Page 7

7

Nick

C aleb’s been a lot less antagonistic since that night I lost my temper and told him about Jessie. Honestly, I still don’t know why I put my hands on him like that. It was so unlike me—and he seemed just as stunned as I was.

Note to self: Next time I want Caleb to shut up, all I need to do is grip his throat.

Maybe I should tell Rhys for the next time they butt heads during practice—though the idea of anyone else being privy to that information somehow annoys me.

But, yeah, I think we’re getting somewhere. He must have felt guilty for the things he said because he’s been coming back with sweets from the café. Caleb doesn’t even say anything when he gives them to me, just throws them at me without a word.

It’s weird, but also… kind of endearing? Maybe I’m delusional, but I think the guy’s warming up to me.

He’s warming up with the rest of the team, too. Caleb’s still irritating as ever, throwing the most immature taunts at everyone, though I think we’ve all figured out that he just likes to mess with people for fun. It’s nothing personal.

Like right now, he’s across the locker room, arguing with Schultz about something. I can’t tell what they’re talking about, but Schultz slaps him with a towel and Caleb makes a move to kick him—before Schultz runs off to the showers.

I don’t even realize I’m staring until Caleb catches my eye, and I look away before he calls me creepy again.

My phone beeps and I use it as an excuse to look busy, surprised to see a message from Dad.

Dad: You busy? We’re in the city. Thought we’d stop by.

Me: Practice just ended. Where do you want to meet?

Dad: Dianne wants to go to Stella’s.

Fuck.

I haven’t told Dad and Dianne—my stepmom—that Jessie and I have broken up. They probably want to head there because they adore her, and just the thought of it makes my stomach churn.

Me: Why don’t we go somewhere for dinner instead?

Dad: We can’t stay long. Let’s have a quick coffee at Stella’s. We just pulled up.

Me: There’s another café down the street that I think you’d like.

Dad: But we want to see if Jessie’s around. What’s your ETA?

Me: Dad, let’s go somewhere else.

I curse. This can’t be fucking happening. Swallowing, I’m in the middle of typing that Jessie and I have broken up when another message comes through.

Dad: We’ve already ordered and are seated, Nicholas. What’s gotten into you?

Oh, my fucking god.

“Caleb,” I blurt out just as he’s passing by. He’s dressed down in his compression shorts and he turns to me, and his abs momentarily distract me as if I haven’t seen them before. The guy’s built like a rock.

“What?” he asks, and my eyes snap to his.

“Um. Is Jessie at the café?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Shit!” When more heads turn to me, my cheeks flare. “Sorry.”

Rhys’s head pops out from behind his stall. “Nick, what’s going on?”

“I gotta go. My parents are at Stella’s.” I know that’s enough to explain why I’m freaking out, and I grab my things. After the quickest shower ever, I rush towards my car.

I could just tell Dad that Jessie and I have broken up, but they’ve already ordered. The only thing I can hope for is that Jessie’s in the back or missing her shift, even if I know that’s unlikely.

And I’m right—the moment I step inside the café, Jessie’s manning the counter. Her eyes meet mine and her expression hardens as she tilts her head towards the back most corner where Dad and Dianne are.

“Sorry,” I mouth at her, and I drag my feet over to my parents.

Dianne spots me first, holding Dad’s shoulder to get his attention. Her perfectly manicured red fingernails are a stark contrast against Dad’s white button-up, and he turns to me with a smile.

“Hello,” I tell them, taking a seat across from them in the booth. They both have coffees. “Sorry it took a while. Practice just ended.”

“That’s fine,” Dad says. “Go order a coffee. Jessie’s at the counter.”

“Ah, no. It’s all right. I’m good.”

I haven’t seen them since classes started. They only live an hour away, but they’re always so busy with work and with many events that I prefer to stay on campus on weekends rather than going home to an empty, quiet penthouse.

Dad focuses all his attention on me as he asks about my classes and practice. Even if he never comes to my games, he’s still a doting dad in his own way. He’s also very interested in my grades even if it’s only the start of the sem and gives me a proud smile when I tell him I’m set to graduate by this year.

“I should set you up with an internship with one of our offices before you graduate,” he says. “So you get a hang of things.”

“He still has hockey,” Dianne reminds him.

“Oh. That’s right.” Dad eyes me. “Well, that’s fine. It’s not like an internship or a full-time job won’t be waiting for you as soon as you’re done with your degree.”

I nod. It’s true that everything’s being handed to me on a silver platter, but I’d never tell Dad I wasn’t keen for his plans for me. That would be downright ungrateful.

“I think Jessie’s going on a break.” Dianne gives a slight wave to Jessie, who’s circling around the counter and taking her apron off. Caleb’s behind the counter now, taking over for Jessie. I avoid Jessie’s stare, and my gaze automatically lands on Caleb’s, who lifts his eyebrows at me.

Even across the room, I can feel the intensity of his stare.

“Jessie, honey,” Dianne says, voice loud enough to carry over the chatter of the café. “Come join us.”

Jessie’s eyebrows clash together, and she slowly comes over to us.

Fuck. I screwed up.

What was I doing, thinking this wouldn’t happen?

I turn to Dad and Dianne. “We broke up,” I blurt out.

Both their jaws drop.

“Hello.” Jessie steps up to us, forcing a smile. “So nice to see you again. I won’t be joining you because, um…” Jessie meets my eyes, and she chews on her cheeks. “I…”

Dad clears his throat. “Yes, Nicholas just… told us why.” His voice turns tense when he adds, “I wish you told us earlier, son.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s nice seeing you, dear,” Dianne says, and Jessie gives her another forced smile before turning away. She heads to the backroom, her ears and cheeks flaring.

“I was going to tell you,” I say, staring hard at the table. I don’t enjoy disappointing them. It makes my stomach twist, and shame courses through my veins.

Dad says, “That’s why you wanted to go somewhere else.”

“Yes, but. Um. You said you were already seated, and. Uh.”

“You broke up recently?” Dianne interrupts.

“A month ago.”

Dad lets out an exasperated sigh, and the shame in me only intensifies. “Nicholas, you could have told us so much sooner to save us that embarrassing encounter. Honestly.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Dianne says. As always, she plays the mediator between Dad and I. Maybe she can tell how much his disapproval gets to me. “I adored Jessie, though. Are you sure it’s not something you two could fix? You were supposed to bring her along to the ribbon cutting at the new clinic and introduce her to everyone.”

“No,” I murmur, and it’s only then I realize I’m clenching my hands tight against my knees. “Um. No, sorry. It’ll only be me.”

“Oh. Well, no worries.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Nicholas,” she says gently.

Is it, though?

I’ve always made it a point to keep my head down and not cause Dad and Dianne any trouble. They’re both so lenient with me despite our… history. Honestly, I don’t even know how Dianne can stand to be this calm with me. If I were in her shoes, considering who I am and how I came to this world, I’d hate to see the boy that her husband had with someone else.

I’m not even supposed to be their problem.

And, not for the first time, I think of Mom and how it would have been so much easier if she were still here. I probably wouldn’t have hesitated to tell her about Jessie, unlike how difficult it was to tell Dad and Dianne.

“Nicholas.” Dad sighs. “Sit up properly, please. Stop slouching.”

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing. You know how I don’t care about that habit of yours.”

I hear it for what it is— grow a spine.

God, I’m going to throw up. I clench my hands against my knees again and hang my head low, even if Dad told me to sit up.

“Hi!” Caleb’s voice suddenly jolts me out of my spiraling thoughts. He shoves me further inside the booth and a surprised sound escapes me.

He’s still wearing his apron and when I glance at the counter, there’s nobody manning it. I don’t think he’s on a break.

Grinning wide, Caleb says, “I’m Caleb Jennings, Nicky’s new roommate. I’m on the hockey team, too.”

“Nicky?” Dianne repeats.

Dad gives him a practiced smile—which I know for a fact Caleb hates . He looks between me and Caleb and nods. “Nice to meet you, Caleb. Nicholas hasn’t mentioned you, though I recognize you.”

Caleb sounds surprised. “You do?”

What the heck is he doing? I stare at Caleb, feeling out of my element. The guy ignores the baffled look I’m sending his way.

At least he shook me out of my spiraling, though.

“I recognize you from Nicholas’ matches,” Dad says, as if it’s the most obvious thing ever. “You used to play for Michigan, right?”

Caleb blinks at him. “Yes, sir. Wow, Nick, your dad’s memory is incredible.”

I—yeah, Caleb’s right. Dad’s always been sharp and amazing with names and faces. But… that’s not what surprises me right now. I ask Dad in disbelief, “You’ve watched one of my games?”

“I watch most of your games, as long as I’m free.”

Dianne puts a hand over her mouth and laughs. “You should see how passionate he gets. When you got injured last year, he asked me if it would be possible to get his legal team to sue the boy who hurt you.”

What? I didn’t—I didn’t know this. At all.

All this time, I had the impression that Dad didn’t bother with my love for hockey aside from paying for it and asking about it occasionally.

Caleb reaches over and places a finger under my chin, snapping my jaw shut. He scoffs and says, “How can you not know your dad watches your games?” Then he turns back to Dad. “You know you can watch him live, right? The season’s starting soon and everyone on the team has complimentary tickets to give out to family and friends.”

Dad laughs. “Well, Nicholas has never invited me to a game, so I assumed he wouldn’t want me there.”

“No!” I blurt out. Dad cocks his head at me, and even both Dianne and Caleb seem stunned at my outburst. I clear my throat and say, “It’s not that. I’ve never invited you because I didn’t think you’d be interested.”

“Do you want me to watch your games?”

Instinctively, I want to tell him I know he’s too busy, and he doesn’t need to bother. It’s enough that he lets me play, and I’m grateful for it. But… Caleb’s looking at me so intently, as if daring me to tell the obvious truth.

“Yes,” I murmur. “I’d like that. If you’d come to my games, I mean. Just when you’re not caught up with anything else, and if it’s not too much of a hassle for you.”

“Then I will,” Dad says, and I can’t help but smile.

I’m hit with the realization that this conversation would never have happened if Caleb didn’t insert himself the way he did. I space out, vaguely aware of how Caleb’s making small talk with my parents. When I notice Dianne watching me, I stand up straighter and listen in on their conversation. Dad’s telling Caleb about how they’re working on the new clinic for the children’s hospital, and how they’ll be back for the ribbon cutting. Caleb must have asked them why they’re in town.

“Oh, yeah,” Caleb says. “I saw them working on it last weekend.”

That gets my attention. “Why were you at the children’s hospital?”

“I was visiting someone.” Caleb doesn’t explain more and quickly adds, “Nicky, if you’re going to the ribbon cutting, check out the hospital’s garden. It’s really pretty. You can mope around there in that way you do.”

“I don’t mope around.”

He snickers.

“We actually built that garden as well,” Dad says, and I can see the pride in his eyes.

“Really? I love the place!” Caleb sounds excited by this revelation, and I can’t help but smile.

After some more small talk, Caleb turns to me. He studies me and then grins, and I wonder what he sees—all I know is that I’m much more at ease compared to a few minutes ago.

“I need to go,” Caleb says, sliding out of the booth. “I only wanted to say hi, but I’m not actually on break. Better go before my manager gets back.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Dad says. I think he means it.

“You too, sir, ma’am!”

When he’s gone, Dianne smiles warmly. “He’s a nice boy. Caleb, right?”

Nice boy and Caleb aren’t words I’d usually put together, and I’m still not sure what that was about, but that was a side of Caleb I can definitely get used to.