Page 118 of Edging Coach
CHAPTER 34
DEVON
“You’re supposed to be taking a nap.” Mickey eyed the bar in my room. “How muchisa bottle of water?”
I pursed my lips. “I can afford it, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I’m pretty sure the team would pay for it.” He pulled a bottle from the fridge. “Root beer? Where’s the real stuff?”
“You know I don’t really drink. I didn’t want any booze in the room.”
“In case you’re tempted?”
I chuckled. “I keep expecting Hairs to show up.”
Mickey shuddered. “Your roommate gave me the creeps.”
“Why?”
He dropped onto the other bed—with his head against the pillows.
I swatted his feet. “Bottes.”
“Calisse.” Still, he sat up and removed his boots.
“I love how you swear in French almost as much as I do.” I grabbed a cola and lay on the bed next to Mickey. “Why did he creep you out?” I cracked open the can and took a sip.
“Because he looked at you weird. Like he knew you were gay.”
“I am gay.”
“Yeah, but notoutout.”
“What does that even mean?” But I knew what it meant. It meant I hadn’t hidden the fact, that in major juniors I’d gone to bars on Church Street in Toronto.Times have changed. Yes, I could go to a discreet kink club in Vancouver while wearing a mask…but I couldn’t go to a bar on Davie Street in that same town. Not now.
Especially not with Jack.
“I need to talk to you.”
“So you said. You’re on a major road trip—with Vancouver headed to the playoffs. You need to play your best game tonight so you can stick it to Toronto management who traded you—their best D-man—to Abbotsford.”
“I wasn’t playing for Toronto. I was playing for Brampton.”
“Right. But you should’ve been in the big leagues. The club had you right there, and they could’ve brought you up to fix all kinds of problems.” He rolled his eyes. “All the more idiots they’ve proven to be. Don’t lecture me about using the wordstupid.”
I smiled. “You used the wordidiot.”
He waved me off. “Whatever. You’re still going to give me a lecture.”
“Which you deserve.”
“Oh my God.”
I put my cola on the nightstand, then turned on my side and pulled one of the many pillows against my chest. “I need you to be serious.”
“I am.” He huffed and rolled his eyes. “Toronto’s management was—” He winced. “—made an error in judgment?—”
“Better.”
