39. Grayson
Grayson
Ireally shouldn’t have stayed at Rae’s. She lives further than I do from our practice facility and I have early morning skate, but I couldn’t leave.
Not after what we all did, the shift that occurred.
And I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay as close to her as possible.
I push some of the hair that’s fallen in her face away from her closed eyes just to see more of her face.
Her skin looks even softer when she’s relaxed like this.
Her lips quirked up in the smallest smile, and I wonder if she’s dreaming up a new song.
She lives, breathes, and bleeds music so it wouldn’t surprise me.
A phone goes off, and I turn over to silence it to not wake her up. Asher too, I guess, but if he gets woken up then I don’t really care. It’s Rae’s phone, and the screen lights up when I go to silence it, and I see it’s a text from her security.
Security
There’s another package left outside the front gate. We’re holding it unless you want it passed along to the police.
I furrow my brow at the message. Another package? From who and why would they want to pass it along to the police?
Setting her phone down, I turn and Rae is looking at me with sleepy eyes.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up,” I whisper.
She shakes her head. “You didn’t.”
I want to ask her about what I just saw, but she should go back to sleep.
“What’s wrong?” she asks. Clearly, I’m not good at hiding my look of concern.
“Your security texted you about a package,” I tell her quietly.
With the way she tenses, I know there’s something she’s hiding. And I need to know what it is, but I don’t want Asher to wake up and interrupt. I’m sure Rae would happily take the distraction, but I need to know what’s going on.
Carefully, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and turn to take her hand in mine and pull her from the bed with me.
She looks back at Asher before standing up, and we’re both careful to be quiet as I hold her hand the entire walk out of her room.
I don’t let go of her as we walk downstairs, I grab a thick blanket from her couch before leading her out to the back patio.
It may not have been the best idea because the air is freezing, and I’m only in my sweatpants and she’s in a large T-shirt, but between body heat and the blanket I’m sure it’ll be okay. I want a moment with just the two of us for a few minutes.
We settle on the outdoor sectional she has out here; pulling Rae between my legs to settle her in my lap and wrap us in the blanket that’s thankfully extremely warm. Or maybe it’s because she’s here on my lap that I feel like I could overheat. Either way, I don’t want to move.
“Tell me what’s going on,” I encourage, knowing that it’s helpful for her to be looking out to the trees that surround her house rather than me.
“It’s nothing, Gray,” she insists, but it’s weak. I know when she’s hiding something.
“You’ve never been good at lying.”
She starts to run her fingers lightly over my forearm that’s wrapped around her under the blanket. The soft touch is calming, and almost enough to distract me, but I refuse to let it. Whatever is going on with her I need to know.
“It’s really nothing,” she tries again, continuing to graze her fingertips over my skin.
“If it’s bothering you then it’s definitely something.”
Rae sighs, and I think she’s going to deny it again, but when she speaks, I have to fight the way I tense because I don’t want her to stop sharing once she opens up.
“Someone has been sending me things.” Her voice is quiet.
“What kind of things?”
“Flowers, and then I haven’t opened anything else.”
“Do you know who it could be?” I ask, gritting my teeth, but not wanting her to shut down because how angry I am at the thought of someone stalking her.
“No,” she whispers.
I want her to look at me; I need to see her face and know that she’s safe with me.
“Look at me, Sunshine.”
She hesitates for a moment before turning to look up at me over her shoulder. Her eyes shine with unshed tears and I can’t take it. I guide her to turn around in my lap while staying under the blanket.
Cupping her face, I keep her eyes on me. “Whoever it is isn’t going to get away with it. You’re safe with me, and as much as I hate to admit it, you’re safe with Asher too.”
She huffs out a small laugh at that comment, and I feel some of the tension leave her body. “I know I am.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I stroke my thumbs across her cheeks.
“I didn’t want you to worry.” She admits. “I just really wanted it to go away.”
“I know, Sunshine.”
I swallow roughly, looking at her like this, feeling the shift in our relationship and everything that’s happened has me wanting to confess everything I’m feeling.
I want her to know I love her, more than just a friend.
That I can’t see my life without her. That I’m in this for real for as long as she’ll have me.
That I’m so desperately in love with her that I don’t know what to do with myself when we’re apart.
She’s truly my other half, and I need her to know.
When I open my mouth to confess everything the door behind us opens, and I swing around on edge that somehow, we made her stalker appear. But Asher leans against the open door with a raised eyebrow.
“Are you trying to give yourselves hypothermia?” he questions.
“We both were practically born in an ice rink, the cold is a part of us.” I narrow my eyes at him.
Rae giggles, dropping her forehead onto my chest. “We should go back inside.”
I grumble, not wanting to give up this moment, but I’m sure she’s done with the conversation. Especially when she stands up, pulling me with her and keeping us both wrapped in the blanket. But it’s when she shivers, I know we really should go inside.
“Maybe you did, but Rae likes having heat,” Asher taunts and I roll my eyes. “You can stay out here if you want, though. Dogs can sleep outside.”
“I’m not a fucking dog,” I snap.
“You like being Rae’s puppy.” He smirks as we walk inside.
“Don’t be a jerk,” Rae tells him.
We get inside, and he yanks her into him. “Want to try that again, good girl?” he threatens.
Her cheeks fill with color, and lust fills her blue eyes as they look at him.
I know we aren’t going back to the conversation we were interrupted from, but my feelings remain the same.
Even more so. I need her to know, soon. But I know right now she wants the distraction we’re willing to give her, and I’m never going to turn that down.
That’s how we end up back in her room, and even though I have to wake up in just a few hours, I know I can sleep after practice. Because I’m not going to miss a second with Rae.
It’s been a few days since Asher and I were at Rae’s house.
I’ve been busy with hockey since and after a run of home games we have one more before we go back out onto the road.
But I feel like I have to talk to someone about what’s been going on.
Someone who will understand, and I know that’s not my mom, dad, and especially not my brother.
The only person who I know will fully understand and also not say shit to anyone else in our family is my uncle, Brent.
He’s been in a polyamorous relationship forever and while I know I could also talk to Vince or Matt, they’re more likely to tell Chandler, who’s more likely to tell mine or Rae’s mom.
Even though I really don’t need the extra practice, I tell him I do because he may not admit it, I know he misses playing.
I also know that all of them get together and still play when they tell their wives they’re just hanging out.
I don’t know why they act like it’s some dirty secret, probably because my uncle wants a secret excuse to slam my dad in the boards every once in a while.
Since I know what went down with them when my mom and dad got together, I’d say he kind of deserves it.
We’re able to use the Dragon practice facility during off hours, and I’m sure it’s a perk of being a Dragon legacy. One I don’t usually take advantage of, but right now I want the privacy to talk to Brent.
After we skate around, warming up and playing one-on-one, I finally get up the nerve to say something that isn’t related to hockey.
I’m spraying water into my mouth when he skates over to do the same.
“Do you ever wish you had Chandler to yourself?” I blurt because I don’t know how else to start this conversation, but it’s the first thing I think of. I have no issue sharing Rae, but I worry that at some point I will, or that Asher will.
Brent raises an eyebrow at me, putting the water bottle down. “Where’s that question coming from?”
“Just…curious.”
He looks at me skeptically before answering, “No. I know this is the life she wants and I would never want to take that from her.”
“Was it hard to always have to share her?”
His eyes narrow even more, and I can tell he wants to ask me questions but is refraining.
I like how straight forward my uncle is, he doesn’t say much and is always so in control of himself.
Everyone else around us, especially my dad, is loud and opinionated.
While my uncle always stands back, observing.
My aunt Bailey is like him, but she lives in Washington and we really only see her around the holidays.
“It wasn’t always easy. Is there a reason you want to know?”
I look down at the ice, scraping it with my blade. “If I tell you, can it stay between us?”
“Of course.”
I push off the boards, gliding backwards because I feel like I need the distance to say anything else.
“Rae and I have kind of been seeing each other.”
Brent doesn’t say anything right away, and I recognize the way he’s waiting for me to continue without pushing.
It’s kind of amazing he’s my mom’s brother because they’re so different.
I know they both grew up in a shitty situation, but since Brent was the oldest, he took on a parental role to all his siblings.
My mom is the youngest and they all did what they could to protect her.
I continue, “She’s also been seeing Asher.”
“And you aren’t sure if you’re okay with that?”
“No, I am. I just don’t know if it can last.” I cringe at the admission.
“Why not?”
“We’re just so different,” I admit.
“You and Rae?”
“No, Asher and me.”
“That’s true, but do you think I’m like Dumont or McQuaid?”
“Fuck no.” I chuckle, and then realize the point he’s making.
“But you all get along. Asher and I really only get along when we’re—” I cut myself off not needing to get into the specifics.
“You think we’ve always gotten along?” Brent scoffs. “You’ve only seen the last twenty-three years of us being together but trust me it was not always smooth sailing.”
“Really?”
“Really. All relationships have issues, whether it’s just two people involved or multiple. But all that matters is how you handle those issues. And if this is what you three want, then it’s up to you to figure it out.”
“Any advice?”
The side of his mouth quirks up in a smile. “Be prepared to tell her dad. And her brothers.”
I grimace because I knew at some point, we would have to tell everyone. Jared has always been nice to me, he’s on the quiet side like Brent, but I’ve also never had to tell him that I’m in love with his daughter.
“I doubt Steele and Nash are going to be a problem.” I shake my head. I’ve always gotten along with them.
“Maybe not for you.”
I understand he’s talking about Asher, and since we’re all in this together that matters as well.
“Do you think this is a mistake?”
“Do you think she’s worth it?” he counters.
“Of course she is,” I answer immediately.
“Then you’ll figure it out. You’re a good kid, always have been.”
I don’t even bother arguing that I’m not a kid anymore, instead I grab the puck with my stick and start skating it around again, shooting it toward the goal, making it easily.
“And if Jared wants to kill me, will you defend me?” I joke to lighten the mood.
“Nope, I’ll let you handle that yourself.”
I chuckle, knowing he’s not kidding. I don’t think Jared will freak out on me; if anything he may not have the best reaction to Asher, but I guess the good news is that he knows how to fight.
Brent skates out, getting the puck and skating around to the other side of the rink before shooting it easily. I think this conversation is done, until he skates back over, passing the puck back to me and speaks again.
“People are always going to have opinions on your life, even more so because you and Rae are in the public eye. But remember that none of it matters. If you’re happy and willing to work together, then you can get through anything. It’s not anyone else’s life but yours.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. But I can’t help but make a comment that already has a laugh bubbling out of me. “Is that how you finally accepted my parents being together?”
My uncle gives me an unimpressed look. “I’m still working on it.”
I bark out a laugh. Even if they won’t admit it, I know Brent and my dad get along better now than they did when they were younger. At this point it’s like a running family joke that they still have a rivalry. Though, I’ve caught them having a good time watching hockey games throughout my life.
It makes me think of Asher and myself, because even though we may not get along we have one massive thing in common. Even if he won’t admit it, I’ve seen the way he looks at Rae. But I’ve also seen the way she looks at him too.
And I think the thing we have in common is something there’s no denying. We’re both utterly and completely in love with Rae Colver.