“No. Being as close to Buffalo as I can get and still be within a reasonable commute to the arena,” Lo answers.
“Ah. Right,” Horny says and follows Caulder.
We had a three o’clock game today, so it’s still pretty early, which I appreciate. We don’t have super early travel tomorrow either, but I do have some plans to make for our New Year’s celebration in Tampa. There are worse places to spend NewYear’s Eve. I think Julian and Horny have commandeered the reins of planning, which is fine. I just need to know a general location.
For… reasons.
We settle around the ridiculously modern room. I’m distracted from my thoughts by the strange juxtaposition of space-age roundness with straight lines cutting through them.
“Don’t comment,” Lo says, laughing at Horny’s expression as he looks around. “It came furnished and I haven’t bothered to decorate.”
“Because you don’t plan to live here long,” Hilt supplies.
“We have a house in Niagara—the halfway point. We’re giving it the season to see how it works and yeah, if it isn’t awful, we’re selling our houses and moving to Niagara together.”
“That means marriage is treating you well,” Etna says.
I linger in the door as everyone takes seats under the pretense of looking around. Really, I’m curious to see where people end up sitting. It’s difficult not to grin when my spot beside Etna is still open. As if everyone just naturally leaves it for me.
“Yes,” Lo says, and the fucking way he looks at Caulder, man. I shake my head and take my seat. Do I look at Etna like that? Does he look at me like that? If the answer is yes to either of those, there’s no wonder why our friends have called us a couple for ages now.
“It’s challenging,” Caulder adds. “The distance and spending so much time apart for games can be… discouraging and frustrating.”
“It’s not forever,” Lo says. I have a feeling based on his tone he’s said those words a lot. Especially given the way Caulder looks at him. He’sdefinitelyheard them before. Once or twice a day, at the very least.
“It’s not,” Caulder agrees.
“But no regrets?” Hilt asks.
Both shake their heads.
“None,” Lo says. “When you find your person, you just know. I only wish I’d found him sooner.”
“What’s your favorite thing about marriage?” I ask.
They look at each other.
“If one of you says dick, I’m throwing my drink at you,” Horny says.
We laugh. Lo’s grin is huge. “Don’t worry. That’s my favorite thing about being gay. I can have that with or without marriage.”
Caulder rolls his eyes, shoving Lo playfully.
Horny snorts.
“My favorite thing is you,” Lo says, still staring at Caulder with fucking hearts in his eyes.
“Wow. Corny as fuck,” Hilt groans, though he’s smiling.
Caulder bows his head, hiding his shy smile. I can’t help but smile, too, when he nods. I glance at Etna. “For the longest time, I kept my head buried in the sand, so all I had to concentrate on was hockey. I thought I had a solid plan for my career. Every day I’m grateful I allowed myself to take this chance, or I might have passed by the best thing that’ll ever happen to me.”
He looks at Lo. “I hate to be cliché and shit, but you’re my favorite thing too.”
I look at Etna, raising my eyebrows. Now seems like a good enough time.
“Okay, so. I want to tell you something,” Etna says. All six sets of eyes turn to him expectantly. A minute passes. He glances at me. “We’re getting married.”
Silence. It’s so silent that I can hear the wind whistling outside.
