He’s right. I won’t be able to get any sleep if I wait up for him, and that will definitely throw me off my game. I can’t risk that while we’re in the playoffs. My heart rate spikes and my palms sweat enough for Bryce to notice, taking them and rubbing them on his pants.
“I’ll be fine. Please don’t worry about me. I’m a big boy who can deal with a little less sleep while you go win some games.”
“It’s less than a week,” I add like it matters. One day or six days, it still means he’ll be here alone.
Davidson is furious tonight. I’ve never seen him like this.
“One game, guys. One fucking game and we would’ve had this in the bag.”
We just lost the fourth game in the semifinals, putting us at 2-2 and having to play the fifth to break the tie.
“Foster kept them at zero all fucking night, and then we go fucking it up.” He doesn’t even look at Delaney and Karlson, who wound up screening me worse than our opponents when they scored their first goal in the last four minutes of the third period. They scored another two goals back-to-back after the first and came out with the win. No one is sure how it all happened, but Davidson does his best to not point fingers. “We have one day to get our heads on straight and come back ready to win this whole thing!”
The locker room breaks into a roar of agreement from my teammates, and win or lose, we walk out of here together and ready for the next game.
Davidson looks ragged when he approaches me after he showers and gets dressed. “Where are you heading? I need a beer.”
“Do you mind if we go to The Garden?” He gives a knowing look. “I just need to see him.”
“I got you, man. You ready?”
We get into his truck, and when he leaves the music off, I know something is up.
“When did you know you liked men?”
“Whoa! Left field question.” I laugh and then regret it. “Why the ask?”
“First answer the question.”
“I don’t know. It was just Bryce. It wasn’t even me who realized it first.”
“What do you mean?”
“My ex, Amber. She was the one who noticed it before either of us did.”
“Hmm.”
“So, why the ask?”
“Just curious. I didn’t know if there was something specific that made you realize you’re attracted to men.”
“I can’t even say I likemenyet. I’m not attracted to anyone like that, really.” I see him glancing at me in my periphery. “I know I’m attracted to Bryce, and maybe it’s because I’ve loved him forever.”
After a few minutes of silence, Davidson decides it’s time for music for the rest of the ride. I don’t know who’s more intrigued by our conversation, though.
We walk into The Garden, and it’s packed as usual on a Saturday night. I immediately look for Bryce behind the bar, but he’s not there. I see Kasey, though, and make my way through the crowd to him with Davidson in tow.
As I’m walking over, I see Drew walking toward the back hallway to the bathroom. “Great, that asshole is here,” I mumble.
“Hey Bodie, how are you?” Kasey yells over the crowd. “Emmett, nice to see you again.”
Davidson greets Kasey with a smile. “You too. Can we get a couple beers?”
“Have you seen Bryce?”
“Yeah, he went to the back. Go get his ass out here. I’m swamped.”
“You good here?”
