Page 116 of Common Goal
“You don’t want to hear about it.”
“I’m a bartender. It’s my job to listen to sob stories.” He playfully tossed a bar towel on his shoulder and leaned in. “Lay it on me.”
“I told my teammates that I’m retiring. I told them after the game.”
Kyle’s mouth fell open in mock astonishment. “You didn’t playthatbadly.”
Eric laughed. “The public announcement will be tomorrow morning. The team is sending out a statement.”
“How’d they take it? Your teammates?”
“They seemed shocked. And then, y’know, they joked about how old I am. So they’re coping in their own ways.” He tapped his fingers against the soda glass. “I guess this is really happening.”
He looked so lost. Kyle wanted to take him to the back room and kiss him happy. “Tomorrow will be a shitshow, I’m guessing.”
“Yeah,” Eric sighed. “I’m not looking forward to it. I’m going to turn my phone off and just, I dunno. Avoid it.”
“You don’t have a practice tomorrow?”
“No. I wanted to make the announcement on a day off, so I could at least avoid reporters.”
Kyle suddenly had a wonderful, terrible idea. “Spend the day with me.”
Eric’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Kyle shrugged. “I’ve got a day off tomorrow too. We could, I dunno, watch movies or...leave town.” He laughed at that, but then thought of an even better idea. “Hey, we could go hiking! I know some great spots outside the city. Have you been to Blue Mountain?”
“I haven’t.” Eric seemed to be perking up. “That would be great, being outside all day.”
Kyle was practically bouncing with excitement now. He’d been in desperate need of some quality outdoors time. “Let’s do it! Do you have a car?”
“I do.”
“This is going to be awesome. You’ll feel like a new man after this.”
“Okay.” Eric was smiling at him, looking almost as excited as Kyle felt. He also looked like he needed something else from Kyle.
“I’m working until two at least tonight,” Kyle said. He stopped there, knowing that Eric would understand what he was saying.
“Right. I figured.”
“You should go home,” Kyle said gently. “Rest up for our big adventure.”
Eric nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Text me when you’re awake tomorrow.”
“I will.” Kyle really wanted to hoist himself up on the bar and kiss him, but he resisted. Frantic kisses on the street aside, they’d never kissed in front of other people. “Bright and early, handsome.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eric had been second-guessing his decision to spend the day hiking with Kyle right up until the moment he’d spotted Kyle waiting for him on the sidewalk outside his building. Eric knew it had been irresponsible of him to agree to this outing; he was either leading Kyle on, or letting his own heart be misled. Either way, it was only going to further complicate the way he felt about Kyle. But the way Kyle smiled as Eric pulled the car up in front of him, excitement all over his face, made him not particularly care about bad decisions.
“Yay! Hiking!” Kyle sang.
He’d had his glasses on, and a warm knit hat. He’d looked adorable, and Eric’s heart had fluttered uselessly in his chest.
He’s not for you, Eric had reminded himself.Not like that.
Now they were completely alone, standing together at the top of Blue Mountain and taking in the spectacular view of the Hudson River and the snowy mountains beyond. It had been a perfect day so far. Kyle was an expert hiker, completely in his element on the trails, and Eric felt like he was meeting him for the first time. There was flirty bartender Kyle, and brilliant grad student Kyle, but then there was this man: flushed and happy from a day spent outdoors in the cold.
