Page 67 of The Closed Off Captain

“Why do you call him by his last name?” Mrs. Coftman suddenly asks, turning around in her chair to look at me.

Because calling him by his last name keeps things distant between us and helps me remember this isn’t for real.Out loud, I try to play it off. “I’ve always called him that; I guess it’s just stuck.”

Mrs. Coftman frowns. “Well, you should really probably try to use his first name.”

“Mom, leave Chloe alone; she’s fine.”

She turns to him. “I’m just saying it sounds weird when she calls her fiancé by his last name.”

I turn to look out the window but don’t miss Gunner’s low voice. “Let it go, Mom.”

She sighs rather dramatically. “Fine.”

I make a mental note to try to remember to call Gunner by his first name around his mom. It will take effort because I’m so used to calling him by his last name. Honestly, I refer to all the guys by their last names; it’s just how it is. We finally make it to a parking spot, and Gunner jams a ball cap over his head before he climbs out of the truck. He comes around to the passenger door and helps his mom out of the car. I take it in. If I didn’t already know Gunner was a good guy; this weekend would have clearly shown me. Sadly, I already know what a great guy he is. After he helps his mom, he slides the chair forward and puts out a hand. I don’t look at him as I take his hand and jump down, pulling away from him the second my feet hit the ground. I’m wearing another one of Gunner’s Frostbite shirts. But at leastthis time, I paired it with dark-wash jeans and sneakers. I pull my sweatshirt around me and shiver ; it’s really cold. I’m going to have to give in and dig out my winter coat here soon.

Security meets us at the back door and leads us to our seats. “I’d better go to the bathroom before I sit,” Sheryl says. Gunner steps back, like he’s planning on going with her.

“I’ll go with her. That way you can stay here and hopefully not draw as much attention to you,” I say to Gunner as I step past him.

He puts a hand on my upper arm. “Thanks.”

I nod and follow his mom up the steps. It takes a while to finally make it back to our seats, but we make it just in time. Gunner stands up from his aisle seat when we get back, and I prepare to step in first. But Mrs. Coftman goes first, leaving the seat next to Gunner for me. I slide into my seat just as they begin to introduce the other team. I stand to my feet with the rest of the Frost fans when it’s our turn. The puck drops, and I’m sucked in for another great game of hockey.

It ends up being a decisive win for the Frost. They win three to zero, absolutely destroying the other team. Greyson had a great game, and I can’t wait to congratulate him. We let the crowd start to dissipate before we move. I turn to Mrs. Coftman while we wait. “Greyson had a great game.”

“Didn’t he?” she beams at me.

“I don’t know what you did to have not one but two amazingly talented hockey players,” I tell her.

She gets serious all of a sudden and puts a hand on my arm. “It’s nothing I did. Goodness knows, I didn’t do nearly enough. Gunner had to grow up too quickly.” She shakes her head. “All that pressure.” I shift in my seat, uncomfortable with the turn in conversation, especially when he’s sitting right next to me. “If only his father could see him now.”

“Mom,” Gunner says in a sharper voice than I’m used to from him. I don’t look at him because I don’t want to make this scene any more awkward than it already is. “Come on. The crowd is thinning out.” I follow his lead and stand to my feet, offering his mom my arm as she stands up. He starts up the steps, and we follow silently. I take in his stiff back and wonder what the back story about his dad is. In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never heard him mention his dad. He’s never showed up for any event or game, as far as I know. I actually don’t even know if he’s alive. I’ve never wanted to pry. I let Mrs. Coftman walk up the steps ahead of me. Gunner turns back a few times to make sure she’s got the stairs okay. When we get to the top, he takes her arm. With a glance back at me, he starts through the remaining crowd back the way we came. The security guard lets us through when he sees Gunner. I’m assuming all the security tonight was briefed on Gunner’s visit.

“Chloe?” I hear a voice I haven’t heard in a long time, and my stomach immediately tenses. I’m planning on ignoring it and pretending I didn’t hear it, but Gunner stops. Mrs. Coftman stops too, and now, I have no choice but to turn around. I take an extra second and work on composing myself before I turn around. I turn around and paste a smile on my face as I take in my ex. “Itisyou. What are you doing here?”

Before I can stop him, he comes close and wraps me in a hug. I don’t do anything; I’m stiff as a board, and my mind seems to have completely emptied. “Hi, Ryan,” I manage to say.

“I can’t believe this. It’s been what? Like four years?”

Five actually, but who’s counting.

“You look great. What are you doing here?”

There’s a presence next to me suddenly, and the tension surrounding us palpably tightens. “She’s here with me.” Gunner’s deep voice grounds me, as does the hand on my spine.

Ryan finally notices the big guy next to me. “Gunner Coftman,” he says in surprise. His eyes bounce to mine and then to Gunner’s close presence next to me. I notice the moment it hits him.

“You’re married.” Ryan’s voice is flat, and some of his enthusiasm has waned.

“Engaged,” I correct. With Gunner’s mom standing right here, it has to look real.

“Really, Chloe?” His voice takes on an edge.

And there’s the Ryan I know.

“I thought you weren’t going to date hockey players anymore.”

I shrug. “Guess I changed my mind.”

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