Page 62 of You, Again

Nolan snickered. “Pluto?”

“Yeah, my mind is…” I made a ka-pow gesture with my fingers as my eyes drifted open. “I had no idea it felt that amazing. Do I make you feel like that?”

His face melted in unfettered affection. For me.

“Oh, Vinnie. You have no idea.”

I did, though.

See, for all that sex I’d had, I’d never been here. I’d never almost suffocated under an avalanche of sheer adoration for another human being. Not like this. I was drowning in a sea of feelings I couldn’t control.

I admired him, I desired him, I respected him—and fuck me…

I think I love him.

12

NOLAN

The freefall scared me. I’d been infatuated and I’d been in lust. But I’d never felt anything like this with a lover. I did my best to act cool, as if I’d been here before and knew how this love business worked. I didn’t. It took everything I had not to act like a dope around Vinnie at practice or at the diner. If JC’s amused snorts and Ronnie’s quizzical looks were an indication, I was doing a poor job of it.

It would have been nice to confide in my brother, but I couldn’t make that call without outing Vinnie. He’d come out on his own terms…or not at all. As far as I knew, he was still only here through August. He shrugged off rumors of signing with LA and laughed aloud when one of the regulars from the diner said he’d heard that Vegas wanted him.

“Not sure the Stanley Cup winners are in the market for an old guy like me, but it’s a nice thought.”

That was the type of response that left wiggle room for last-minute decisions. He didn’t clarify his plans beyond August, and I didn’t ask. I lived as completely in the moment as possible and hoped for the best. Like the grown-up version of the same kid who’d had a terrible crush on his brother’s best friend in high school.

Christ, some things never changed.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

I jolted to attention and glanced up at my niece stirring brownie mix across the island from me in my mom’s kitchen.

“Uh…nothing. I was thinking about hockey.” Which was more or less a half-truth.

Mary-Kate dropped the spatula in the bowl and pulled the prepared baking pan in front of her. “I have a surprise for you.”

“You’re making me brownies,” I deadpanned.

“No, silly. It’s something else. I decided I like hockey…a little bit. This much.” She held her thumb and forefinger approximately one inch apart.

I bugged my eyes out, clutched my chest, and fell theatrically onto the floor. My mom’s dog rescued me with sloppy kisses while Mary-Kate hooted like a loon.

“What’s the ruckus about?” Mom asked, sashaying into the kitchen with my brother behind her.

I stumbled to my feet and pointed at my giggling niece. “This kid likes hockey now. It’s a miracle.”

“I knew my girl would come around.” Ronnie gave her a playful noogie and swiped a taste of batter from the side of the bowl, earning him an exasperated, “Da-a-ad!”

Mom grinned in that pleased way she did when the people she loved the most were all under the same roof. “It makes perfect sense to me. The whole town has summer hockey fever. We haven’t seen the likes of it since your dad was coaching.”

Ronnie slapped me on the back. “I told you Vinnie would help us out. Did I tell you that for the first time in the Forest League’s admittedly brief history, they’re requiring tickets to the championship game? And they’re charging five bucks apiece!”

I widened my gaze. “No way. That’s awesome.”

“I hope you win the whole shebang. That would give the parade an extra boost,” Mom commented, helping Mary-Kate pour batter into the pan.

“Ooh, sorry, Ma. That’s not going to happen.” Ronnie grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and polished it on the hem of his T-shirt.