Page 86 of Forbidden Hockey

Is it working?

Yes. If he were here. Fortunately for me, he can’t see my face. Fortunately, he can’t see how far I’ve fallen for him.

Me

I don’t reward sassy boys. Behave yourself.

Dirk

And now I’ve gotta go to pre-game with the hard-on from hell. Not complaining, said that for your enjoyment. Brownie points?

Me

Major brownie points. Have a good game, pretty boy.

Dirk

I will, and I probably shouldn’t admit this to you, but I love this. Everything you do makes me feel like I’m yours, so, um, ignore my whining. I’ll live a few more days without relief. It is only gonna be a few more days, right?

Yeah, it is, but I’m not telling him that.

Me

Have a good game, Dirk.

I swear I can hear him cursing me from Kelowna.

Too bad I can’t go upstairs and rub one out like I want to, I’ve got a restaurant to run. It’s slow today, and I let the bartender go early. I love being behind the bar when I can be.

“What are you smiling about?” Maxwell says.

Yeah, him. He’s back. Hasn’t been here for a while, but then strolled in here as if it’s something he does all the time.Apparently, what I said helped him. I didn’t mean to help him enough to make him my own personal leech.

I’ve considered banning him. After what he did, he’d deserve it, but I’m a “keep your enemies close” kind of guy. I can handle him, and if he’s here, I can keep an eye on him.

And, well.

Fuck.

Something we talked about got to me. He was like a fucking mirror. I can’t even say that my actions aren’t as bad as what he did to Rhett and Logan.

I’ve backed off of Dash, way off, because of that conversation with Maxwell. A “practice what I preach” kind of thing. Have I been on Dash’s ass too much? I’ve justified my questionable actions because of the intent, protecting my son, but maybe I need to let go, too. Thank fuck I haven’t crossed Dash’s personal lines, but what if someday, I do? My relationship with my son is one of the best things in my life. I can’t risk it for just anything. I would, though, if I thought he was in mega danger. Maxwell’s appearance in my life’s making me confront all this shit.

“Nothing,” I say. That’s all I need, Maxwell finding out about Dirk.

“Didn’t look like nothing.” Maxwell picks up his scotch with a lofty hand. He’s hiding behind sunglasses, wrapped in a large coat. My pub isn’t the sort of place a guy like him frequents. He’s got to be in hiding, or too much of a coward to show his face anywhere else.

“You ready for another one?” I pull out the remote, switching it over to the game. I’m subscribed to every sports channel there is, so I can watch all of Dash’s games, if I pay attention to Dirk as well, who’s gonna know?

“Yeah, gimme another. I’ll stay and watch my son.”

“You must be proud—two of your boys with successful hockey careers.”

“I am, even if they don’t think so.”

I’m not touching that. I might get roped into giving more advice. I’ve already given the wrong impression. Does he think we’re friends?

Since the restaurant’s quiet, I pour myself a pint and sip along with him. Dirk scores the first goal off a pass from Dash. I clap like I would for any other goal, dimming my excitement. I do the same when Maverick Elkington scores in the second period, cheersing my beer with Maxwell’s Courvoisier.