Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Brandon
The next day, I’m still in shock that Ryan asked me to spend the summer with him. After how quickly he pushed me into Danton’s house when I first arrived, this new development comes out of left field. That doesn’t stop it from being appealing, though, that’s for sure.
“Am I going to have to drug you to get you to nap?” Ryan asks from his bed on the other side of our hotel room.
“Shit,” I say. “I thought I was being quiet.”
“You are,” he says. “But I can feel your nervous energy across the room. What’s up with that?”
“Don’t know.” I shrug. Because I don’t. I’ve always been like this. A complete bundle of nerves on game day. “Trust me, though. It annoys me more than it does you.”
“I doubt that,” he says and sits up. He pulls the covers off of him and rubs his hands up and down his face.
But my eyes linger on his toned body which is barely concealed by his tank top and sweatpants.
He swings his legs to land his feet on the ground, then claps his hands together.
“Let’s hit the cobbles. It’s time for another walk. ”
Thank Christ. I can’t spend another minute cooped up in this room.
I practically leap off the bed while Ryan changes his clothes.
His back is turned away from me, giving me the perfect opportunity to admire his muscular ass and thighs as he pulls up his jeans.
Luckily for me, I’m already dressed as I’ve been lying here on the bed already in one of my Mules tee shirts and shorts. “Where are we headed today?”
“Well, it’s Florida. So I think we should indulge in a walk on the beach.”
“How romantic,” I tease, pushing him as I walk to where my slides are waiting by the door. If we’re walking the beach, there’s no sense in wearing gym shoes. I want to feel the sand between my toes. I don’t get a lot of that in Wisconsin.
“Shut up, you ass.” He laughs and pushes me back. “If I can’t get a nap, at the very least, I’d like to get some sunshine.”
When we step out of our room, I see Danton open up his door across from us. “Where do you two think you’re going?”
Ryan gestures at me with his thumb. “Gotta take Baby over here out for his pregame walk.”
“What? Like he’s some kind of puppy?” Danton’s eyes twinkle with joy at his joke.
“Pretty much,” Ryan says.
“At least he’s not throwing up,” Danton says.
I glare at them both. “I will literally punch both of you.”
“Will it get you to take a nap?” Ryan asks.
“Probably not,” I bite back.
“So the nickname is fitting, then,” Danton says. “I have a lot of experience with babies not wanting naps.”
I narrow my eyes at him and shake my head. “I’m sure you do. I’ll ask Vicky when we get home who’s better at getting your kids to bed. I think we both know that answer.”
He grins mischievously at me. “I’ll put you to bed.”
“No thanks,” I say at the same time Ryan says, “I’d rather you didn’t.”
Danton squints his eyes then looks back and forth between the two of us. “Well,” he says, quickly, then goes back to his usual grinning self. “You two have fun out there. Stay out of the water. I don’t need either of you playing tonight with sea legs.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” Ryan says, giving him a two-finger salute. He turns to face me. “Come on, Baby. Let’s go for our stroll.”
Ryan
Okay, as much as I hate missing my pregame nap, I am enjoying the way the Florida sun feels on my exposed skin. Yes, it’s April and the world, probably with the exception of Winnipeg, has thawed; nowhere feels nearly as summery yet as here.
“You’re enjoying this,” Brandon points out.
“Who isn’t?” I laugh. Even the sand is warm underneath my bare feet.
He bumps my shoulder. “If you love the sun so much, Texas, you should ask for a trade.”
I turn to look at him on my side, then bump him with my shoulder in return. “Is that what you think, Wisconsin?”
“Wisconsin doesn’t work for a nickname.” He laughs.
“So you admit, you like being called Baby.”
“No.” He blushes. “I really don’t.”
I bump him again. “Why do I think that under the right circumstances, you might?”
He looks over his shoulder at me and studies my face. I have to admit, it’s moments like this when I’m convinced he’s as into me as I am into him. But if I confirm that, then I have a new problem.
There would be no reason, if we were both into each other, for us not to hook up.
Which maybe is not a problem at all. Maybe what I need to do is kiss him.
Fuck him. Get him out of my system. It might clear up some of this confusion I’m having.
If the sex is awkward and weird given our history, then I know my feelings are just that.
Affection and nostalgia for the past. If the sex is outstanding, well, then there’s another problem.
Because then it will turn out that I am completely wrecked for my teammate.
“There are zero circumstances where I like being called Baby,” Brandon says.
I flash him a sly grin. “What if we’re all calling you that while you’re hoisting the Stanley Cup at the end of this season?”
“If we win the cup,” he laughs, “you all can call me whatever you want.”
“So you are starting to believe?”
He looks at me with his head cocked to the side in thought. “Believe what?”
“That we can win. That you’re a part of it.”
A soft smile pulls at his lips. God, those lips. “Let’s just get through these last few games. Then we can start thinking about playoffs.”
I slide my hands into my pockets. “What makes you so hesitant to be hopeful?”
“Experience, I guess.” He shrugs and stops walking.
He turns to face the water, then takes a few steps closer to the edge.
I follow him. “I’ve never really been on a winning team before,” he continues.
“And I’ve always come in second place after Ander.
I know how this sport works. I may be young, but I understand the business of hockey. ”
“You do,” I say. Which is true. Honestly, he probably understands it better than most. Yes, we all grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL, but Brandon has had a front-row seat to that dream for more players than anyone else I know. While never having it for himself.
“I’ve watched what this sport can do to people.
I’ve seen how quickly seasons can fall apart and players can get traded.
I know how in a split second, a hit gone wrong, a player’s career can be ended.
” He looks over his shoulder at me again.
There’s a sad half smile on his face. “Hell, the only reason why I’m even here is because a player’s own father couldn’t come to grips with him being gay.
My entire career has been fast tracked because Kennedy kissed Marshal in front of the entire world.
Had he not done that, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.
You’d be enjoying a nap, and I’d still be nameless in Wisconsin. ”
I step closer to him and put my arm around him. “While all of that might be true—”
“Is true.”
“Then to me it sounds like more than enough reason to soak all of this in and enjoy the ride.”
“I am enjoying the ride,” he says. “But I’m also preparing for the fallout.”
“And what is it in your mind that you think the fallout is?”
“I don’t know.” His shoulders rise and fall under my arm, but he doesn’t try to get out from under it. “One of us gets traded to Vancouver for a better draft pick.”
“Not me. They’re on my no-trade list.”
“Really?” He looks at me, curious. “Who else is on there?”
“All of Canada.”
“You can do that?” His eyes are bright as he steps away from me, and gestures with his head back towards the direction of our hotel.
I resist the urge I’m feeling to grab hold of his hand as we walk back.
“That’s not it, though, is it?” he asks.
“No.” I shake my head and look down at my feet in the sand. “I also have Dallas on my list.” Sighing, I look back up and give him a nudge with my elbow. “What about you? Who are you putting on your list?”
“Buffalo. Definitely Buffalo.” He laughs. “But seriously, probably nowhere. I just want to be able to continue to play. I’m not sure it would matter much to me what team that is.”
Feeling oddly vulnerable, I can’t help myself as the words escape past my lips. “It would matter to me.”
“No it wouldn’t,” he says. “You’ve always done fine without me.”