Page 15

Max

It was so fucking easy to talk to Ruben and being alone with him was comfortable. Neither of us seemed to mind the small breaks in conversation, but mostly we both found many things we either had in common or liked. “You’re really a Star Wars fan?” Ruben asked.

“Oh yes, my mom was really into it when I was a kid so she and I would watch the movies together. Mostly the original series but we’ve watched them all,” I said. He didn’t need to know about the Lego collection I had stashed in the garage that included every Star Wars kit.

“Your mom was into Star Wars?” he asked with a big grin.

“It was mutual,” I admitted. “How about you?”

“I was more into Star Trek New Generation. You can’t go wrong with Captain Picard.”

“I haven’t watched that before. I’ve seen the original, but it’s been years.”

“When I was young, I was fascinated with the gadgets. They’d wave one over one of the crew members when they were injured, and it would heal them or at least tell them what was wrong. It’s part of what made me want to become a doctor.”

“Did you always want to be a team doctor?” I asked just as they brought warm bread and an antipasto tray.

“I’ll be back with your chowder.” The server hurried off and Ruben cut a slice of bread and passed it to me. The server was back quickly and both of us immediately started eating the delicious clam chowder.

“No, I didn’t. To answer your question. I just wanted to be a doctor, but then like I said before I started volunteering for a local soccer team, and I really enjoyed it.”

“The team should keep you busy. It seems we always have an injury.”

“I’m learning it depends on who you’re playing. There were no serious injuries today so I guess I need to keep track of which teams will cause more injuries.” He took a bite of his chowder, and I tried not to notice how good he looked with his dark curly hair that was a little on the long side but suited him perfectly. His eyes were a clear green, and I tried to remember if I’d ever seen that color before because it was beautiful.

His eyes met mine then and he smirked like he knew exactly what I was thinking but at this point I didn’t want to play games and act like I wasn’t staring at him. “I was just noticing your eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that color before.”

“Most people think they’re blue,” he said.

“Sea glass green.” I took another bite and by the time we were finished the server was there to clear our plates and serve us a small plate of ravioli. “I thought you were kidding about the pasta.”

“Oh, I don’t kid about food.” He picked up a bite on his fork and held it out for me. “Try it,” he said.

I leaned over the table and slowly chewed the delicious tomato and cheese concoction. “Oh my god I think that’s the best sauce I’ve ever had.”

“It tastes the exact way I remember it from when I was a kid.” He took a bite of his own and we ate the rest of the ravioli in silence while sharing glances that spoke more than words could have.

Our plates were once again cleared away and soon after, the main course was served. “This looks so good, thank you,” I said to the server, and I wasn’t just saying it to be polite.

“Go ahead, give it a try,” Ruben said after they’d offered us fresh ground pepper, removed the shell from the lobster, and made sure we had everything we might need. I cut a bite of lobster and after dipping it in melted butter, I couldn’t help but groan.

“This is so good,” I said, making Ruben smile and take his own bite.

“I’m glad you like it,” he murmured.

“The company isn’t so bad either.” I wasn’t much for romance, or coming up with sweet words, but maybe I hadn’t met a person who made me want to be romantic because the more time I spent with Ruben, the more I wanted to show him how much I enjoyed that time.

“I agree. Tell me how you ended up playing for the Titans.” He took a bite of his prime rib as he waited for me to speak.

“Well, nothing too crazy. Like I said before, I’ve played for years and worked up to college, but there aren’t a lot of college hockey teams in California, so I ended up in Minnesota for a few years before I found out the Titans were looking for another goalie. I knew there wasn’t a chance I’d be playing in a game for a few years, so I’m shocked it’s all worked out how it did.”

“What was it like in Minnesota?” he asked.

“Cold, the winters were brutal, but perfect for hockey.”

“I’m glad you were able to move back here,” he said and covered my hand with his. I was realizing how much he liked touch. I liked touch when it led to sex but I wasn’t much on it until spending time with Ruben. I found I missed his hand in mine or at least touching mine.

“Me too, it’s nice to be back home.” And nice meeting you.

“Where’s the game next week?” Ruben asked.

“It’s at home again, and this team is good. Hopefully we can hold our own. It won’t be like today’s game, that’s for sure.” I still couldn’t believe that complete mess. “It was so bizarre.”

“I’ve never seen a team act the way they did. Do you think they’ll continue all season?”

“Hopefully not, or at least I hope we don’t have to play them again. Although another win is always good,” I said, making him laugh.

“And a game without injuries is also good.” He wiped his mouth and grinned. All through dinner we were either smiling or laughing and for a brief moment I thought of Joel, and how we’d never had a dinner like that.

“How do you feel about dessert?” I asked, changing the subject.

“A dinner without dessert is a crime against humanity,” he said with a completely serious face and tone. My brows shot up and his lip twitched before our conversation moved to what our favorite desserts were.