The bar was empty when they stepped inside, except for Liam and several of his employees who were cleaning up.
“Thanks for a great party,” Thad called out.
Liam gave him a small smile. “Happy Halloween.”
On the street, Graham requested a ride as Thad rubbed his palms up and down Graham’s bare arms.
“I wish I had my jacket to put around you tonight.”
Graham craned his neck, giving Thad a smile. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. You looked good in it. And it kept you warm.”
Graham let himself put some of his weight against Thad’s chest. “That’s okay. I know you’ve got me.”
“I do,” Thad whispered. “And I always will.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Graham awoke in the wee hours of the morning, his mouth dry, his head pounding, and the bed empty.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes and spotted Thad on the couch a few feet away. He was wearing one of Graham’s hoodies and immersed in something on his phone, the lamp glowing in the corner of the room.
“You okay?” Graham croaked. Damn it, he’d hoped staying at Thad’s place would help with whatever was causing Thad to not be able to sleep.
Apparently, it hadn’t been enough.
Thad immediately turned to look at Graham, a guilty expression crossing his face. “Shit. Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Graham shrugged. “I don’t know that you did. I think I mostly need liquids.”
He’d chugged a bunch of electrolytes and water before bed but apparently it hadn’t been enough.
“There’s some on the floor by the bed,” Thad said.
Grateful, Graham reached for the half-full bottle of electrolyte replacement, draining it in one gulp, then picked up a bottle of plain water.
He swished some of the water around in his mouth then drained the rest of it, starting to feel vaguely human again.
He was a little cold, so he grabbed a blanket and dragged it over his shoulders, then settled his back against the wall and stared at his boyfriend who had returned to doing something on his phone.
Huh. The team knew he had a boyfriend now.
Somehow, it felt like both a big deal and like it had just been another thing going on in his life. Like … the hat trick had been a bigger deal than everyone finding out he was dating a dude.
Then again, he hadn’t had to do a big coming out or anything, had he? That was a major upside to playing for a team like this.
“You want to talk?” Graham asked.
Thad sighed and put his phone on the arm of the loveseat, face down. “We should.”
“I mean, yeah.” Graham shrugged. “At some point for sure. But it doesn’t have to be now. I’m tired but wide-awake right now. Probably not going to fall asleep any time soon. So either we can talk or watch a movie together, or whatever. Up to you.”
Thad shifted on the couch to face him, legs up on the cushions now. “We can talk. I should finish telling you what I was going to say before your ridiculous team interrupted.”
Graham cracked a smile. “They are something,” he agreed.
Thad gave him a faint smile back, then fell silent for a moment.
