Page 14

CHAPTER 14

KENO

I’m not going to say we stop trying, because we don’t. That would be stupid. But as the score hits five to three in favor of Arizona, with three minutes left in the game, I breathe a little easier. It’s not that Toronto can’t catch up. They can. They’re a good fucking team, so if someone is going to catch up, Toronto would do it.

However, once Toronto receives a penalty for tripping that results in our power play, I’m not sure they can. A power play isn’t a guarantee that we’re going to win. Not even with three minutes left and having the advantage of one more player on the ice than they have. I’m thankful we’re ahead since it makes us all nervous when our goalie is pulled to give us two more active players on the ice at the risk of leaving our net empty.

We change out players and take our positions around the red circle to the left of Toronto’s goal. The linesman drops the puck and Barron gains possession. He shoots it away in Etna’s direction as I hover close to the blue line, allowing Hilt to get into the action while I make sure I’m in a position to grab the puck if it’s pushed away.

Just as I’m about to say fuck it and head in, the puck does just what I was prepared for. I jerk in that direction, stopping the puck from sliding all the way to the other end. Though I’m a little off balance, Julian is open, so I try to gain control of my position and immediately fling it toward him.

Julian catches it and shoots for the goal. It bounces off the goalie’s glove and goes in. We surround Julian, hugging him and listening to the announcer call, “Goal!” It’s not nearly as loud and celebratory as it would be if we were home, but meh.

Maybe it’s vain, but I enjoy hearing my name over the speakers. Especially when we’re in someone else’s rink. “ Score by Arizona’s Julian White, number thirty-four. Assisted by Keno Edgewood, number fourteen. Bringing the score to 6-3. ”

Love it. These are the moments I live for.

The rest of the game is playing keep away. Yes, we try for another goal because that’s our job, but our true focus is simply not to let Toronto take the puck back. Bonus is that I get to slam Lo against the boards once, just before the game ends as we fight for the puck.

It was really weird playing against Lo for the first time. A part of me really wanted to toss him the puck as I did countless times last year. It helped that he’s not in our team colors. Sometimes, I’m not even paying attention to who I’m passing to. It’s more about getting it to someone on our team. I’m looking at the jersey color as opposed to a specific person.

We file off the ice after a short celebration. I stop just inside the chute when there’s someone there with my jersey on. A kid, maybe twelve. He hands me a Sharpie and I sign my name inside the one on the back. Then pause to take a picture with him.

“Thank you!” he says, beaming at me with the biggest smile.

I clap his arm. “Thanks for being a fan,” I counter. It’s nice to see fans in other arenas, too. It reminds me we aren’t just Arizona’s team. We’re a dynasty. We have fans and supporters all over the country. All over the continent, considering that Canada is a separate country.

I follow my team toward the locker room and begin stripping out of my pads. It’s always a long process, but not for the first or last time, I’m thankful I don’t have the eighty pounds of gear that Horny has to fight with every time.

I’m not in a huge hurry since I know that Lo has to stay behind for his team press or whatever, in case he has to talk to them tonight. He shouldn’t since he didn’t score, and he’s not the captain, but you never know.

Eventually, Etna, Horny, Julian, Hilt, and I head for the exit to where Lo is waiting with a monstrously big vehicle. We climb into the back of the enormous vehicle Lo’s driving. “Where did you get this?” I ask. “The snow that bad up here?”

“My understanding is yes, it is, but this isn’t mine. I borrowed it when you said you needed a chauffeur for five. We don’t have vehicles that big,” Lo answers, twisted in the driver’s seat as we climb in.

Caulder’s in the passenger seat also twisted to look behind him. I end up in the very back row with Julian and Hilt, while Horny and Etna take the middle seats.

Etna shuts the door and taps the back of Lo’s seat. “Onward, driver!”

Lo rolls his eyes. “I’m going to dump you on the train tracks, bitch,” he says, turning forward again.

“Sounds like you really missed each other,” Caulder deadpans, smirking as he turns forward as well.

“Very much,” Horny says. “Have you met Julian? We’ve replaced you with him.”

Lo rolls his eyes. “One day, I’m going to introduce you to the hockey house I replaced you all with.” He glances at Caulder, and I watch the exchange of looks they give each other. “It’s a damn trip.”

“Oh?”

Caulder nods. “It’s too wild to even put into words. Just picture this—it’s a mix of, like, a playboy mansion, a frat house, and super rich hockey players. Eight of them living under one roof with richie-rich type toys.”

“Six hockey players,” Lo corrects. “Two of the roommates aren’t hockey. I think they’re Casey’s childhood besties.”

“Huh,” Horny muses. “That’s… interesting.”

“You have no idea,” Lo says, shaking his head. “Very fucking weird.”

“I’d like to point out that it took six hockey players and two non-hockey players to replace us and only one Julian,” Horny says, grinning.

Lo’s eyes rise to the mirror as he looks at Horny. “Numbers, Horny. Besides, I like their richie-rich toys.”

We chat as Lo drives for fucking days and pulls this big ass vehicle into a driveway that feels far too small for it. Probably because there are already two other cars there. Since one has New York plates, I assume that’s Caulder’s.

“This is nice,” Hilt comments, looking at the house from the driveway.

“It’s fine,” Lo says, shrugging. “It met the criteria.”

“Being as far away from the arena as you can get?” Horny asks.

Caulder smirks as he heads for the house while we’re still climbing out of the back. Unless it’s a bus, it’ll always take us a minute.

“No. Being as close to Buffalo as I can get and still be within a reasonable commute to the arena,” Lo answers.

“Ah. Right,” Horny says and follows Caulder.

We had a three o’clock game today, so it’s still pretty early, which I appreciate. We don’t have super early travel tomorrow either, but I do have some plans to make for our New Year’s celebration in Tampa. There are worse places to spend New Year’s Eve. I think Julian and Horny have commandeered the reins of planning, which is fine. I just need to know a general location.

For… reasons.

We settle around the ridiculously modern room. I’m distracted from my thoughts by the strange juxtaposition of space-age roundness with straight lines cutting through them.

“Don’t comment,” Lo says, laughing at Horny’s expression as he looks around. “It came furnished and I haven’t bothered to decorate.”

“Because you don’t plan to live here long,” Hilt supplies.

“We have a house in Niagara—the halfway point. We’re giving it the season to see how it works and yeah, if it isn’t awful, we’re selling our houses and moving to Niagara together.”

“That means marriage is treating you well,” Etna says.

I linger in the door as everyone takes seats under the pretense of looking around. Really, I’m curious to see where people end up sitting. It’s difficult not to grin when my spot beside Etna is still open. As if everyone just naturally leaves it for me.

“Yes,” Lo says, and the fucking way he looks at Caulder, man. I shake my head and take my seat. Do I look at Etna like that? Does he look at me like that? If the answer is yes to either of those, there’s no wonder why our friends have called us a couple for ages now.

“It’s challenging,” Caulder adds. “The distance and spending so much time apart for games can be… discouraging and frustrating.”

“It’s not forever,” Lo says. I have a feeling based on his tone he’s said those words a lot. Especially given the way Caulder looks at him. He’s definitely heard them before. Once or twice a day, at the very least.

“It’s not,” Caulder agrees.

“But no regrets?” Hilt asks.

Both shake their heads.

“None,” Lo says. “When you find your person, you just know. I only wish I’d found him sooner.”

“What’s your favorite thing about marriage?” I ask.

They look at each other.

“If one of you says dick, I’m throwing my drink at you,” Horny says.

We laugh. Lo’s grin is huge. “Don’t worry. That’s my favorite thing about being gay. I can have that with or without marriage.”

Caulder rolls his eyes, shoving Lo playfully.

Horny snorts.

“My favorite thing is you,” Lo says, still staring at Caulder with fucking hearts in his eyes.

“Wow. Corny as fuck,” Hilt groans, though he’s smiling.

Caulder bows his head, hiding his shy smile. I can’t help but smile, too, when he nods. I glance at Etna. “For the longest time, I kept my head buried in the sand, so all I had to concentrate on was hockey. I thought I had a solid plan for my career. Every day I’m grateful I allowed myself to take this chance, or I might have passed by the best thing that’ll ever happen to me.”

He looks at Lo. “I hate to be cliché and shit, but you’re my favorite thing too.”

I look at Etna, raising my eyebrows. Now seems like a good enough time.

“Okay, so. I want to tell you something,” Etna says. All six sets of eyes turn to him expectantly. A minute passes. He glances at me. “We’re getting married.”

Silence. It’s so silent that I can hear the wind whistling outside.

“This a prank?” Julian says, narrowing his eyes.

Etna looks at me again. “Repeating this is going to get exhausting.”

I smirk. “This is the last time. It’s no one else’s business.”

“Not to be that person and make the joke you’re probably going to hear a lot, but is someone pregnant?” Horny asks, smirking.

I huff and toss one of the throw pillows at him. He winks.

“Yes,” Etna deadpans. “I’m due in a week.”

“We’re getting married for different reasons than what’s become traditional,” I concede, “but we’re really happy about our decision.”

“What are the reasons?” Lo asks. “But so you know, I’m really happy for you.”

Etna sighs. “Thanks.”

“Oh definitely,” Hilt agrees. “Shocked and a little… confused, but most certainly happy for you. You know we’re just teasing when we call you an old married couple, right?”

Etna and I smile. “Yes,” Etna answers.

I appreciate that the response all around is support. And also completely understand the confusion.

“We were talking about different marriage practices recently and the movement in some Asian countries where people are marrying their friends for better compatibility reasons. Longevity and similarities in lifestyles. Wanting the same things and sharing the same morals and work ethics and whatever,” I explain. “The more we thought about it, the more it just… made sense for our situation.”

“As you just pointed out, you always teased us about being an old married couple,” Etna says. “The joke never bothered us. We found it funny and kind of agreed. We laughed about it on our own too. But you’re right. We are like a married couple. We see no reason to change that and, really, marrying each other just feels right. Like it’s the answer to a lot of questions we weren’t asking that’s been right in front of us the entire time.”

“That’s cool,” Lo says.

“I have to ask,” Horny says. “You know I have to.”

“This has to do with dick, doesn’t it?” Lo says.

Horny grins. “Yes. You know how dudes have sex, right? Or are you going to be one of those celibate couples? Ohhh, oorrrr, are you going to, like, swing and shit?”

Etna sighs. “We should have left you in the snowbank.”

Hilt hits Horny with a pillow.

“We’re aware,” I say, “and that’s all you need to know on the subject.”

“Yeah. Some things can be left private,” Lo says.

“There’s porn if you have questions,” Caulder points out. “It’s a bit unrealistic, but the mechanics are the same.”

“I know how it works. I’ve watched all kinds of porn. I’m just saying…”

“It’s none of your business,” Caulder, Julian, and Hilt say together.

Etna and I grin.

“All right. All right,” Horny gives in, raising his hands. “Sorry.”

Hilt sighs heavily. Like he’s disciplining his child who’s old enough to know better. “We’re happy for you,” Hilt promises. “Have you started planning?”

“Yes and no. We chose a date—June 28. We’re selling our houses and moving in together officially. We just spent Christmas together with our families to tell them. After the first of the year, we’re really going to be cracking down on plans. If we get grumpy in January, it’s because we’re up to our balls in wedding shit that we’re entirely unprepared for,” I say.

“Noted,” Hilt says.

“It’s not so bad,” Lo says. “Just remind yourself when you get frustrated, all the trouble you’re dealing with will result in calling the person you love most in the world your husband when it’s all said and done. You get to spend your lives together.”

“Wow,” Etna says, looking at me. “Is that how I sound?”

I grin, shrugging. “Maybe a little.”

We continue to talk about the wedding we haven’t started planning yet. Hilt tells us about his and what he’d do differently. Lo tells us about theirs and has zero things he’d change, though Caulder rolls his eyes when he says so. Horny enthusiastically offers ideas, and Julian has some too.

Meanwhile, I lean back on the couch to listen. At some point, Etna put his hand on my leg and there it stays. Claiming. Affectionate. Possessive. It makes my heart race and I love it.

Caulder meets my eye and we share a smile.

We might tease Lo, but I’d wager a bet that we all want the kind of love Lo and Caulder share. I look at Etna. I know I do. And I think I’ll have it one day soon.