Page 31

THIRTY-ONE

RHYS

“ W ell, that’s a weird text message…” But nice picture. I save that one to my camera roll to use later.

Breeder: You’re a bottom. Duh. Look at that ass.

I figure I have to explain, so I do before he asks.

Breeder: Bottoms like to take the dick.

Breeder: Tops like to give it.

Breeder: Does that make sense?

Rhys changed Teddy’s contact to That Ass

Teddy changed Rhys’ contact to Top Me

Somehow he is going to get this confused. I can already feel it.

That Ass: but u take my dick all the time

There it is.

Top Me: are we having sex I don’t know about?

That Ass: did u hit ur head?

Top Me: It feels like I have.

But that’s frankly every text conversation we have. Maybe I should just call him, but then I come to my senses and don’t.

That Ass: that makes a lot of sense

That Ass: are u sure u can play?

That Ass: did u go 2 the hospital?

Top Me: How am I taking your dick?

That Ass: in ur mouth.

That Ass: i’m seriously worried bout u

Fuck. I hate when he’s right and it’s me being stupid.

That Ass: now i know why i’ve been a psycho all week

Top Me: What happened?

That Ass: i might have cried all over my coach.

Top Me: You cried all over your coach?

That Ass: i said might! it gives me deny built addy

Top Me: It gives you what?

That Ass: the right to an attorney to pled my case

I have a headache.

Top Me: Can we go back to your coach?

That Ass: dont bring him in2 this

That Ass: hes basically my dad

That Ass: u cant speak against him

Top Me: since when do you have daddy issues?

Top Me: I’ll be there in ten minutes. Is there somewhere we can meet to talk before the game?

That Ass: is this a trap?

Top Me: I’m your boyfriend.

Teddy takes a screen shot.

Top Me: Did you screen shot that because I called you my boyfriend? That’s cute.

That Ass: i did it for evidence. in case i go missing

Top Me: For fuck’s sake. Tell me where to meet you.

Teddy sends a location.

Teddy takes a screen shot.

Top Me: If you go missing, I’ll have your phone!

That Ass: thats so smart. no 1-der ur so good at this

Top Me: Good at what?!

That Ass: touché.

“I hid my phone, so if you disappear me, it’s still out there.”

“If you hid it, how is anyone else going to find it?”

“Fuck. How do you know so much about disappearing people?”

I put my head in my hands. “What the fuck happened, Teddy?”

“What do you mean?” he asks, like we didn’t just have the conversation we had via text.

“I want to know what you meant by you lost it all over your coach? Are you okay? What happened?” I want to touch him, but he seems so jumpy he might run away if I do.

“Oh! I had a tiny bit of an emotional breakdown to my coach, but it’s all good. I feel way better now. In the zone!”

“About the game?”

He nods. “I told him I couldn’t play.”

I gasp. “Why?”

“I thought I was a traitor.”

“Still?” I knew he was nervous, but I hadn’t realized it had gotten this bad. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know how to.” He looks at his feet.

“Can I hug you?”

His gaze lifts to meet mine. “You never have to ask to hug me.” He opens his arms.

As he just thought I was trying to kidnap him, I doubt it, but I don’t say that. I just wrap him up in a hug, pulling him close. “Do you feel better?”

“Much better. That’s why I sent you the dick pic.”

“Since when does flaccid dick equal feeling better…never mind…I’m just glad you feel better.” I brush my lips over his, squeezing him tighter.

“Me too. I was pretty worried there I’d have to quit hockey and become a scientist or something,” Teddy says into my mouth.

“That would be tragic.”

“I know right!”

We finally detangle.

“Go block every goal.”

Teddy narrows his gaze. “You want that?”

“Of course I want you to have your best game.”

“But don’t you want to win?” His frown deepens.

“I’m going to be trying my damndest to score on you, and helping my team win. I can want both things at the same time.”

He screws up his face. “That hurts my brain. But coach said that’s how you’d play.”

“Go kick some ass, baby.”

“I can’t kick anyone. That’s a personal foul.”

I bite back a laugh. “Right. Play well!”

We both go to our locker rooms and warm up.

“You ready for this?” Cox asks, putting his hand on my shoulder.

“Are you?” I shoot back.

“The boyfriend okay?” Cox asks under his breath.

I meet his eyes and nod. “Much better. Don’t ask me how. I couldn’t make sense out of half of what he said.”

“That’s what you get dating a goalie.”

“A goalie? Which goalie?” Wolfe barrels in like the Kool-Aid man again.

“Their goalie is my boyfriend,” I say not knowing what came over me. But I’d already told Logan so I might as well tell the rest of the guys.

Wolfe finger guns me. “You must have great taste.”

“Thanks?” He must mean the goalie thing but I’m not going to clarify.

“You must like scoring on him both ways.” Archangel holds out his fist and I bump it. “Nice.”

“That’s like three gay guys on our team.” Wolfe muses. “That’s wild.”

“And our coach,” Archangel adds.

“Three?” I glance around because Wolfe can’t mean himself. “Who’s the third?”

“Me.” Archangel says with a shrug. “I’m pretty open about it.”

“Sweet. I’m glad this team isn’t a bunch of douches about it.”

“Nah, we’re cool. Who else is gonna handle a stick better?” Seaborn says from the cubby next to mine.

“He’s got a fucking point. If there is an expert…” Wolfe eyes Archangel aggressively. Which is odd, because Wolfe said he was straight.

I tuck that away to think about later.

“Come on guys. We are about to go out on the ice,” Coach Hawke calls.

Cox puts on the Cadieux jersey he wears to spite his father and honor his grandfather and Coach Hawke’s eyes light up. He doesn’t quite smile, but he looks at Logan like he put the stars in the sky. It makes me wonder how the rest of the team didn’t notice they were together all last year.

We get out on the ice, and it feels good. We’re playing at the top of our game, but so is Summerset. The game starts to get aggressive, and I just know it’s going to get like our preseason game with them. I just hope Teddy doesn’t feel the need to defend my honor again.

When Coach Hawke puts me in, the ice feels like magic. I know I’m going to make something happen.

Seaborn steals the puck back and I get around my player and break. He passes up the wall and I catch and turn towards the middle. Oxley gets out of my way, drawing his defender with him. Mines on my ass, so I have to get a quick shot off. I fake a near side shot and Teddy barely moves, narrowing his eyes.

He’s been watching me play.

Motherfucker.

It’s now or never, so I aim at the far upper corner, one place Teddy has a hard time getting and shoot. I hold my breath, veering off to go around the goal as it lights up.

I throw my fist in the air and cry out. “Fuck yes.”

Teddy grunts as I skate back around the front of the goal to my teammates, giving out high-fives as I go. When we line back up Teddy gives me Focker fingers from the goal, letting me know he’s watching me. I won’t get him again that easily.

In the second, Summerset scores on us evening it up.

Neither of us scores in the third period taking us to OT, which means it’s 3v3 sudden death and I just know Teddy is going to take it hard if he loses that way, but I have to push it out of my mind. I need to focus on the game if Coach Hawke puts me in.

No one scores in sudden death. If this weren’t a conference game, they’d let the tie stand, but since we need a winner, the game goes to a shootout.

3v3 again.

Coach Hawke looks at all of us in the locker room.

“I want Ridgeway, Lovelace and…” Coach Hawke’s looks me right in the eyes. “Can you score on him?”

“I think so.”

“Yes or no.”

“Yes.” I feel bad, but it’s what Teddy would want.

“Good. Do it.”