“But what could I do?”
Jacob hums thoughtfully, tapping his finger against his thigh as he thinks. “What about a single rose? I assume he isn’t a bouquet-of-flowers kind of guy, but a single rose could signify his husband.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. It’s small enough that it doesn’t overtake the night being about the two of you, but still big enough to be meaningful,” Ethan adds.
“Okay,” I say, feeling lighter than I did before. “I can do that.”
“Aw, I’m so excited for you, Elliot. I’ve been so hopeful for you to meet someone nice.” Jacob smiles. “Will you stay for lunch and tell me about him?”
“Can we eat the bread you made?” I ask.
“Of course. I’ve got muffins in the kitchen too.”
I sit up a little straighter. “Lemon and poppyseed?”
“Yep,” Jacob grins, then pats Ethan’s thigh. “E, will you be a darling and?—”
“Yep, I’ll go make the coffee,” Ethan finishes. He gives him a kiss before getting up from the couch and disappearing into the kitchen.
Jacob scoots across the couch, his blue eyes bright with glee. “So, tell me everything about Hunter.”
With a wide smile, I settle back into the cushions and tell him about the man who is becoming my entire world.
Chapter Nineteen
Hunter
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask, putting my truck into park outside Matilda’s house before turning to Walt. “I can always come and pick you up later.”
My uncle lets out an exasperated sigh. “For the hundredth time, no, Hunter, I don’t mind. What I do mind is you constantly asking me if I’m sure.”
I frown, guilt wedged thick in my throat.
I wouldn’t normally be asking Walt to stay away from home for the night, but it’s Valentine’s Day, and I have this whole romantic evening planned for Elliot. I adore my uncle, but the last thing I want or need is Walt being nosy or Elliot feeling like he needs to be quiet.
He’s still learning he can be himself around Walt. We’ve had several dinners together since that first night, but I guess after years of masking, it’s a hard habit to break.
“I don’t mind because Matilda has made a stew, and I’ve promised to make her waffles in the morning,” Walt adds.
“You and that fucking stew,” I mutter under my breath with a smile.
He playfully swats my arm with the back of his hand. “It’s my favorite. Back off.”
Laughing, I hold my hands up in defense. “Okay. Well, call me if you need me.”
“I won’t, but okay.” He opens the door and slowly climbs out. He turns to grab the bouquet of flowers from the footwell we grabbed on the way over. Before closing the door, he looks at me and says, “Spoil that boy, okay? I have a feeling he’s got a lot of love to give, and you’re a lucky guy to be on the receiving end of it.” He pauses before adding, “And you deserve it, Hunter. It’s okay if you don’t believe me when I say it, but it’s true. One day, you’ll realize I’m right. So, allow it. Lean into it. And whatever you do, don’t fuck it up.” He grins, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Okay, okay.” I wave him off lovingly. “Fuck off already.”
“I’m going. Give me a chance,” he grumbles before shutting the door. He lifts his hand in a wave, then flips me off.
I tip my head back and laugh, then, as always, I wait until he’s safely inside Matilda’s house before pulling away from the curb and heading home.
Since Elliot was cleared to play last week, I’ve hardly seen him between his game schedule and my shifts. He’s only had one home game, and then he was on a three-game road trip. They’re continuing to extend their lead in the Western Conference, and securing their spot in the playoffs is looking promising. But I can sense Elliot is feeling cautious about reinjuring himself. Sometimes, I catch him kneading the area around his knee with his fingers, almost in a way that he’s unaware he’s doing it.
Tonight, I want to try and help him forget about it. Give his brain a breather from hockey and the meetings he’s been having with a psychiatrist, which I know have been draining him. I want to make him feel good and show him how much I love him.
When I get home, I prepare the vegetables and get the steaks ready to grill before making crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms. I have Elliot’s favorite seltzer water stocked in the fridge, and I stopped byJacob’s Delicious Dessertsto pick up the lemon cheesecake Alex specially made for tonight after Elliot mentioned how much he loved it.
