Page 126 of Breakaway Goals
He almost wished Jacob already knew about Hayes because then he could declare, proudly, that Hayes had definitely seemed to enjoy all the work he’d put into his body, even after retirement. But Jacob didn’t know, and until they told Finn, Jacobwasn’tgoing to know.
“You’re totally that bad,” Danny said pointedly. Like he knew the argument Morgan wanted to make and was trying to shut it down. “I’m tired of talking about how pathetic Mo is. Let’s talk about how pathetic my team is.”
“That Barnes kid is going to get you somewhere,” Morgan said, at least a little grateful for the subject change.
“Charlie’s coming along,” Danny agreed. “Just his second year. He’s gonna get even better.”
“You need to put some better pieces around him. A decent defense, for one thing,” Morgan said.
“Doesn’t he have a brother?” Jacob asked.
Danny cackled. “Have you been living under a rock? He hastwo. Avery plays for Monty’s old team, out in LA. And the other brother, the youngest one, is about to declare for the draft, I think. But he’s the only one who plays defense. Charlie and Ethan are both forwards.”
“Get Avery then,” Jacob said, and everyone laughed. There’d been two brothers on teams before, but there’d never been three.
“Yeah, I’ll just snap my fingers,” Danny groused. “Make it happen. You were a fucking goalie, Braun, not a wizard.”
“Thought that was practically the same thing,” Jacob said smugly.
Morgan smacked him in the arm and that set the whole table off, all three of them laughing.
There’d been a part of him that hadn’t thought he’d ever have this again, this easy camaraderie, once he’d retired. That it was something he’d had, that he hadn’t even appreciated as much as he should, and then he’d lost it.
But when he’d come to Portland eighteen months ago, ostensibly for Finn, and discovered him shacked up with the newly retired Jacob, he’d found out that part of his life wasn’t as over as he’d imagined.
Maybe it wasn’t quite the same. Danny had played today, but neither he nor Jacob had. But it didn’t matter.
In ten years, he could imagine him, Jacob, Danny, maybe even Hayes, all sitting around, giving each other shit and simultaneously reminiscing over old times and looking forward to everything in the future.
And he was, Morgan realized,happy.
Chapter 20
Hayeswasinthemiddle of his first round of reps, breathing through the strain, when the gym door opened.
They’d gotten back from Carolina late last night after the quick one-game road trip, and he’d considered suggesting to Morgan that they grab a late lunch today, but he hadn’t decided yet if he wanted to put the ball back into his own court.
Besides, Morgan’s semi-begging texts were enjoyable, and Hayes hadn’t decided if he wanted to put him out of his misery yet.
But he hadn’t needed to do that, because here Morgan was, crashing his early morning gym time again.
“Are you going to be that kind of boyfriend?” Hayes asked mildly, glancing over at where Morgan was setting down his gym bag and a bottle of water.
It was presumptuous, maybe, to call Morgan his boyfriend. They’d been on one date. Possibly another today. They weren’t even currently sleeping together—again—by Morgan’s own choice.
But his hazel eyes darkened as he looked up, his gaze colliding with Hayes’.
“What kind of boyfriend?” Morgan’s voice was rough around the edges.
Hayes had known he would like it; that wasn’t particularly a surprise. It washow muchMorgan liked it.
“Hmm, like the possessive, creepy, stalker-y kind,” Hayes said casually. Though he might be into it, honestly, if it was Morgan. He was into alotof things, as long as they were related in some way to Morgan.
Morgan didn’t say anything right away, just headed right over to where Hayes was sitting up on the weight bench.
They were alone in here. But it was still a little bit of a risk for Morgan to lean in and brush his mouth over Hayes’ lips. It was a brief kiss, but that was all it took for Hayes to be panting and thinking about putting a hand on Morgan’s neck and pulling him right back.
There was the evidence right there that even the risk was sexy because it was Morgan.
