Page 87 of Two Guys One Puck
“I told you, I do not regret things. If I fuck a man, I fuck a man. I’m going to be happy because life is too short to not be happy.” Even if it might push my family away and make it so I can’t go back to my country. The country that has taken so much from me already. I won’t let it take anything else willingly.
“Is that because of the war?” Seaborn is hesitant to ask, and it’s cute.
I wish I could see his face. “Yes, and no. Is complicated. Parts of my attitude, I’m sure. Everything we’ve experienced makes us who we are. I don’t know how I’d be if I had any other upbringing.”
“I guess that’s fair. I don’t know how I’d be raised any other way. All I know is my father and my aunt Emily.”
“I’m sorry. Losing a father is not easy. I lost mine in the war.” I want him to know he’s not alone.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you’d lost him recently. If talking to me is triggering you, you don’t have to.”
“It wasn’t recent. I was little. I don’t remember him much.” I give him a reassuring smile.
“But you said in the war?”
All I can do is laugh. “Sweet baby, my county has had many wars.”
“Wait, really?”
“Very many. I know they don’t talk about them here. Most things that do not involve the US are not heard of here. Is shocking how much news you don’t get.” But it’s the truth. We’ve had many conflicts and few of them were major news.
“Shit. I hate being that guy.” He switches his position, causing soft light to cast across his face.
“I’m used to it.” I screen shot it on a whim. “Nice to see you.”
His eyes flick down, clearly looking at his image. “I’d say I did it to be nice, but that would be a lie.”
“I’ll take it either way.”
“You really like seeing me?”
I nod. “Yes. You’re hot, and I like enjoying it. Part of the reason to be on a call with you.”
“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment,” Seaborn laughs. “Thanks for being here for me. I want to be here for you, too.”
I don’t know how to take that. “I’m not used to talking to anyone about my life.”
“You don’t have any friends?” Seaborn seems skeptical.
“I have friends, but not… You say something like best friends…Is not really the same. Close, I guess. We don’t talk about those things. We talk about hockey and school and women, those things.” I’m already opening up to him more than I do anyone else. “You ask like you’re currently sharing with anyone. Where are your friends?”
“My two best friends, as you called it, are going through something. The energy is weird. So it’s hard to talk to them right now.”
“The big goalie one and the other defender on your line you live with, yes?”
He nods.
“Is because they are in love.”
Seaborn bursts out laughing. “I don’t think it’s that. Wolfe might be the only guy on the team who sleeps with more puck bunnies than I do.”
My chest tightens, and the rage I felt seeing him in the bar flares again. I want to break their hands for touching him. But it’s not like this is anything or can be more. He gets laid a lot. I could never be there that much for him, so I can’t ask.
“If you say so, sweetheart.”
He rolls his eyes and readjusts again, laying down but keeping himself in the low light.
“How’s your dad?”
