Page 62 of Speak in Fever
He opens the door to find JP waiting in the hallway, his expression carefully neutral but his eyes knowing.
"Everything alright?" JP asks, though his tone suggests he already knows the answer.
"Just going over power play options," Percy replies smoothly. "Rath had some good insights about creating space in the slot."
JP's gaze flicks between them, taking in Percy's slightly flushed face and Rath's obvious effort to look casual. "I'm sure he did. Very... thorough analysis, I bet."
As Percy heads toward Coach's office, JP falls into step beside Rath as they head back to the locker room.
"You two are about as subtle as a freight train," JP says quietly, but his tone is fond rather than critical.
Chapter 20
Percy stares at his phone for a full ten minutes before finally dialing his mother's number. It's Sunday evening, and he's sitting in his kitchen with leftover Thai food and the kind of restless energy that comes from spending too much time in his own head.
"Percy!" His mother's voice is warm and immediate, the way it always is when he calls. "How are you, sweetheart? How's the season going?"
"Good," Percy says automatically, then pauses because that's not entirely true. The season is going well—they're winning games, his stats are solid, the team chemistry is better than it's been in years. But everything else feels complicated in ways he doesn't know how to navigate. "Actually, it's... complicated."
"Complicated how?" There's that maternal radar, instantly zeroing in on his hesitation.
Percy gets up from the kitchen table and starts pacing, phone pressed to his ear. "Hockey's good. Really good, actually. We'vegot this new dynamic that's working really well, and I think we might have a real shot at making a playoff run this year."
"That's wonderful, honey. But that doesn't sound complicated."
"It's not the hockey part that's complicated." Percy runs his free hand through his hair, trying to figure out how to explain without revealing too much. "It's... other stuff. Personal stuff."
His mother is quiet for a moment, and Percy can practically hear her processing this information. "Are you seeing someone?"
The direct question catches him off guard, even though he should have expected it. His mother has always been good at reading between the lines.
"It's complicated," he repeats, which is probably answer enough.
"Oh, Percy." Her voice softens with understanding. "Tell me about her."
The automatic assumption that it's a woman makes Percy's chest tighten, but he pushes past it. "They're... incredible. Smart, funny, talented. They challenge me in ways I didn't expect, make me want to be better at everything, not just hockey. When I'm with them, everything feels easier and more complicated at the same time."
"That sounds like the real thing," his mother says gently. "So what's making it complicated?"
Percy stops pacing and leans against the counter, staring out the window at Portland's evening skyline. "I don't know how to do this, Mom. I don't know how to be in a relationship. My track record isn't exactly stellar."
"Percy, you're twenty-eight years old. You've learned how to be a professional athlete, a team leader, how to handle media and pressure and all kinds of responsibilities. Why do you think being in a relationship is beyond your capabilities?"
"Because it's different," Percy says, frustration creeping into his voice. "Hockey has rules, strategies, clear objectives. Relationships are... messy. Emotional. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with all these feelings."
His mother's laugh is gentle and knowing. "Sweetheart, relationships aren't that different from hockey, in some ways. They require communication, trust, teamwork. You know how to do all those things."
"But what if I mess it up? What if I hurt them? What if they realize I'm not good at this and decide they deserve better?"
"Oh, honey." His mother's voice carries the particular warmth she reserves for moments when he's being hard on himself. "First of all, everyone messes up relationships sometimes. That's how you learn. Second, if this person cares about you the way you clearly care about them, they're going to be patient while you figure it out together."
Percy closes his eyes, thinking about Rath's easy laughter, the way he challenges Percy's overthinking with gentle teasing, how he seems to understand Percy's need for control while also knowing exactly when to push back against it.
"They are patient," Percy admits quietly. "More patient than I probably deserve."
"Then stop borrowing trouble," his mother says firmly. "If you care about this person, if they make you happy, then focus on that. Stop worrying about all the ways it might go wrong and start appreciating all the ways it's going right."
"It's not that simple—"
