Page 28 of Two for Holding
“Thanks, Mom.The team didn’t even know.They thought I wanted to be traded.It was a management decision.But I wish I could tell them the truth about what happened.”
She paused for a suspiciously long time.“Now, when you say you weren’t careful…”
“You don’t want to know.”
She snickered.“Okay, then.I hope you’re using condoms.”
“Mom.”
“What?Your dad and I didn’t, and look where it got us.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not sixteen, and I’m also not getting anyone pregnant.”
“You never know!”
Jax sighed.“Anyway.I might’ve told someone on the Sea Lions.And, uh…I think he just came out to me?”
“Wow.”
“Yeah.And it doesn’t make any sense because he’s known about me for weeks now.Why didn’t he tell me right away?”
For a long moment, his mom said nothing.Then, she asked, “When did you realize you liked men?”
Jax considered.He hadn’t fully accepted it until he’d kissed his first boy at sixteen.But suspecting?“I was probably about thirteen, fourteen?”
“Did you think I’d have a problem with it?”
“No, of course not.”
“So why’d you only tell me when you were eighteen?”
“I guess I wasn’t ready.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Jax gently banged his forehead against the glass.“Right.Okay.Thanks, Mom.”
“Anytime.Hey, do you have time to chat about the cute little defenseman you guys played tonight?Is he new?”
“Actually, I think I’d better go talk to someone.”Talking to Tom would be awkward as hell, but not as awkward as that.
“Fine, spoil my fun.Love you, kid.”
“Love you too, mom.”
Jax slid his phone into the too-tight pocket of his suit pants.He grabbed his key and headed down the corridor.He didn’t know which door was Tom’s.Only the captain and the coach got a full list of everyone’s room numbers, but he had a gut feeling a claustrophobic hotel space was exactly what Tom didn’t need right now.Instead, Jax took the emergency stairs to the roof two at a time.
And there he stood, all alone on the rooftop terrace, rain sluicing off the tip of his nose.
“I’m sorry,” Jax said.He’d always been direct, and apologizing was the most important part.
Tom started, and for a second, Jax could see the headline: NHL Captain Falls to Death From Philadelphia’s Most Middling Hotel After Sudden Shock From Idiot Teammate.A bit unwieldy, but it would certainly catch the reader’s eye.
“Jax.”
“Jesus fuck, man, you’re gonna catch a cold, and then we’ll be out our best winger.Come inside.”
“Jax, I…” Tom glanced away, shivering, still dressed in only his stupid sea lion T-shirt and the thinnest, clingiest joggers Jax had ever seen.
