Page 32 of Back in the Game (Pride in the Game #1)

Harrison nodded.

“Did I text you about the other day when I went out with Arlo? We’re at neighbouring camps, so it’s stupid if we don’t take advantage of our days off when we’re this close.

Anyway, we were sitting at our table, and a group of Arlo’s teammates showed up to crash our bro date.

They were getting jealous because I guess I’m the only one who’s been able to talk him into leaving his hotel room.

They were followed in by a pack of puck bunnies, and one of the guys—being a bit of a dumbass—tried to coax one onto Arlo’s lap.

I guess he didn’t put two and two together, even though your cousin was prettier than all the women sitting there, he didn’t clue in that Arlo is gay. ”

“Arlo had to endure that for all of thirty seconds before his captain got pissed and glared at the girls until they left. Then he glared at Arlo and got pissed at him for not standing up for himself. Turns out, their captain is gay too, so Arlo isn’t their only queer player.

He’s a super chill guy, and he waited until Arlo accepted an apology from his teammate before they left us alone to play pool.

That totally didn’t stop one of the girls from coming back later to slip Arlo her number, and I’m telling you, the look on his face was priceless.

Sometimes he scowls so good I feel like I’m sitting across from you again. ”

Breathe in. Breathe out.

“I don’t think I corrected you when you asked if Bracken and Powers were a couple, and I want to clarify and tell you that they’re not.

Especially since you’ll eventually meet them.

They’re both straight, even though I’ve never seen either with a girlfriend, and they live together.

Eat together. Go out together. Watch porn together. ”

Breathe in.

Out.

“I once caught them holding hands, but to be fair, we were at the theatre to see a horror movie. Maybe straight guys who are secure in their masculinity are like that.”

Breathe.

“My dad said he really wants to meet you, as in, he wants you to visit without me being there to introduce you. He keeps nagging me for your address so he can bring you something to eat, but I told him about that story of the shotgun under the floorboards, and he’s settled down for now.

I don’t know how much longer I can hold him back from exploring every dirt road in Windsor until he finds you.

I want him to meet you, trust me, I do.”

Breathe .

“Because I haven’t said anything to him—fuck—I haven’t even admitted it to myself, but I think—”

Breathe.

“Actually, I know—”

Breathe.

“I’m in love with you.”

Harrison opened his eyes and squinted at the light.

“I know it’s probably just a bad crush, and it’s okay if you’re not there yet, but I don’t care. I wanted to tell you when I saw you again in person, but I think you need to hear me say it now. I want to ground you if I can, so you don’t feel the need to drown yourself in anything else.”

He tried to speak, but his throat was so dry.

“Harrison.”

Jett.

“I’m not getting off this phone until I know you’re okay. I’ll make my captain sit outside all night if I have to.”

He smiled, even though it hurt.

“I’m not joking. He’s pacing circles around Powers right now, but I don’t give a shit. He’s not getting this fancy car back until we’re done talking.”

He laughed silently, his stomach muscles shaking his entire body with movement.

“I’m distracting myself by digging through his glove box, and I found his stash of condoms. XL, yeah right. The box isn’t even opened, what a pleb.”

The laughing turned to gasps as his throat finally returned to normal function.

“I sleep in the same room as him and I can confirm he has neither used a condom, nor has an XL dick. But I suppose you can’t base everything on what you see. Some guys are growers.”

“Jett…stop…”

Jett went quiet as Harrison coughed, trying to dislodge the leftover weight sitting on his chest.

“You can stop,” Harrison said shakily. “I swear, I’m good. I don’t want to hear about anything else you find in that car.”

Jett breathed a strained chuckle. “I don’t want to see anything either. But maybe I should take this opportunity to see if my gaydar is really off with those two. You never know, I might find some I love my goalie stickers in here.”

Harrison moved his limbs, testing to see how seized up he was. Other than feeling tingly with numbness from sitting too much, he was okay.

“If they’re holding hands then they’re fucking. Hands down. There’s no way,” said Harrison. “Also, the shotgun is in the guest room under the bed. The wooden bedframe has a hollow spot inside.”

Jett laughed, and the sound made Harrison feel slightly less shaky.

“Shotgun location noted. And typically, I would agree about the handholding, but you don’t see the expression on Cap’s face when he says they’re not.”

Harrison let out a strangled laugh and sat up, bumping his throbbing head against the shower wall. He tried to come up with a response, but he felt dizzy and still so out of breath.

“How are you feeling?” Jett asked.

Harrison’s lip trembled. “Better now, thanks to you.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be there,” said Jett. “But Harrison, thank you for calling me.”

“Thank you for giving me the option.”

Jett’s snuffle was loud, making Harrison jump.

“Shit, sorry,” said Jett. “I’m not crying for a stupid reason. It’s the release of adrenaline.”

“Sure, kid.”

“I’m not a kid,” said Jett in that bratty tone that made Harrison want to correct him. “And also—the things I said earlier. You can pretend that you didn’t hear them.”

“I could,” said Harrison. “But I won’t.”

Harrison imagined how red Jett was turning, so he put him out of his misery.

“I’m okay right now, so give Bracken back his car and his condoms before he decides to get in and kidnap you.

I’m climbing in bed with my heating pad, and about a hundred Advil in me, but call me when you’re in your hotel room. ”

“Yeah, I will. I promise.”

Harrison ended the call and set his mind to the overwhelming task of standing and leaving the shower.

Every part of his body ached, and it took a colossal effort just to get to his feet.

He limped away with his phone gripped tightly in his hand, at ease with the fact that he could call Jett back if needed.

It took time to get his medication and locate his heating pad from where it had disappeared under the bed, but he got under the blankets with the jersey still on, and the heat on his leg easing his pain.

It couldn’t have taken him more than five minutes to make himself comfortable when his phone lit up. He answered it on the first ring.

“Jett.”

“Hey,” said Jett. “I hope you don’t care, but Bracken is doom-scrolling on the bed next to me. He said he promises not to listen to our conversation.”

“Sure,” said Harrison. “What are you wearing?”

A round of sniggering answered whether the conversation was private or not.

“Dude, stop,” said Jett, taking the phone away from his mouth to chastise his captain. “You’re like, twenty years older than me. Act that way.”

“Wow, twenty years? Really, Jett?”

Jett’s voice was back, sounding closer now. “Don’t worry about him sticking around. Once Powers texts him saying he wants to go for his walkies, Bracken will be gone.”

Harrison scoffed. “Goalies are weird, but yours might take the cake.”

“Tell me about it,” said Jett . “But Powers isn’t the only weird one we have. Wolf is a close second, and he’s not even a goalie.”

Harrison went quiet as Jett began to talk about his teammates, letting his voice soothe him into a calmer state. He had always wondered what the Sunburst team would be like, and even though there had been some trades since Harrison’s draft, most of the staple members remained the same.

He knew Jett was finding every excuse he had to keep him distracted, and it was working. That clawing need inside that demanded to be numbed by self-inflicted hypothermia had settled, leaving him feeling floaty and content.

He didn’t realize he’d drifted off until he heard Jett whisper his name.

“Huh?”

“I can hear your little snores,” said Jett. “You should sleep. I’ll keep chatting until I’m sure you’re gone, and then hang up. But I want you to text me when you open your eyes.”

Harrison sighed and stretched gently, testing his sore leg. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine now if you want to hang out with your teammates.”

Judging by the sound he let out, Jett didn’t believe him.

“There is nowhere else I would rather be right now, Killinger. Get some fucking sleep.”

Harrison grumbled and closed his eyes, already drifting into darkness again. He heard Jett talking, reading something that sounded like a gay hockey romance novel, but he was too far gone to understand the words.

And for the first time in a long time, Harrison had dreams instead of nightmares.