Page 94 of Pucking Your Best Friend

Matt pulled his helmet off his head and narrowed his eyes in irritation. “What’s wrong with you now?”

“With me?” Dax shouted in disbelief. “What’s wrong withyou? I’ve had enough! Seriously! What is this shit? I’ve been waiting for you to apologize for weeks — and if you won’t do it voluntarily, then I’m going to force you.”

Matt snorted and folded his arms across his chest. “What am I supposed to be apologizing for, Dax?”

“For behaving like an asshole!”

“Oh yeah? Like you did,” he replied coolly.

“But I didn’tknowI was doing it!” Dax exclaimed in disbelief. “Shit, Matt, you of all people should know that sometimes I have trouble understanding when I'm doing something wrong.”

He snorted contemptuously. “You don’t have trouble understanding it. You’re just incredibly talented at ignoring it!”

“Same thing,” he replied gruffly. “Bottom line is that you know me and you know who I am and what I’m like and…suddenly, you’re babbling about how I’m no longer on your side but on Lucy’s while I’m still trying to understand why there are twodifferentsides!” He waved his arms wildly. “And yes, we stopped hanging out on my couch every third night. We saw less of each other outside of practice. But isn’t it normal to unintentionally forget your friends at the beginning of a relationship?” He pulled the helmet off his head and rubbed his face. “Well, notforget,but, well…ignore. Not maliciously. Just like I ignore the fact that I’m an asshole sometimes. I even googled it, okay? AndHappy Girlfriendmagazine says that it’snormalto spend more time with your girlfriend than your buddies at first. But, it settlesdown after a few months. And fuck, Matt, Lucy and I were an extreme case before we even got together — logically, we still are. So, why the hell can’t you just be happy for me?”

Matt snorted. “Iamhappy for you, okay?” he said harshly. “Shit, Dax, I’m not blaming you for being in love, I am blaming you for not responding when I texted multiple times, asking you for help, indirectly, and you not giving a damn about what was going on in my life! And, I understand that Lucy is your first priority because you’ve never been in love before. But she shouldn’t be theonlypriority.”

“You asked for help? When did you ask for help?” Dax asked, skeptical.

“Indirectly!” Matt repeated, annoyed. “Come on, man, I texted you twice in one week, asking if you wanted to go for a drink with me. It was obvious that I needed help with some emotional nonsense. Neither of us drinks during the season, remember? So, it was code for: Can we talk?”

“Then why didn’t you just say: Can we talk?”

“Because it sounded silly. And either way, it was clear that I needed help…”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Dax interrupted gruffly. “Nothing was clear. Youneverneed help with emotional nonsense. I’m the one who’s confused when it comes to feelings, not you,” Dax reminded him loudly.

“Well, that’s the exception that proves the rule,” he said, annoyed. “And you could have at least asked! Just because you have Lucy now doesn’t mean…” He stopped and looked away. He felt stupid. Totally stupid. But what could he do? All he knew in life were friends who eventually never contacted him again.

“Doesn’t mean...what?” Dax’s eyes widened. “Man, Matt…did you think I was going to replace you with Lucy or something?”

Oh, shit. Now he sounded like Maddie.

He pressed his lips together and stared at the tunnel entrance. “Don’t be silly,” he said roughly, but Dax ignored him.

“Oh no,” he muttered sullenly. “You didn’t seriously think I was like those idiots from your old teams who just stopped contacting you! Are you…er…” Embarrassed, Dax scratched his stubbly cheek. “Were you unsure how much you…eh…mean to me or whatever?”

Oh God. Yes. He had been. But he couldn’t say it. He justcouldn’t.

He heard Dax gasp. “It’s weird, isn’t it?” he muttered after a while. “The personal shit everyone has to deal with. Everyone carries a different burden, so you can never be certain what the problem is. Because everyone…ticks differently.”

Matt ran his sleeve over his sweaty forehead. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Weird.”

Dax sighed. “Matt, I’m the bigger man between the two of us, so I’ll start… I’m sorry you felt like I wasn’t there. Honestly, though, you’re good at this stuff! At relationships. At giving advice. I guess I never imagined that you’d need help in that area. You always see the big picture. That’s why I didn’t pick up on the signs. And, obviously…you mean something to me. And, of course, I’ll always be your best friend, no matter what. Just because I’m with Lucy doesn’t mean…weare not together anymore.”

Matt’s mouth twitched. “Aw, you’re cute,” he replied dryly.

Dax blushed and added in a whisper, “Please, don’t tell any of the guys I said that.”

Matt chuckled loudly and ran his hand over his face. “Okay, I’ll just tell Lucy.”

Dax looked at him darkly. “I open my heart to you…”

Matt’s laughter grew louder. That was actually sensitive for Dax. “Dax, I’ve never had a friend like you, okay?” he said abruptly. “Someone I can talk to about serious shit. Just likeI’ve never had a friend like Maddie with whom I talk abouteverything. I guess I just…would feel awful to lose someone like that.”

“Ah yes, Maddie.” Dax nodded thoughtfully. “That’s the topic you need help with, right? Or is there another woman?”

“Of course, it’s about Maddie, you asshole,” he replied, stunned.

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