Page 5

FIVE

TYLER

My reflection stared back—navy button-down, dark jeans. I’d told Kevin that I cleaned up good for a date. But I second guessed myself as I looked through the clothes in my closet. I didn’t need a game day suit. Casual dressy was the answer.

After consulting with Shane, we’d decided on this shirt. He said it made my eyes pop, and he wouldn’t steer me wrong.

Tonight was a big deal. Our first real date. Not stir fry here. Not pizza at Kevin’s place. Not a rushed coffee before practice.

Dinner. Out. Where people who were not our teammates would see us.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Kevin: On my way. Be there in 10.

A grin stretched across my face, involuntary and immediate.

Kevin: Door’s open when you arrive.

Anticipation hummed under my skin as I stood in the kitchen, scrolling through sports headlines and not paying attention to any of them.

A soft knock and the door opened. My heart sped up as I pocketed the phone.

Kevin stepped inside. “Hey.” His smile set off flutters in my chest.

He was handsome decked out in charcoal slacks, a forest green sweater that set off his dark eyes. His hair was styled just slightly different, like he’d spent more time than usual getting it the way he wanted.

His gaze traveled over me as he approached, slow, appreciative.

“Hi.” I paused, continuing to take him in. “You look amazing.”

A faint flush climbed up his neck. “So do you.”

We stood there. Staring.

Then he closed the distance. His hand cupped my jaw. His mouth met mine. It was familiar and comfortable, and I needed it more than I expected.

Home.

He was home.

The thought blindsided me. I couldn’t tell him that. At least not yet.

Instead, I sank into the kiss, hands finding the soft wool of his sweater, the solid muscle beneath.

“I’ve been looking forward to doing that all day.” His lips brushed mine.

“Just that?” My hands slid under the sweater, along his back, hungry for the contact.

He laughed, a low sound that vibrated against my chest. “We have reservations. We start anything else, we won’t get to dinner.”

“Tragic.” Reluctantly, I stepped away, grabbing my keys and wallet. “Let’s go. This life-changing pasta better live up to the hype.”

The drive to the North End was easy. We talked practice, tomorrow’s game, bullshit jokes. Kevin navigated the narrow cobblestone streets like he’d lived here longer than two months. He found a parking spot a couple of blocks away.

“Mind walking?” He killed the engine. “Parking’s hell.”

“Not at all.” I fell into step beside him, our shoulders brushing. The neighborhood buzzed—couples arm-in-arm, conversation, and laughter all around.

He stopped before a small storefront. Vesuvio. Simple sign. Soft light spilled from the window, the scent of garlic and rich tomato sauce hitting me as Kevin pulled open the door.

“Kevin!” A short, round man with flour dusting his apron greeted us. Thick Italian accent. “Good to see you! You’ve been away too long.”

“Mirco! It has been.” Kevin’s smile was genuine, easy. “I’ve got a reservation for two.”

Mirco’s eyes flickered to me. Recognition dawned, but his professional demeanor didn’t waver. Zero fuss. “Of course, of course. The table you requested is ready.”

He wove us through the packed, intimate space. Low chatter hummed, soft Italian music drifted underneath. Warmth radiated from the wood panels and glowing lamps. We followed him to a corner booth, tucked away, partially screened by a wrought-iron wine rack.

“Your server will be with you in a moment.” Mirco set down menus. “Enjoy, gentlemen.”

He bustled off. I slid onto the worn leather banquette, raising an eyebrow at Kevin. “Special table?”

He shrugged. A hint of color rising on his cheeks again, even in this low light. “Might have called ahead and asked for something... out of the way.”

Contentment bloomed in my chest as I picked up the heavy menu. “Most places try to seat me by the window so the passersby can see that someone from the Blizzard is having a meal in their establishment.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m usually sitting up front when I’m here.” Kevin met my gaze across the small table, his expression serious. “Tonight’s about us. Not about being Blizzard players.”

My throat tightened. “Appreciate that.”

Our server arrived, took our drink order. Kevin selected a bottle of Sangiovese.

I was transfixed on Kevin, taking in every aspect of him, from how the candlelight reflected in his eyes to how his sweater clung to his shoulders and chest.

“What?” He caught me staring. That half-smile quirked his lips.

I traced the condensation on my water glass. “It’s nice being here. Seeing you like this. Off the ice. Away from our places.”

His smile widened. He reached across the table to brush his fingers against mine. Goosebumps formed up my arm. “Same.” His eyes sparkled. “Gotta admit, though, I like all the versions of you so far.”

The wine arrived. The server poured, swirled, offered the cork. Kevin did the honors of sampling the selection. Once he approved, I got a taste. He’d picked an excellent one. Rich, dark cherry notes, along with some rosemary and sage.

I settled back against the banquette. “So you’re a regular? Mirco seems to adore you.”

“Found it my first week in the city. Came in alone, starving after unpacking all day.” His eyes lit up. “I got the carbonara. Swear to god, I almost proposed.”

I nearly choked on my wine, laughing. “High praise. Especially from a Minnesota boy raised on hotdish.”

“Hey now, don’t knock the best comfort food. Excellent food is universal.” He lifted his glass, the dark liquid catching the light. “And excellent company.”

We ordered. His legendary carbonara, naturally. Veal saltimbocca for me. Mirco swept by again, depositing a platter overflowing with cured meats, olives, sharp cheese. “On the house! For my friends!”

Waiting for the entrees, the easy silence as we nibbled sent comfortable vibes through me. But something nagged, needing to be said. I set my glass down.

“Can I ask you something?” My fingers ran along the stem of the glass.

“Anything.”

“This.” I gestured around us. “Being out. Together. You okay with it? I hope I didn’t do something to push you into this.”

He considered it, gaze thoughtful. Watching him think was becoming a favorite pastime. He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. “Honestly? It’s more than okay.” His eyes held mine. “Remember what I told you? I’ve never been closeted, just private.”

“I know.” Relief washed through me. “Just needed to be sure?—”

“That you weren’t forcing me.” His smile softened the interruption. “You’re not. If I wasn’t ready for this, I wouldn’t have suggested dinner out.”

“Good.” The single word felt inadequate. “That’s... really good.”

“In fact...” He reached across the table again. This time he didn’t brush my fingers, he took my hand. “I’m already glad we did this.”

Our food arrived, forcing us to release each other. My veal was incredible, tender with sauce. The sound I made earned a look from Kevin.

“That good?” His voice dropped, rougher.

“So good.” I speared another piece and savored it. After a sip of wine, I pointed at his plate with my fork. “Can I steal a taste of yours to see what all the fuss is about?”

He grinned, twirling thick noodles coated in sauce around his fork. He held it out across the table. It was a simple gesture that felt huge. Couple-y.

I leaned in, catching the fork between my lips. Creamy, peppery, salty pancetta. Holy shit.

Eyes closed for a second. “Okay.” I swallowed. Pure bliss. “You weren’t kidding. It is life-changing.”

He looked ridiculously pleased.

“So I had brunch with Shane today,” I said, since it seemed like a good time to share. Kevin needed to know what I’d revealed. “I hope it’s okay… I should’ve asked you first… I told him about us.”

Kevin chuckled, which wasn’t what I’d expected. “It’s fine. I told my sister yesterday. She’s the one who encouraged me to ask you on an official date.”

I raised my glass. “Heres to our siblings. Shane helped me figure out what to wear.”

“Meg did the same for me.” We clicked our glasses together. “I texted her way too many options.”

“Turns out I wasn’t the only one with relationship news either. My friend Damien was there too. Shane and him are officially a couple.”

“Damien Roth? The tech billionaire?”

“One and the same.” I watched his reaction, the slight widening of his eyes. “I got to hear about their Paris trip. Shane took my place at the auction and Damien dropped twenty grand on him, then flew him off on a private jet.”

Kevin let out a low whistle. “Seriously? That’s… wow.”

“Right? Shane was happier than I’ve seen him in ages. It’s about damned time, too. I’ve tried to set those two up for years.”

Kevin’s leg rested against mine under the table. “So your brother falls for your best friend, you fall for your teammate.” He paused. “All roads lead back to that snowstorm.”

“Pretty much. If I hadn’t been grounded, I’d have been at the auction. Shane wouldn’t have filled in. Damien wouldn’t have bid.”

“And we wouldn’t have shared that hotel room.” His voice was soft. “Fate?”

“Maybe.” A smile played on my lips.

He chuckled. “What did Shane say? About us?”

“He’s thrilled. Said it was about time I found someone.”

“Shane and Meg can never meet. They’ll talk about us way too much. Meg essentially said the same thing to me.”

We shared bites, and talked about a lot of things. Books. Dream vacation destinations. Awful road trip hotels. There was a lot of laughter, too. It was surreal how quickly a comfort settled between us. Like we’d been doing this for years, not days.

“Off-season?” I swirled the last of the Sangiovese in my glass. “Back to Minnesota?”

“Yeah, for a couple of weeks at the beginning.” He nodded. “My parents expect a sighting. Meg guilt trips me if I’m not there to check out her latest project.” He hesitated. “No firm plans after that, though.”

My turn to hesitate. “Maybe... we could do something? Together? If you wanted.”

His eyes lit up. “Yeah? Like what?”

“Shane and I have a place in New Hampshire.” I shrugged, trying to keep things casual, without expectation. “Nothing fancy. It’s quiet. We can take the boat out, fish, swim, whatever. Could be... a getaway? A week? Two?”

“That sounds amazing.” His smile was soft and filled me with joy. “I’d love to see it.”

Wow. We’d just made a plan that was more than a few days out.

A new idea formed, even though I’d told Shane earlier in the day that Kevin and I were going slow. “The team’s spring barbecue is coming up at Henderson’s place.” I looked at him. “If you want, we could go together.”

The question hung there. The barbecue was a big gathering with significant others, kids, even parents sometimes. It would signal to the team we’re more than D partners.

Kevin didn’t hesitate. “I think it’s a great way to let the team know, in a chill way, that we’re a thing.”

Relief hit me like a clean check into the boards.

As if he knew a celebration was needed, Mirco reappeared, bearing two small, chilled glasses. “Limoncello! From my cousin in Sorrento! For my friend Kevin, and his guest!” He beamed.

We declined dessert, but accepted the sweet, potent liqueur. A perfect finish.

As we were leaving, Mirco clapped Kevin on the back, then took my hand in both of his, warm and firm. “I hope you both come back soon!”

We promised we would. Back out on the cobblestones, we walked closer this time, hands brushing deliberately.

“Thank you for the best first date ever.”

He fully took my hand in his as we walked. “I’m looking forward to many more dates, and just as many quiet nights on the couch.”

At the car, he unlocked it but didn’t open the door. Turning to face me under the old-fashioned streetlamp, he spoke softly. “I had an incredible night, too. I loved being with you.” His free hand came up, rested flat on my chest over my heart. “You looking at me... like you are right now.”

“How am I looking at you?” My voice dropped.

“Like you want to kiss me.”

I leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss. After all, we were on the sidewalk and not in a bedroom. It didn’t keep him from wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me tight, and deepening the kiss.

When we came up for air, I kept my forehead resting against his. “We should go. Before we scandalize the passersby.”

Kevin laughed softly against my neck. “Yes, we should.”