Page 56 of Penalty Zone

The room is silent, and I shift my feet nervously, waiting for Leo to speak.

“That was a great day,” Mason says quietly.

“It was. I’m glad you were there with me.” Leo smiles at Mason, and I duck out of the room.

Before I was afraid of getting burned, but now that there’s an inferno between us, it will be hard to survive. In no universe do I expect Leo to keep me.

Chapter 25

Leo

This has been the best time off I can remember in at least a decade. Spending time with Caleb and Mason has been remarkable.

“Should I throw another log on the fire?” Mr. Benz asks as he turns the log over, exposing the red embers on the underside.

“One more,” Caleb encourages his dad, and I’m slightly disappointed. My empty hands can’t wait to be full of him and show him how much his answer meant to me. The day after losing The Cup, I was at my lowest and it started my path to retirement, which sent me into a slight depression. But that day meant so much to both Caleb and Mason.

His mom brings in a tray of cookies and dessert, offering them until we take something, but she skips Caleb.

“There’s some for you in the kitchen if you want them, Little Bear,” she calls over her shoulder as she takes the platter back to the kitchen.

“Nah, I’m good.” He stretches.

She takes one look at my face when she comes back and her hand flies to her mouth, suppressing a laugh. “I know it seems like I’m playing the role of overbearing mom, but Caleb’s never been able to eat lots of processed sugar. He rebelled as a teen but figured out quickly that it was in his best interest.” She sits next to her husband on the couch.

“Really?” I smile, thinking of Caleb being a bratty teen.

“Mom,” Caleb gripes.

“I can’t imagine Caleb as a brat,” I bait and smirk at him, but he gives me a look of defeat.

“Oh, it was terrible. He bounced off the walls, and the teachers didn’t know what to do with him. They suggested medicating him, and he wanted pills instead of giving up sugar. You know, at a young age, they all just want to fit in.” She waves her hand, and all her bracelets clink together.

“Mom!” Caleb pleads.

“It’s nothing you should be ashamed of.” She turns to me. “But when he was on the medication, he wasn’t Caleb. After a year, he went off the meds, cut out sugar, and did an elimination diet to find the things that triggered him. And after all his focus issues, he became a pro hockey player. He overcame so much.” She stares at him lovingly, but Caleb’s bright red and won’t look at any of us.

It makes the comment I made about him needing to be medicated so much worse. I didn’t know about his history, but it was insensitive and a terrible thing to say to someone.

“It worked out in the end, eh,” I say, but Caleb doesn’t move or say anything.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, his mom gets up and bends down to speak in his ear. He bows his head and draws his knees up.

“I’m sorry, Little Bear.” She kisses the top of his head. “I’m going to bed. We’ll have Christmas breakfast at nine, then open presents. Good night.”

As soon as she’s out of sight, Caleb leaps up and takes the stairs two at a time. We hear the forceful shut of a door.

Mr. Benz sighs and spreads the fire out, poking at the embers, then covers them in sand. “He’s sensitive about that, and my wife thinks if she talks about it, he’ll stop being embarrassed. The fire is all set for the night.” He lumbers up the stairs after saying good night.

“How are you feeling?” I ask Mason.

“I think I’m going to live. It’s karma for thinking Drake was being dramatic when he got sick in Germany, and I’m not nearly as sick as he was. It sucks ass.” His head lolls to the side.

He says it like sucking ass would be an unpleasant experience, and I figure it’s time to confess I’m bisexual. “Can you take a dose of truth from your dad?”

“If it’s about my childhood or toughness, no.”

“It’s about me and sucking ass,” I hedge, trying to make light of my truth for his sake.

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