Chapter 8
Ash
By the time I make it back to the booth, my mood has improved considerably. I slide back into my seat and take a drink of my beer. The hockey game is still playing on the televisions overhead, but I couldn't care less about it now.
A few minutes later Dante returns carrying enough food to feed a small army. He drops three baskets onto the table. One is overflowing with fries. The other two contain a mixture of buffalo wings and garlic parmesan wings.
Dante slides into the booth and immediately starts reaching for fries.
“I wasn't sure what Hayes likes.”
The comment catches me off guard. “What?”
Dante shrugs. “Wings wise. Does he like spicy shit?”
I glance at the food.
Then at him.
Then back at the food.
“Um, I don't know.”
Dante shrugs. For some reason, the gesture makes me smile. Not because of the wings, because Dante actually thought about it. He wanted Hayes to have something he'd enjoy.
“Trying to sweeten him up?” I ask, picking up a fry.
Dante immediately grins. “What if I am?”
I take another drink. “Really have your heart set on the neighbor girl, huh?”
Dante points at me. “Exactly.”
“You don't even know her.”
“I know she's pretty.” He drinks some more beer. “Also, once you and Hayes start dating we could all double date or whatever.”
I glare.
Dante laughs. “You think I didn't notice you glaring at the neighbor girl? Or the way you stalked him into the bathroom? Come on, man. I might be stupid, but I'm not blind.”
I blow a breath out of my nose. “Don't say anything to Kai.”
“Oh, Kai, huh?” Dante smiles.
My eyes slide over to him with enough threat in them that he puts his hands up.
“Fine. But also pretty girl aside, I genuinely like Hayes.”
The correction comes a second later. “Kai.”
The name sounds more natural this time. Like he's testing it out. Like he's decided Hayes isn't just some quiet teammate sitting in the corner anymore.
The version of Kai that most people know isn't the real one.
They know the headlines. The guy who keeps his head down and leaves immediately after practice.
They don't know the dry humor. They don't know how passionate he gets talking about books.
They don't know how funny he is when he's comfortable.
Hell, they don't even know how smart he is.
I've only been figuring those things out myself recently.
Dante steals a wing from the basket. “I think he's finally starting to relax around people.”
The comment pulls my attention toward the bar. Kai is standing over there after leaving his fortress of the bathroom. He laughs at something the bartender says. The sound carries across the room.
It's strange how different he looks when he's relaxed. His shoulders aren't pulled so tight. His expression softens. Even his smile changes.
Dante follows my gaze. “See?”
I look back at him. “Hm?”
“You're staring at him again. I can't believe you think you're being subtle.”
I don't bother arguing. Dante would simply continue until one of us died. Probably me.
Kai returns a moment later carrying another beer. He slides into the booth beside Dante. The seating arrangement somehow irritates me immediately.
I decide not to examine why.
The conversation picks back up.
Movies.
Books.
Hockey.
Angela.
Dante spends fifteen minutes workshopping potential opening lines if he ever meets her. Every single one is terrible. Kai tells him so repeatedly. Dante remains undeterred.
By the time the next round of drinks disappears, Kai is visibly more relaxed. The effect is surprisingly contagious.
At some point I realize I'm enjoying myself.
Not because of the bar.
Not because of the game on television.
Because of the people sitting across from me.
I haven't had many nights like this recently.
Most of my relationships exist in compartments.
Teammates.
Friends.
Hookups.
Everything stays neatly separated. Kai is already making that impossible. I don't particularly like how much space he's occupying in my thoughts.
Unfortunately, I like him. A lot. I just genuinely enjoy being around him.
I enjoy talking to him, getting reactions out of him.
I enjoy watching him slowly come out of his shell.
And judging by the way he's arguing with Dante about whether reading counts as entertainment, he's finally starting to enjoy being around us too.
I go up and grab a water from the bar. Dante clocks the clear liquid as soon as I sit down.
“The hell is that?”
I look down. “It's called a beverage, Lopez”
“It's water.”
“Good observation.”
“But we're supposed to be getting druuuunk,” Dante whines.
“You and Hayes are more than welcome. But somebody has to drive your sorry asses home.”
Dante points accusingly. “You're abandoning the mission.”
I shrug. Two beers is enough. The truth is that I don't want to be drunk tonight. I don't even want to be buzzed. I want to stay exactly where I am.
Dante eventually gives up trying to convince me otherwise.
The conversation continues. Kai gets increasingly animated. The bartender ends up joining one debate. Two people from another booth contribute opinions. By the end of the night, Kai somehow has half the bar discussing whether movie adaptations ruin books.
The entire thing is absurd and kind of impressive.
Every once in a while, his eyes drift toward me. Checking. Making sure I'm still listening.
Every time I am.
By the time the game ends on the televisions overhead, Dante and Kai are arguing like they've known each other for years. Dante has abandoned any attempt at getting Angela's phone number.
Now he's focused entirely on convincing Kai that horror movies are a waste of time.
Kai disagrees. Mostly because he's discovered how much I like them. The little shit is trying to protect my feelings.
I hide a smile behind my water glass.
By the time I finally pay the tab, Dante and Kai have become best friends. Or at least that's what it sounds like. The two of them are still arguing about books when I drop my credit card on the bar.
Neither notices. The bartender notices. He gives me a look that clearly says good luck with those two.
“Let's go.”
Neither moves.
I sigh. “Kai.”
His head snaps up immediately. “Yeah, Ash?”
The response is automatic enough to make me smile.
Dante notices too. “Oh, that's crazy.”
“Get up.”
“I'm getting up.” Dante says, not moving at all.
Kai stands and looks down at his drunk friend.
I grab Dante by the back of his jacket, pulling him up. Eventually I manage to herd both of them toward the door.
The cold night air hits us immediately. Kai shoves his hands into his pockets.
Dante nearly misses a curb.
I catch him by the shoulder before he can embarrass himself. “You're welcome.”
“My hero!”
The ride starts quietly. Kai claims the passenger seat to my delight. Dante sprawls across the back like a man who has forgotten how vehicles work.
Ten minutes later, an Ariana Grande song comes on. The silence immediately ends.
Kai starts singing first. Dante joins him halfway through the chorus. The result is catastrophic. Neither of them can actually sing. Neither seems concerned about that fact. I spend the next four minutes trapped in a moving concert.
At one point, Kai misses an entire lyric and replaces it with complete nonsense. Dante applauds. The song somehow gets louder.
I briefly consider driving into a lake.
The annoying part is that they're having fun. By the time the song ends, Kai is laughing so hard he's wiping tears from his eyes. I haven't seen him look this relaxed since I've met him.
The sight makes the headache worth it.
Almost.
Dante is still humming when we pull up outside his townhouse. He opens the door. Stops. Then points at both of us.
“I love you guys.”
I immediately regret bringing him.
“Wear protection, you two.” Dante clammers out of the car.
Kai nearly chokes. “Fuck you.”
The response comes so fast and so naturally that I actually laugh.
Kai looks surprised he managed it.
Dante looks proud of himself. Then he stumbles toward his front door. Somehow he makes it inside without injury.
The second the door closes, the car becomes quiet. I pull away from the curb. For a minute neither of us says anything.
The city lights slide across the windshield.
Then Kai speaks. “Where do you live?”
I glance over. “Why?”
“Just wondering.”
I shake my head. “Grand Street. Near Goldfork Records.”
His eyebrows lift. “I know exactly where that is.”
“Congratulations.”
A smile appears. Then he says something that nearly causes a traffic incident. “You could take me there instead.”
My hands tighten slightly on the steering wheel. For a second I wonder if I misheard him.
Apparently not.
Kai is watching me. Trying very hard to look casual.
Failing.
Interesting.
“Are you drunk?” The question leaves my mouth before I can stop it.
Kai thinks about it seriously.
“No.” He shrugs. “Maybe a little tipsy.”
I think for a moment. Then another.
“You're drinking water as soon as we get through the door.”
Kai immediately grins. The smile is unfair. “That's your condition?”
“One of them.”
“I can do that.”
I immediately change course. My hand finding its way to his knee. The rest of the drive is suddenly much more difficult. Not because of anything Kai is doing. Because my imagination has chosen the worst possible moment to become active.
I spend ten minutes reminding myself that Hayes is inexperienced. I spend another ten reminding myself that I'm a grown man capable of self-control. Neither strategy is particularly effective. Eventually my building comes into view.
I park.
Kai follows me out, his hand bumping mine every few steps.
As soon as the elevator doors close, I push him against the wall. The kiss is rough. Something to hold me over while I fucking decide what to do with him.
Kai's fingers immediately lace themselves in my hair. I bite his lip before I pull away, fixing his rumpled clothes. Kai has a dreamy look on his face that makes me want to hit the emergency stop button.
By the time we reach my floor, I can feel his attention tracking every movement. I unlock the door.
“Sorry it's a mess.”