your family now. And not to brag, but I think they like me.”
“They like everybody.”
“I want to be offended, but I can see it. How about your parents?”
“They’ve been gone for years. Dad died when I was twelve, and Mom passed away soon after I’d left for college.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.” The elastic band of my boxer briefs snapped over my cock, abruptly ending any attempt at sexiness.
“Me too,” he said simply. “Rhona is Mom’s older sister. We moved to Wood Hollow to be closer to her and Uncle Harry. My mom struggled without Dad, and I think we all needed a new start.”
“Oh. Right. That makes sense. Uh…do you have any siblings?”
“One older sister. Elle lives in Maine with her family.” He stood, squeezing my shoulder on his way to the fridge. “I see her once or twice a year. We’re close without being in each other’s pockets if you know what I mean. How about you?”
“I’m the middle child. My older brother lives in Kansas, my younger one is in Utah.
Dad stayed in Oakland, and my mom remarried and moved to Idaho.
I definitely wouldn’t call us close. It’s too bad.
I think the divorce kind of ruined us. All the happy times got washed away, and all anyone remembers now are the sucky times where they fought like cats and dogs with no fucking filter. Sometimes I think…”
“What?” Cooper prodded, a package of chicken in hand.
“I think I jumped into marriage to prove I could do it better than they did,” I admitted, hopping off my stool to help organize dinner.
“Alli’s an amazing woman. She’s beautiful, funny, kind, and smart.
We were friends first, and everyone said marrying a friend would be a recipe for success. Not so much.”
I drizzled lemon on the chicken while Cooper chopped veggies.
“How long were you married?”
“Three years. It was great at first, and then…it fell apart.” I added salt and pepper.
“Depression, frustration, lack of communication. Time passes, and next thing you know you haven’t had sex in a month or two and you don’t even really care.
And no one’s smiling anymore or having fun.
You’re proud of yourselves for minor wins, like not screaming at each other and taking the low road. It sucked.”
“Yet you’re still friends.”
“Yeah, we are. I wish things had ended differently, but I’ve stopped blaming myself for it. You can have all the right stuff and still be missing that extra something you need to make it in the long run. I hope she finds it.”
Cooper left his knife on the cutting board and draped an arm across my shoulder. “You’re a good man, Silas.”
He kissed my cheek and sidled by me, asking about quinoa or some shit while I blinked stardust from my eyes, wondering why I felt ten feet tall around him.
A good man. Me?
I wasn’t sure that was true, but I wanted to be…for him.