Page 107 of Drop the Gloves
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After the party,Evan had hope.
The torn-up note had felt like Riley tearing apart Evan’s heart and shoving it back in his face.Then Riley had shown up at Lawson’s house like sex incarnate.It’d made Evan want to claw his eyes out.Riley had lookedso good, and he was doing iton purposeto torment Evan, to show him what he’d had and lost.
Evan had only helped Riley to the guest room—hisold room, once upon a time—because he wanted to make sure Riley was okay.It was probably his fault Riley had been drinking so much, and Lawson had been busy wrangling everyone else to kick them out.It was the least Evan could do, right?
Drunk Riley was so pitifully cute.Which was not the type of thought Evan was used to having about anyone, and certainly not one he’d ever thought he’d have about Riley Barczyk.But Drunk Riley was also Honest Riley, apparently.
I wouldn’t check Evan.Then he wouldn’t be mad at me, and I wouldn’t be mad at him for being mad at me.
Hearing that had given Evan an absurd amount of hope, because everything seemed fixable.Evan wasn’t mad anymore, and it sounded like Riley was close to giving up his own anger.
And then Evan went to the training facility the next day, and that hope fizzled a little.
Riley showed up late, wearing sunglasses and nursing an iced coffee (in fucking December?), and sat in the back as the coaches talked about the season so far, their upcoming schedule, blah blah blah.Evan couldn’t help it; he zoned out.His entire focus was on Riley, two rows behind him and five seats to his left.He could hear Riley sipping his stupid coffee, and he swore he could smell Riley’s cologne.Fuck, why’d he sit here?It’d be too obvious if he turned around?—
He lasted a very commendable ten minutes before he gave in and stole a glance at Riley.With his black-tinted Aviators, it was impossible to tell where Riley was looking or if he was even awake, but it felt like they locked eyes.Evan snapped back around, cheeks on fire, and tried his very best to listen to what Coach Jack was saying.
Ugh.It was like being in high school all over again.
Most of the team opted out of skating that day, and a few of the veteran players cited needing a maintenance day to duck out as soon as the meeting was done.Evan was not in that kind of position, too young and healthy to get out of doing something.He just planned to try to do whatever Riley did.
“Barzy!”he called as he ducked through the crowd to get to him before he left the meeting room.Riley either didn’t hear or ignored him, and it wasn’t until they were in the hallway that Evan caught up to him, grabbing the sleeve of his hoodie to hold him in place.Riley turned and looked at where Evan was holding him, then up at Evan.Aviators or not, he did a good job conveying bitchiness.
“Abs,” he said, oddly formal and distant.
And Evan realized with a sickening drop of his stomach that Riley didn’t remember Evan tucking him in last night.He tried not to let his disappointment show.Whether Riley remembered shouldn’t matter, anyway.It was thefeelingsthat counted, and Riley wasn’t as aloof as he wanted Evan to think.
“You feeling okay?”Evan asked.
“Great,” Riley said.“Like a freight train ran over me.”
Evan laughed awkwardly.“You seemed kind of out of it last?—“
“You getting on the ice today?”Riley looked at his watch.Evan wanted to scream.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” he said slowly, “but if you wanted to work on something?—“
“I’m cycling.”It wasn’t an invitation, and Evan took the hint.
“Oh.Cool.I guess I’ll...do...something.”His shoulders fell as he heard himself.But Riley tilted his head down so the sunglasses slid a smidge to reveal hazel eyes.Amused hazel eyes.Success!Kind of!
“You do that, Abs,” he said and walked off.
* * *
The days dragged on as they finished up their homestand and flew out to Detroit for a game against the Motor City Racers.It was the only thing standing between them and a short holiday break.Evan wasn’t sure if he craved or dreaded that break.This felt like the tipping point, the last chance to do something before Riley disappeared for five days and maybe got the good sense to realize a relationship with Evan was a terrible idea.But how could Evan convince him otherwise if Riley wouldn’t have a real conversation with him?
Evan spent maybe an hour pacing back and forth in his hotel room, running through every version of Riley-forgives-him and Riley-never-wants-to-see-him-again when there was a knock on his door.He froze mid-step and stared at the door.
It’s Riley here to put me out of my misery and say we’re done.
It’s Riley here to forgive me.
There was a secret third option, apparently, because the knock sounded again followed by a curt, “Abs, it’s me.Open up.”
Dalton.
