“Does this thing have a trunk or…?”
Grumbling, August took Niko’s bags and loaded the car, catching the kid on his phoneagainbefore they got inside.
“Seatbelt on, Cote.” August barked the order, and Niko was quick to put the phone away and comply. “And fucking spill. Who is she?”
Niko’s nose crinkled as he clicked the buckle into place. “She?”
August took a breath and held it to keep his temper from boiling over. He didn’t trust himself to speak until he let it out. “Your girlfriend you keep giggling about. Is she back in Toronto, or is she a local girl from your town? I know you’re from around here.”
“If by around here, you mean on a reserve?” Niko’s cheeks were red again, and he jumped when August started the car, making the engine roar to life. “I don’t have a girlfriend. I was talking to…Su-jin Park and Jett Fraser. We have a group chat.”
August hit the brake before he had a chance to pull out of his parking spot, and the car jerked. They had a group chat? Was it only for elite players or—
“Also, I’m gay.”
Oh.
Oh.
“I didn’t mean togiggle, but Park was bullying me into asking you if your carpets match the drapes, and I don’t see the point in that since there’s no way his carpets and drapes are all pink—which Coach agreed—”
Coach. Coach as in Harrison Killinger.
“And then everyone jumped in on the conversation—”
Everyone? Who was everyone?
“Which led to Leroux telling us all to settle down, and Park hitting on him—”
ÉtienneLeroux?
“And that’s why I was laughing. It wasn’t because I was talking to a girl; it’s because Leroux was giving Park a verbal dressing down via group chat, and Jett was making comments about printing and framing it as Park’s housewarming gift. Park bought land from Coach so he couldkeep an eye on everyoneonce his place is done being built. He’s such an attack dog sometimes.”
The awkwardness had evaporated from Niko’s body, leaving this rambling, smiley guy in his place. There was so much that August had to process from this conversation, but all his mind could focus on was, “You’re gay?”
Niko wasn’t fast enough to hide his grimace. He immediately shifted his posture into the hunched awkward one from before, struggling to meet August’s eyes.
“Shit. Is that…not okay?” Niko asked, frowning. “Park said you would be cool with it, but I never asked how he came to that conclusion.”
Was he okay with it? August didn’t give a damn who a person slept with or what gender they preferred. He was just being selfish because he’d secretly hoped Niko would be into girls so they could bond over something.
“It doesn’t bother me,” said August before Niko could panic. “Park was right—you won’t have a problem with me, or anyone else for that matter, because I won’t let them give you shit. But how does one get in on this group chat? It sounds awesome.”
For good measure, August offered Niko a smile as a truce.
Niko’s eyes finally met his again, but he was still frowning. “You have to be…like us.”
August blinked. “Hockey players?”
Niko shook his head. “No. You have to be gay—or at least into guys in some capacity.”
The hopeful feeling that had secretly been building inside him was instantly crushed. August chuckled and turned his gaze to the windshield, backing the car onto the road. “That’s not me, unfortunately.”
Niko apologetically clapped him on the shoulder, and hedidlook sad about denying him access to the group chat.
August wasn’ttoodisappointed. Callahan’s plan to help him make new friends had failed, allowing him to sink into the familiar depths of unforgiving loneliness that had been his constant companion for years.
No matter who tried to intervene, August was acutely aware he was destined to be an outsider in every part of his life. All he had was hockey, and sometimes, it didn’t even feel like he had that.
