Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
RONAN
Oh my God, I couldn’t believe he did that. I stared at Evan, beaming at me with such admiration. He obviously trusted these two. “I guess that makes me Rosalie.” I snickered.
Lucas pointed at Evan. “That’s why you didn’t want to talk to those puck bunnies at the bar in San Jose.”
Wait, what? Heat pricked my chest. Oh yes, he’d told me about that. I pushed potatoes around on my plate.
“Yep.” Evan squeezed my hand. “And it was Ronan I was talking to in the stairwell.”
He was doing it, coming out for me. But how far would this go? I snuck a peek at him, grinning from ear to ear at his friends. I didn’t want to interrupt.
With his brows lowered, Lucas said, “Have you ever been with a guy before?”
“Nope. Just like you, I needed to meet the right guy to accept this part of myself.” He sighed, freed my hand, and dropped into his chair.
“I wasn’t lying to you when we lived together.
” He clenched his jaw for a beat. “I only allowed myself to date women.” He choked on a laugh.
“Hell, I don’t think I’m attracted to athletic types, but like you, guys like Ezra and Ronan are more my style. ”
Ezra’s brows shot up. “You think I’m attractive, Evan?” He threw a glance my way.
“Don’t be looking at my fiancé, dude.” Lucas wrapped an arm around Ezra’s shoulders.
“And don’t be looking at my…” With a quick swallow, Evan flicked a glance at me. “Uh, date.”
What had he almost said? Boyfriend? If he came out to his friends for me, our relationship was more than just dating. But was I ready to say he was my boyfriend? I drank my bourbon. It was a conversation for later, and I needed to think more about it. But hell, I was falling for him.
Lucas barked out a laugh. “Anyway, I’m happy for you, man.” Shaking his head, he cut into his salmon with his fork.
“Welcome to the crazy hockey family, Ronan.” Ezra gave me a warm grin. “I’m sure all the guys will be happy to bring you into our circle.”
This was getting serious. “Yeah?” I sipped bourbon while my gut tensed. I had to call Lily tomorrow.
“Uh, guys, let’s not take this back to the team, okay?” Evan worried his lower lip. “You’re the only ones privy to this secret, and for now it needs to stay that way.”
“Why?” Lucas’s brows drew together.
“Because I want nothing hindering a permanent position with the team.” Evan scowled. “Look, I realize a bunch of you guys are out, but—”
“Our situation might be harder for us because I’m in such a popular band.” I had to help him out here. But things were suddenly moving so fast. “I haven’t told our manager yet.”
“Oh, yeah.” Lucas pursed his lips. “I could see how it’s different from the other guys.
Word getting out could land you both on tabloid covers.
Fuck.” He rubbed his chin. “And being in the playoffs, the team doesn’t need a distraction like that.
” He peered at Evan. “You don’t need a distraction like that.
We need you to be in top shape if they trade Benson. ”
Evan’s brows lifted, and his mouth flattened. “Exactly.”
Nodding, Lucas said, “Don’t worry, we’ll keep this under wraps for as long as you need.”
“Thank you, Lucas. I appreciate that.” Evan blew a long breath. “Hell, it’ll be great to have someone who understands what it’s like.” His gaze crept to mine. “I was pretty confused at first.” The corner of his lips curled. “Not anymore, but you know.”
Having Lucas’s support would be good for him.
Would it help propel our relationship forward?
How would this work? Swallowing hard, I scooped salad onto my fork.
I’d wanted this deep inside, but it was also a little terrifying knowing I could become such a big part of his life.
I’d let no one get this close, except for Drew.
After dinner was over, we had an easy conversation with Lucas and Ezra in their backyard.
I found Ezra quite aligned with my thinking, and I looked forward to his skills benefiting the band through promotional shots.
As the evening ended, we said our goodbyes, thanking them for dinner, and I followed Evan to his car. “Hey.”
Standing next to the driver's side door of his Jeep, he turned, his lips bowing down. “I’m sorry I didn’t consult you before coming out to them.” He pushed his lips into a flat line. “I wasn’t prepared to do that, but I—”
“It’s all right.” I squeezed his hand. “I’ll let my manager know about us tomorrow.” It would be better if he told his team management as well, but it was his decision, and Lucas had made some good points.
“Okay.” He sighed. “I’m considering letting my agent know.” With a glance toward the house, he said, “He asked me if he needed to be concerned about anything, since I’m heading into the playoffs.”
“You might have some peace of mind knowing a plan is in place.” Jesus, the way we were talking, we were serious about each other. “When can I see you again?” We needed more than a driveway conversation.
“I leave for Vegas tomorrow afternoon.” He drew a deep breath. “I’ll stay there for three days and then have a day off before playing two home games.”
Nodding, I said, “Okay, when you get back, come over for dinner.” What about Jeff? I’d have to deal with him alone for now, or maybe Drew could back me up?
“Sounds good.” He looked around us, then leaned in and kissed my cheek. “I’ll miss you, Ronan.”
“I’ll miss you too.” Giving his hand another quick squeeze, I said, “Call me when you get settled.”
“I will.” Biting his lower lip, he released my hand and climbed into his car.
As I strolled to my Taycan, I scanned the dark neighborhood. We’d kissed and held hands in public. We should be more cautious, but at least no one was nearby.
“There you go, Bean.” The next morning I set his food bowl on the floor after filling it with kibble.
I’d stayed up late writing lyrics in one of my notebooks last night.
The thought of being in a serious relationship with Evan filled my mind with exhilaration and dread.
I’d never had a boyfriend. I’d never had time for it, let alone cared enough about someone. But Evan was so different.
With a long sigh, I grabbed my coffee and phone from the counter and ambled to my couch, falling into the end. It was time to call Lily.
After dialing her number, I set the phone on speaker.
It rang a few times and picked up. “Hey, Ronan. How are things?”
“Good.” She sounded more cheerful than usual. How should I approach this? My heartbeat picked up speed. She’d want me to get to the point. “I have a situation.”
“You do? What the hell happened?” She huffed.
“Nothing yet.” As a grin quirked my lips, I sipped my coffee. “I’ve started dating a Coyotes hockey player.”
Her breath caught. “What?”
I set my coffee on the table. “I—”
“I heard what you said. Who is it? All the queer guys on the team have partners.” She lowered her voice. “You aren’t fucking around with a guy who’s married, are you?”
“No.” I scoffed a laugh. “It’s Evan Crosby. The NHL just called him up for the playoffs. Things are a little sensitive with him since he’s not out, and he’s waiting to see if they’ll make him permanent.”
“Oh…” She sucked in a breath. “Did you meet him at the charity event?”
“No, I met him at a bar in Scottsdale.” I drank more coffee. Did it matter how we met?
“Okay, so who’s aware of this?” she asked.
“Drew, Jax and Evan’s friends, Lucas and Ezra.” She was already calculating damage control. I could hear it in her voice. I shifted, tucking my legs beneath me.
Bean trotted to me and then hopped onto the couch.
“Lucas…Lucas Hopkins? The little brother of Mason Hopkins?” she asked. “Let me talk to my contact on the team.”
“No, Evan prefers this to remain hidden from the team right now. He thinks it might cause problems, you know, because it’s me.” My gut knotted. Even his friends had seen the problem. “And he wants nothing to distract his game or the team right now.”
“I see.” She paused. “Were you seen publicly with him?”
Fuck, we hung out at Ocean Club and then that woman spotted us at the charity event. “I had lunch with him at a high-end restaurant, but his friend was with us. No one would have thought much of it.” While petting Bean, he settled in beside me.
“I’ll have the PR team prepare a statement in case this gets out. But Ronan, what message do you want it to convey? Are you serious about Evan Crosby?” she asked.
“I…” I was more serious about him than I’d been with anyone. The knot in my gut tightened. All this talk made it so real. “I guess so.”
“You guess so.” She huffed a chuckle. “Ronan, in all these years we’ve been working together, you’ve never told me you were dating someone.”
“Okay, fine, I’m serious about him.” I clenched my hand into a fist. “It’s still new, but I…” Should I tell her this? “I’m falling for him.”
“Oh. My. God!” She squealed. “Ronan, we could turn this thing around in your favor. After working with Ace’s agent on the figure skating charity event, I think we could pull more of those together. It would boost the band’s image, similar to Green Day or U2.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’d do those things regardless of the band’s image. You know that.” We were done here. She had the information she needed. “Anything else?”
“Nope. We’ll put a statement together and I’ll run it past you,” she said. “But what about Evan’s agent? Does he know about this? I’d be happy to work with him.”
“No, he doesn’t know yet. If something changes on that front, I’ll contact you.” I sipped my coffee. “Evan is concentrating on the playoff games.”
“Okay. Maybe when they’re over, we can connect.” She huffed a laugh. “By the way, how’s the progress with the new songs? Are you prepared for the studio in a few weeks?”
“Yes, we’re prepared.” My free time at home would end. I slid my hand down Bean’s soft back. Shoot, I almost forgot. “Hey, I met an amazing photographer I’d like to use the next time we need some shots done. I’ll send you his contact information.”