“Will do.” Bonesy clapped Bell on the shoulder. “Try not to let the new guy steal your job while I’m gone, Cap.”
“Get out of here before I change my mind about ending you.”
Bonesy’s laughter echoed through the gym as he jogged toward the locker room door.
Bell and I continued our cool down while watching the rookies reset for another drill.
“How was Mykonos?”
His expression turned dopey. “It was incredible. Like, genuinely one of the best trips we’ve ever taken.”
“Oh yeah? How so?”
“Ethan, mostly. Seeing him just let go.” He shook his head slowly, a soft smile playing at his lips. “We went to this party where it was immediately obvious everyone there was queer as hell, and he just rolled with it.Morethan rolled with it. He was right there in the middle of the dance floor, soaking it all in.”
“No way.”
Ethan Harrison was the very definition of buttoned-up. He was a naturally grumpy, stoic guy who looked like he’d been born wearing a scowl. He was the kind of person who made small talk feel like pulling teeth.
When he came out at the end of Bell’s rookie season in a three-page spread inSports Worldmagazine that included a photo of him holding Bell’s hand at center ice, it had rocked the hockey world.
I’d played against them that season, but hadn’t picked up any vibes. In what was my (admittedly narrow) circle of hockey-playing friends, no one understood what the hell they saw in each other. Bell was flash and sunshine, while Ethan was … not that.
“Right?” Bell chuckled, shaking his head. “I mean, he was still very Ethan about it, setting an alarm on his watch to make sure we didn’t stay out past two. But he was there—shirtless, sweaty, and covered in glitter. Just completely in the moment.” His voice softened. “I think it was the first time he’s really been comfortable existing in a space like that.”
Bell came to a stop, and I did the same. When I glanced over at him, he was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “He looked so fucking free, T. I was so proud of him.”
My throat went unexpectedly tight. “That’s … amazing.”
“Yeah.” Bell held my gaze, his gaze assessing in a way that made me instantly nervous. “Took him a long time to get there, you know? But I think he's finally realized he doesn’t have to hide who he is anymore. It’s like this huge weight has been lifted, and he’s not going to let anyone or anything hold him back from living the life he wants. Know what I mean?”
Bell continued watching me expectantly, and I couldn't help but think he wasn't talking about Ethan anymore. Or at least, notonlyabout Ethan. And he knew that I knew exactly what he was implying without him having to spell it out.
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “I know what you mean.”
He nodded once, like that was precisely the answer he’d been waiting for.
He clapped me on the shoulder. “You should come over for dinner tonight. Ethan got his hands on like half a lamb, and he’s been telling me I should invite some of the guys around.”
“Let me get this straight. Ethan—your Ethan—wants company?”
He laughed. “Well … I mean, not just anyone. But you’re cool.”
“High praise,” I said.
“The highest,” he agreed. “So you’ll come?”
“I’d love to, but umm …” My hand came up to scratch at my jaw, a nervous tell I'd never been able to shake. “My best friend from college is in town visiting. Would it be okay if I brought him along?”
Given the tone of our conversation, maybe I was imagining things, but I swore I saw Bell's gaze sharpen for an instant before settling into something more neutral.“Don’t think I’ve heard you mention any friends before. I always assumed you were a loner like Ethan before he met me. Maybe that’s why he's comfortable around you.”
My pulse kicked up at the comparison, but I forced myself not to show it. “Yeah, well. Sebastian and I lost touch for a while, but we ran into each other when I was in Vegas for that tequila thing. It was … uh … like no time at all had passed. He’s doing some work out here, so …” I realized I was babbling and cut myself off.
“Cool,” Bell said easily, thankfully ignoring my stammering. “What kind of work?”
“Political consulting. Campaign strategy, that kind of thing.”
His eyebrows rose. “No shit? Ethan’s gonna love that. Fair warning, though—once he gets going on politics, it’s hard to shut him up.”
