Rhys sighs against my side. We’re naked and sated, sitting together in bed.
It’s my new favorite state.
"The school set a date for the end of semester showcase." Rhys’s breath tangles with my chest hair.
"When is it?" I lean over and pull my phone off the nightstand and pull up my calendar.
Rhys gives me the date and the time and I enter it. Miraculously we don’t have a game and we’re in town. It’ll be a busy week with Teamsgiving, Felix’s annual Thanksgiving Day feast, and a few weekend games before a roach trip for the first two weeks of December.
Rhys got to experience a Felix part tonight, but Teamsgiving is another level. Felix goes all out. Well Andre prepares everything and Felix reheats it to the precise instructions. Which, after having Andre put me in my place over how poorly outfitted my kitchen was I’d follow his directions to the letter.
Pinky promise.
Memories of past Teamsgivings fill the space behind my eyelids but in each I envision Rhys with me.
He got along great with everyone tonight. He jumped right into the BrUNO game. And, I could tell everyone adored him.
Would it be so bad to invite him to Teamsgiving?
"And, then, well my work at the school will be done." Rhys says to my chest.
My stomach sinks. I had conveniently put the fact he’s moving back to Nashville from my mind.
I clear my throat. "Do you go home to Scotland for Christmas?"
"Usually, yeah. This year, Zara got me a spot in a New Year’s Eve special so I’ll be back by then."
I can only nod. I don’t know how to navigate this.
This connection with Rhys has sort of snuck up on me. It was never a combustion. A match strike.
Instead it’s been like a slowly simmering pot, always ready to boil over but returning to simmering after.
Holy shit, did I just think through a cooking analogy?
I don’t know who I am anymore.
Especially in these in-between moments.
Rhys and I are still simmering, there is still a current of electricity running through us, but it is the opposite of dangerous.
It’s comforting, like stepping into a fully warmed up shower after a long practice.
It’s grounding like a hug from your grandmother.
It’s nice.
Nice?
Fuck, I was under his kilt less than an hour ago. There’s nothing nice about that.
An exhale leaves my chest and I run my hand up through my hair. I hear Rhys swallow thickly like maybe he’s sinking into these feelings too.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" I ask.
"Yeah it was fun. Your friends are great."
"And Felix throws a good party." I feel so lame setting myself up like this but I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. "He hosts a Thanksgiving party too. We call it Teamsgiving."
