Page 95 of Pucked Up

He nodded.

“Smart?” His hesitation told me everything. I wheeled closer and gestured for him to drop back down into a crouch. He stretched Carol-Ann out in front of him to balance himself on his leg. “Ford. What is going on.”

“I met someone.” He swallowed heavily. “It’s very complicated, and…it’s not like a sex thing.” Something told me he was lying, but not entirely. So maybe it wasn’t totally a sex thing. “I need to figure out what’s going on before I tell anyone, okay?”

“Am I going to be pissed off about this?”

He bit his lip, then nodded.

“Is Tucker?”

At that, he paled so quickly I thought for a second he might faint.

“What the fuck, Ford?”

“Look, just…”

“Is it Grady?” We rarely talked about him—the dickhead from Jonah’s team who hurt Tucker.

Ford quickly shook his head. “God, no. You know I would never give that prick the time of day. Can you please just let it go? Just for now?”

I hated that he was keeping stuff from me, but I’d kept a lot from him too, so it was only fair. “Promise me it’s not going to fuck everything up.”

He glanced away, and that was my answer. “I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t important. You have to know that.”

I suppose I did know that. None of us ever set out to hurt each other. But sometimes it happened. “If it gets bad, you know you can talk to me.”

Ford bowed his head. “Yeah. I know. I love you for that too.”

I didn’t get a chance to return the sentiment. Hugo’s car pulled up, and I wanted to see him. We were moving in together, and while the change wasmaking me sad, it was also maybe the best day of my life.

It was official. I was happy. My contract was signed, and I was getting ready to head to training camp before my first official PPHL season. It was everything I’d ever wanted.

Turning in my chair, I hit the joystick and flew toward Hugo, who was stepping out of the car. He quickly came around as I rolled to a halt, and then he undid my straps, pulled me to my feet, and kissed absolute bliss right into my soul.

“Love you,” he murmured. He said it a lot, like he was afraid to go too long without letting me hear it. But it wasn’t old. Not yet.

“Love you too. I’m starving. I’m ready to get the hell out of here and eat in our new place.”

He cupped my jaw. “Our new place.”

“Say it again.”

He grinned down at me. “Ours. Yours and mine.”

“One more time.”

He kissed me and murmured right up against my lips. “Us.”

Us. We were messy and raw, a little fucked-up…

And absolutely perfect.