Louis clicks his tongue as he shakes his head. “Fifteen mill? You won’t get that with the NHL.”
Dawson nods as I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from running my mouth. It’s not that I don’t want Dawson to take the deal; it’s that I want him to do what he wants. He has to be happy with his choice, but I know how much Louis’s opinion means to him, so I’m holding my breath as I watch the exchange go down. “Nope. I’ll be lucky if I pull three.”
“Yeah, that’s if you go third round,” Louis says, leaning back and cuddling into Jennings’s side. “But then, you aren’t hurting for money, and we knew you wouldn’t go first round. You get to where you’re going, work your ass off, and pull that big contract. We’ll sell this place for way over the asking price, and you’ll be good for a bit.”
Thank God. Before Dawson can agree, Jennings adds, “I grew up with money, and now I have none. Let me just say, I’m happier now than I was when I had to do whatever my parents said. I’m not saying that picking hockey over football is like choosing to be gay over my parents, but you need to choose what you want.”
I smile. “I said the same thing.”
“’Cause you’re a peach, sweetheart,” Jennings throws my way, but then he stands, smacking his hands. “I gotta head out. I’m meeting Rick at the studio for a bit. It was great seeing you guys.”
Jennings hugs us goodbye before kissing Louis deeply on the lips. Louis looks up at him the way Dawson looks at me, and my heart aches at the sight. How could Jennings’s parents not love him for who he is? He’s a doll baby, and he’s so in love. Who cares if they both have dicks?
Louis heads down with Jennings because he left his wallet in Jennings’s truck. I lean in to kiss Dawson, and he smiles against my lips before I get up to clean up. “You don’t have to do that.”
I give him a look. “Have you met my mother? Louis paid for the food. I can clean.”
He scoffs. “He doesn’t care. He loves you.”
We share a grin before I pick up the bag and then our bowls. Once I’m in the kitchen, I start loading the dishes as Dawson comes to the island. “I’m gonna go pack while you do that, so we can hang for a bit longer. I think Louis has an exam to do tonight.”
“Cool. I’ll be here.”
Dawson taps the island before disappearing down the hall. I’ve been in his room, and it’s like everything else—totally decorated by his mom. He has a queen-size bed, which is insane to me with how big he is. He was in heaven in my king with my big ass in there, which is probably why he hasn’t been back and I haven’t stayed over.
While I love sleeping with that man, he’s a freaking furnace at night.
The door opens as I’m wiping the counters, and Louis gives me a look. “Ro, what the hell? You didn’t have to clean.”
I grin over at him, taking in his boyish features and bright-green eyes. He looks so much like Dawson, just younger. His dark hair is all wild, like someone was running their fingers through it. His cheeks are rosy, and he has one hell of a beard coming in. I raise a brow. “No Shave November?”
He smiles proudly. “Heck yeah. Jennings hates it.”
I grin as he leans on the counter I just cleaned, fiddling with his keys. I close the dishwasher and notice that he glances over his shoulder before looking back at me. I lean my hip into the island and meet his gaze. “You okay?”
He slowly nods then looks down at the counter. “You’re stealing my best friend.”
My heart drops at that. I don’t have siblings, so I don’t know how to navigate this. “I don’t mean to.”
“I know,” he says softly. “And if he weren’t so fucking happy with you, I’d lose my mind.” My heart picks up in rhythm. “Can I tell you a story?”
I nod. “Of course.”
He gives me a small smile, his fingers nervously rubbing together, pulling apart and then wrapping around each other again as he begins.
“There was this boy,” he says softly. “And he had a brother, thegolden boy. Everyone adored him. Everyone just knew he’d follow in their parents’ footsteps and take the world by storm. Even with all his indecision about playing two sports, he worked harder than anyone. And he didn’t just focus on himself. He pushed his brother too. Loved him. Built him up. Helped him believe in himself.”
Louis swallows hard, and my stomach drops.
“But the golden boy also loved girls. He wanted his brother to have that same experience—chasing girls, getting attention, all of it. Only…the brother didn’t feel that way. And he didn’t know how to tell his perfect big brother. It was confusing and scary and lonely, until he finally understood…he was gay.” He pauses, his voice tight. “He was terrified. Terrified to tell the golden boy in case it changed everything. In case he lost his biggest supporter.”
He breathes in shakily. “Then the golden boy found out something else. Found out that a coach had been bullying his brother, threatening him, because he’d caught him kissing the boy he had fallen for. The coach said he’d out him if he didn’t…obey. It never became physical, but we both knew where it was headed.” Louis lifts his eyes and meets mine. “And just like he always did, that golden boy showed up. He protected his brother. Saved him. Loved him without question.” A tear falls over his lash line, and my eyes well as he holds my gaze. “Dawson was the only reason I didn’t give up and keptplaying. Then my junior year, it happened again. Dawson was so pissed he couldn’t protect me, he started drinking to drown the feelings. As much as he tells me it’s not true, I know I’m the reason he didn’t go into the draft.”
“No, Louis,” I insist. “He was lost. He wasn’t ready. He was young.”
“True, but if I weren’t gay, he wouldn’t have worried?—”
I hold up my hand. “No. No, sir, we aren’t doing this. That man,” I say, pointing down the hall, “loves you. Just the way you are. He loves Jennings, and he is proud of you and the man you love.”
