Page 67 of One-Time Shot
“Jett. What are you…” He stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise as he noticed the audience nearby. “What’s going on?”
“They’re…never mind them.” I caught his elbow as he tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, pushing his glasses higher on his adorable freckled nose. “How are you?”
How are you? Really, Jett? Fuck.
Malcolm frowned. “I’ve been better. You?”
I bit the inside of my lip hard enough to draw blood, my heart beat like a drum, reverberating through my body.
This was my shot.
This was it.
“I love you,” I blurted.
Malcolm went perfectly still.
He looked…shocked. Utterly and completely shocked.
“You…I’m…we…”
“I love you,” I repeated. “And I’ve been thinking about you and me and how nothing about us is supposed to fit—but it does.” I scrubbed my stubbled jaw and continued in a rush. “There might be a physics equation that explains us, or maybe we’re something special. You don’t walk away from special, baby. You just don’t.”
He licked his lips. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…I’m taking a chance here. On us.” I gestured at my teammates watching from a distance. “I invited these assholes along as witnesses. I want everyone to know we’re more than just very good friends. I want them to know that you’re important to me. But that’s whatIwant. If you don’t feel the same…then we can just stand here talking and they’ll know that we’re friends. And if you tell me friendship is all I can have, I’ll respect that. But…if you think we could be something more, I’m here to tell you I’m yours,” I said in a gravelly tone.
“Hockey is your dream.” His voice cracked and his eyes welled.
I smiled. “My dreams are bigger these days, Malcolm. I’ll always have hockey in some form or other. There’s no guarantee I’ll make it beyond the Spiders, so why would I give this up too? If I have one shot, I want it to be with you.”
Malcolm launched himself at me. “I love you.”
I hugged him tight and whispered in his ear. “Can I kiss you? If I do, everyone will know. Is that okay?”
He inched away, glancing over my shoulder and nodding. “Kiss me.”
So I did.
A loud cheer erupted. There were gasps of “Is this real?” and “Are they a couple?” in between hoots of approval. No doubt someone was taking video and photos. Let them. The only thing that mattered was right here in my arms.
All the questions and uncertainty faded. I knew without a doubt that I was on the right track with the right person, ready to take a shot at love.
EPILOGUE
“There isno remedy for love but to love more.”—Henry David Thoreau
Malcolm
Three years later
Spiders fans came out in droves for Pride Night, and my goodness, they were ferocious.
“Get ’em by the balls! Come on, fellas!”
I widened my eyes at the octogenarian sitting two seats away.
“Don’t mind Sally. She gets excited at these games,” the old man next to me chimed in, putting two fingers in his mouth and whistling shrilly. “Our grandson is out there.”