I leaned against the wall and loosened my tie. “Reporters are crazy.”
He snorted. “Fans too.”
“What did they expect us to do?” I asked. “Kiss on stage or something?”
“Maybe. It would’ve certainly made the afternoon unforgettable.”
The tension in my chest eased, and I laughed. “It already is.”
He got up and joined me by the window. “You okay, babe?” He sounded worried.
“Yeah,” I said, but that wasn’t quite true.
He trailed a finger down my arm. “Pack?”
When I didn’t answer, he took my hand and led me to the bed, where we sat side by side.
“What I told the reporter was true,” he said. “People don’t get to ask that question and expect an answer.”
“It didn’t bother me.”
“It did.”
“It caught me off guard.” I looked into his eyes. “I’m not ashamed of you. Of us.”
He nudged me with his knee. “I didn’t think you were, but this is hard for both of us. You don’t have to handle it alone.”
My chest loosened. “I know. It’s just new.”
“I want to make it as easy as I can.”
I turned toward him. “It spooked me, okay? But that doesn’t mean I want to break up, or that it will always scare me.”
We held hands and looked out at the skyline.
“It won’t always scare me,” I said, squeezing his hand. “You’re who I want. I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t sure.”
He kissed me, and my mind finally slowed.
Later, wrapped up together in bed, I turned the truth over in my head. I was in love with him, and I had to come to terms with what that meant.
29/
nico
The passnearly ripped my stick out of my hands, and I barely caught it. Jace always fired the puck like he was trying to break through concrete, so I should’ve been ready. But I’d been watching the way the morning light hit the ice, thinking about Pack’s laugh. I couldn’t forget the way his mouth had felt against mine two days earlier in San Francisco.
I turned to make the play and caught an edge.
“Earth to Rosco,” Theo called, circling behind the net. “You planning to join us, or are you reliving your weekend with lover boy?”
“Zip it,” I yelled, but the grin wouldn’t leave my face.
Coach Murphy ended practice after special teams. The locker room buzzed with the usual chaos of chirps, sweaty gear flying, showers running, and stories about dates. Somehow, it all felt lighter.
While we were getting dressed, Theo glanced over. “You look well-rested. Or at least well-fucked.”
“His aura’s different,” Noah added.
