CHAPTER ONE
It was nice to be back in Tempe, Arizona, away from Dad and all the bullshit memories Duluth always held for me, like the memories of my mother. I shifted sideways onto the old green sectional couch in our newly rented hockey house, lifting my leg onto the cushion next to me. I’d gotten here a week early to help with the movers and now all my buddies were about to arrive,the squad. This bungalow had a smaller main room, but the six bedrooms meant none of us had to share this year. And we were close to campus and the rink. Bonus.
I held my phone to my face. Did I have any new messages from the guys? I caught my reflection in the screen, my wavy, longer blond hair framing my brown eyes, the same ones Mom had when she was alive, not blue like dad’s.
Jonah, my best friend since we were ten, kicked the front door open, suitcases dangling from both of his hands, his straight black bangs dripping sweat onto his forehead. “Fuck, it’s hot as balls out there.” His blue-eyed gaze met mine.
“Hello to you, too.” I hopped up from the couch, strolled to him and grabbed a suitcase from his hand, then almost dropped it. “Damn, dude, what did you put in this thing? Rocks?” As asmile tugged at my lips, I threw an arm around him, giving him a quick hug.
“Ha, ha. My gear is in that one.” He kissed my cheek. “Good to see you, man. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it up to Duluth over the summer break. But you know…”
“Yeah, I know. Minneapolis is way more fun.” I hauled his suitcase down the hallway to the bedrooms with him following me. “How’s the family?” His mom was a hoot. An old, familiar ache wormed into my chest. If only my mom were still alive. But no amount of wishing was going to bring her back.
“They’re good. Mom gives you her best. She said, and I quote…” In a high-pitched voice, he said, “You make Archer some of that tuna casserole he loves.” He freed a soft snort. “She gave me the recipe.”
I stopped at the opening to his room, all his dark wood furniture already set up inside it, then faced him. “Seriously? Hell yes. Can you make it tonight?” We could DoorDash the ingredients if we needed to.
Wiping his brow, he shrugged a shoulder. “Yeah, why not. Not sure if Mason’s going to like it.”
“Too fucking bad.” With a shake of my head, I huffed. Mason was not a Midwesterner. He didn’t understand the appeal of the Minnesotan tuna casserole. “He can order out.”
“Yeah.” I dropped off the suitcase into Jonah’s room and looked around. A few boxes were sitting on his bare mattress, ready to be unpacked. “Shit, we have a lot to do before practices start up, and then school.”
“That, we do.” He dropped his suitcase on the ground. “Hey, I heard you’ve been hooking up with a guy this last week?” He tilted his head, his gaze focused on me.
My chest warmed and I rubbed my neck. “Yeah, this hot little keyboard player in an all-queer band. His name’s Milo.” The image of Milo, all dark curls, and vivid green eyes, played insidemy head. “He’s fucking hot as hell. Wears these lace panties and?—”
“Nope, not going there.” Shaking his head, Jonah held up his palm to me. “Dude, keep your sexy times to yourself.”
With a stuttered chuckle, I said, “Yeah, whatever. At least I’m getting some and it’s not pussy for a change.” It was about time I focused on guys. Girls weren’t doing it for me anymore and I was done with the drama. Milo was easy and didn’t expect anything from me.
“I’m glad to see you’ve come to the dark side.” With a wide grin, he flicked his tongue in the corner of his mouth. Jonah was bisexual like me, but he’d been hooking up with guys lately, too.
“Yeah, yeah.” As I waved him off, I strolled out of the room. “Get unpacked, so we can start on the tuna casserole.” My stomach grumbled. I was already hungry, and it was barely four in the afternoon. I’d trained hard this morning, testing out a new method for working on balance. My exercise science major was coming in handy.
“Hello, hello.” Mason’s voice rang out in the main room.
“Hey, man.” I strutted to him and grabbed a box from his arms, then set it on the old farmhouse-style kitchen table, big enough for all six of us to sit at for our squad meals. “Nice to see you.” I looked over the brown, wavy hair framing his light blue eyes, then down to the tattoos covering both arms under his graphic t-shirt. I pointed at an inked dragon on his forearm. “You got a new one?”
“I did.” He beamed at me. “How are you doing, man? Haven’t seen you in what, two months?” He grabbed me up for a fierce hug, then kissed the side of my head and freed me.
“Yeah. Duluth was…well, Duluth. It rained a lot, but I got out and played some soccer with some high school buddies.” I patted his shoulders. “How about you?”
“Connecticut was beautiful. Dad had me working out like a fucking maniac. I kept trying to tell him I was supposed to rest, but you know how he is.” He rolled his eyes and planted his hands on his hips.
“Yeah, old NHL players are tough.” I smirked at him. His dad was a former NHL D-man and Mason, our team’s best center, was already drafted with the Coyotes. “Get in any fights over the summer?” I eyed him. He was younger than the rest of us, at twenty-two, and had an aggressive streak. But maybe that was what made him such a good player.
“I uh…” Chuckling inside a scoff, he shook his head. “Only one.” He held up his index finger to me. “Dude tried to hit on a guy I was dating, and I clocked him one.”
“Are you serious?” Lifting my brows, I barked out a laugh. “Who’s the guy? Are you still seeing him?” This was new. Mason didn’t date.
“No, man, he was gorgeous, but you know. I have to keep my options open.” He wagged his brows at me, then his face went slack. “What about you and this keyboard player?” He tapped his knuckles on my chest. “How is that going?”
“Good.” My cheeks heated and I dipped my head. “Depending on how things go, maybe I’ll see if he wants to start dating?” I arched a brow at Mason. We’d already hooked up a few times and the sex had been amazing. There was definite chemistry between us.
“Hell yes.” He gave me a side hug. “I’m happy for you.” His gaze flicked to his box. “Shit, I better get unpacked.” With a sigh, he picked up the box and headed for the hallway into the bedrooms. “We’ll talk later.”
“Yep.” I strode to the large picture window next to the door in the main room and looked out over the landscaping rock and desert plants in the front yard.