Page 101 of In Your Wildest Dreams
28
RAZZLE DAZZLE UNICORNS
ASH
At five o’clockon the dot, I walk outside of my house to meet Leo. He’s waiting at the end of my driveway with Callum sleeping in a stroller next to him. I pull my sweatshirt over my head and then a cap down over my ears. We haven’t had any snow the past week, but it’s still freezing outside.
“Are we not running this morning?” For the past two years, we’ve done this damn near every day. It stopped being about conditioning a long time ago, though that is a nice benefit. Staying in shape year-round has made me faster.
“No, we are. Check it out. It’s a jogging stroller.” My buddy beams harder than he did when he bought his first nice vehicle as he pushes the fancy contraption around in a circle.
Chuckling lightly, I smile as I take in the change in him. Pushing a stroller on our morning runs? That’s not something I ever saw in our futures.
We take off on our usual route. The quiet morning stretches in front of us. Callum is fast asleep, and Leo and I are both lost in our own thoughts.
He’s the first to speak. “It was fun hanging out last night. I like Bridget. Scarlett does too.”
“Yeah. She’s cool.” The thought of the woman still lying in my bed makes me instantly wish I were back there. The hours we get together are few and sometimes far between. She’s got school and work, and we’ve had two weeks of some brutal travel for games.
“It was good to see you two out together. It was starting to feel like Talia all over again.”
My hackles rise instantly. “Bridget isn’t like Talia.”
Talia wanted to date a hockey player because of how she thought it made her look. She liked going to fancy events and big parties, but otherwise, we didn’t really date publicly. It was casual sex when our schedules allowed. That’s not what is happening with me and Bridget. She’s guarded and hesitant, but it’s not because she doesn’t feel strongly about me. Even if she won’t say it, I know it. Ifeelit.
“Don’t glower at me.” Leo laughs softly. “I just mean that you mostly go to her place or yours and it’s nice to see you two out. You dig her and we all just want to get to know her better.”
With Talia it was basically just about fun and sex. Sure, we went on dates occasionally and she came to some games, but I never felt like we were a couple. Not like I do when I’m with Bridget. Though Leo is right, we haven’t really left the house together.
“She’s still pretty hesitant about us being seen together because of Gabe,” I admit. “I should probably be worried too based on how poorly I’ve been playing. I’ve got a giant target on my back, and he’d love to take me out.”
One brow rises. “Do you really think Gabe would do something shady just because you’re dating his ex?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t trust him.” Even if he’s not prepared to trade me, the threats are enough to tell me he isn’t focused on the well-being of the team when it comes to me.
We fall back into silence. Leo’s pace is slower this morning and I glance back as we make the turn at the halfway point to head back home. “Everything okay? You’re dragging.”
“You try pushing a stroller up that last hill.”
“Are you seriously trying to blame your baby right now? What does he weigh, ten pounds?”
“More like seventeen.”
“Yeah, but he’s on wheels.”
Leo angles the stroller toward me. “Let’s see you do better.”
With some trepidation, I take Callum from him. The stroller is light and glides over the pavement nicely. It takes a little getting used to, but soon I’ve got the hang of it.
Leo picks up his pace with a wicked grin. “Race you back.”
He takes off, leaving me and Callum to chase after him.
By the time we make it back, I’m questioning my earlier statements.
“What are you two feeding this kid?” I ask, panting as I come to a stop in front of my house.
“I told you.”
