“You’ve served this country. You’ve seen things I can’t begin to fathom. You need someone who can soothe those wounds. Someone with a good heart. A good soul.” He lets out a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t want you to end up like me, son, and Duncan wouldn’t want that for you either.”
I know Duncan wouldn’t want me to be alone, but it’s hard. When you’ve lost people, it’s hard to open yourself up to the risk of having your heart torn out again. But despite all that, Elliot flashes in my mind. His kind eyes. His pure heart. His energy that sucks you in and brings a lightness to your veins.
“Just think about it, alright?” Walt says after minutes go by without me saying a word.
Knowing it’s a fight I’m not going to win, I nod. “Yeah, I will.”
“Good man. Now, is there any more bacon left? There’s no need to go easy on the bacon, son.”
Huffing out a laugh, I get up and fetch the rest of the bacon from the pan.
And while I drink my coffee, I let myself daydream about what it would be like if things were different and I opened my heart for someone again.
Chapter Four
Elliot
We take the win against Pittsburgh, and now it’s time to face Montréal on the road. It’s always a fun time playing there as the crowd is incredibly passionate. They love their team hard, and with it being the largest arena in the league, you can really sense their loyalty when you’re the visiting team.
I may have been voted the fans’ favorite goalie in various random polls over the last few years, but I don’t feel the love in Montréal. I mean, I get why, but I can’t say I don’t let it get to me. Knowing I’m not liked is an issue because I want to be liked by everyone. Even by the opposing team’s fans. Make that make sense.
Staring at the empty bag on my bed, I run a hand through my hair and question why I always leave things until the last minute. Blaine will be here any second now so we can head to the airport together, and I haven’t packed a single thing. Not even my toothbrush or a pair of boxers.
Sure, we’re only in Montréal for one night, so I won’t need that much stuff. But even as that thought runs through my brain, I can’t seem to get myself moving.
Closet.
Bathroom.
Put stuff in the bag.
It’s a simple task, really. It shouldn’t be this hard. But my limbs are like a heavy weight, rooted in place. My brain fighting itself.
Instead of doing what I should be doing, I flop down on the bed and start scrolling through my phone. My social media feed is full of otters, a mix of sea, river, and Asian small-clawed otters, and I laugh at one as it twirls in a circle while hanging from someone’s sweatshirt sleeve.
I love animals. I think they’re the best thing on this Earth.
Whenever I’m asked what I would do if I weren’t a goalie, I always say I’d work for some kind of marine rescue. Rescuing injured sea otters and seals. Nurturing them back to health before releasing them back into the wild.
I got a degree in marine biology in college. I didn’t end up entering the NHL draft, unlike Blaine. Goalies have a tougher time as it takes longer to develop, to hone the skill it takes to play on a professional level. It made more sense to wait for free agency, and it was during my senior year that I was scouted. After graduation, I headed to training camp in Penticton and ended up meeting my agent, Hayden Cassidy. I played a season for Vancouver’s ECHL farm team in Michigan before moving to Abbotsford to play for their AHL affiliate team for a season. I had this level of focus that saw me grow from strength to strength in the crease. I was breaking franchise records, and it wasn’t long until I was called up to the big leagues and spent three years in Vancouver.
Blaine wasn’t happy to be apart for so long. It was the first time in our lives we hadn’t been living in the same place, but I had a great agent in Hayden. We put in the work to make me hot property in front of the net, and soon enough, Chicago came knocking with a deal we couldn’t pass up.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
I’m not sure how much time has passed when Blaine’s voice startles me, and I launch my phone into the air with a surprised yelp. It lands next to me on the bed with an audiblethudas I roll over to pierce him with a glare.
“You haven’t packed yet?” he sighs, but it isn’t with annoyance. We do this dance every single time we go on the road.
I’m almost thirty, yet I have to be saved by my twin brother because I struggle to function like a “normal” human being.
Throwing my arms over my face, I let out a loud groan. “No. I don’t know what to pack.”
“You don’t need much. Whatever you sleep in, toiletries, a clean T-shirt. Maybe a sweatshirt ’cause it’ll be freeze-your-balls-off cold like it is here, and whatever you want to wear to the game.”
At the sound of my dresser opening, I shift one of my arms to see Blaine rummaging through my stuff.
“Which ones do you want?” He holds up two pairs of novelty socks. One pair has cacti shaped like penises on, and the other pair has crocodiles wearing sunglasses while drinking a cocktail on a pool float.
