Page 98 of Voices

“I will say that Tampa and Toronto will be here sometime this month. Three of the four games will be home, do with that information what you will.”

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to play at my best every game.” I hand him the paper back. “It’s kind of surreal having the team I cheered for growing up be interested in me.”

Coach Q smiles as he sits up. “It is and it’ll be even more so when you’re drafted by them. So don’t fuck it up.” He laughs, making me smile. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had.

“Now, onto the next topic.” His smile drops as he squints at me, tilting his head. “I don’t like telling you boys what to do outside of hockey, but it has come to my attention that you haven’t been to any of the team dinners after the home games. Do you mind telling me why?” He rests his clasped hands on his desk as he waits for my answer.

Shit. How do I tell him I don’t trust Franklin Alexander because he gives me the creeps?

“I, uh, didn’t think the dinners were mandatory. I’ve kind of been seeing someone and wanted to spend the evenings with him since we don’t get that much time during the week.”

He smiles with tight lips. “While they aren’t mandatory, it does look bad when the whole team is accounted for except for the captain. I recognize the need to be with your-”

“Boyfriend,” I butt in.

“Right,” he continues with a half-smile, “your boyfriend, and that’s understandable at your age. But you have a responsibility as captain to be there for your team. Now, I’m not asking you to go to every dinner. Just make sure you attend the ones Mr. Alexander personally invites everyone to. He’s proud of this team and wants to spoil us with delicious food. What’s not to like,” he says, raising his hands and smiling.

I force a smile as I stand up. “I’ll do my best to make it to the next one.”

He stands and meets me by his door. “That’s all I ask. Have a good night, son.” He pats me on the back as I open the door.

“Oh, Shane,” he calls out as I’m halfway across the locker room.

“Yeah?”

He has a soft smile on his face. “Why don’t you bring your boyfriend along? I know I’ve seen Kingston and a few others bring their ladies a few times. Hell, I bring my wife when it’s close by. Bring him after the next home game.”

I can’t see that going over well. But I nod and wave to him as I head out of the locker room.

After strength training with the guys, I make my way towards Charlie’s art class on the other side of campus. It’s now dark out after five, and the chilly November air has me shivering as I turn my hat around and pull my hood up. I take a shortcut through the quad and watch as a few guys toss a glowing frisbee in thedistance. I laugh as it goes sailing over one guy’s head and he just stands there, not even bothering to catch it.

I check my phone and see that I still have about twenty minutes before Charlie’s class ends so I turn towards Sip n’ Go. The delicious smell of warm coffee greets me as I open the door.

I stand in the short line and scan the menu on the blackboard for a drink Charlie might like. He hates coffee but will tolerate tea if it’s half sugar.

When I get to Katie at the register, I smile at her and order two chai lattes. One regular and one with four pumps of brown sugar syrup. Katie rolls her eyes as I hand her a ten.

“What’s wrong? Long day,” I ask as she gets my change.

She makes a weird snorting noise. “Nope. Just didn’t expect you to buy a hook-up a drink. You never bought me anything.”

She hands me my change as I smirk. I put the two dollars in the tip jar as I lean in.

“That’s because this is for my boyfriend. Not a quick fuck I don’t care to see again.”

Her face turns red as she purses her lips and folds her arms over her chest.

“Whatever,” she spins away, her blonde ponytail whipping her face.

I smile and walk to the other side to wait for my drinks. I grab them when they come out a few minutes later and head back out into the cold to wait for Charlie.

As the door opens and people start to filter out, I walk up to the bottom of the steps, waiting for my hooded boyfriend’s head to appear. I recognize a few people from his class as they walk past me, smiling and saying hi. I nod to them while keeping an eye out for Charlie. I stand there for a few more minutes, but he doesn’t come out.

I jog up the steps to see if he’s staying late to work on a project but as I get to the top step, the professor walks out. Shestartles at the sight of me. “Oh, hi Shane. How are you?” She turns and starts locking the doors.

Confused, I look back down the steps to make sure I didn’t somehow miss him.

“I’m good. Was Charlie in class tonight? I usually meet him after…” I look around again for him as she finishes locking up and turns to me.

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