Page 35 of Rock the Cradle of Love
“I’m holding you to that. I want to see Emma too.”
“It’s a date,” he says. On his way out, he hands Donna Lynn a couple of twenties. “I’m paying for the ladies’ sundae. The rest is for you.”
Her pretty brown eyes go wide. “Oh, I, I couldn’t…”
“I know you know who I am and what I do.”
She nods.
“So take it, okay?” He doesn’t need to point out he makes more money than probably anyone else in Ten Rigs.
“Okay. Thank you.” Her head dips in embarrassed pleasure.
He pushes out of the diner and pulls his cell from his pocket. It’s just after ten now. Some people might think it’s too late to make a phone call, but it’s probably the best time to have a conversation with Steve, what with all the kids and activities going on in their household. Thank goodness they’re in the same time zone. Noah pulls up Steve’s contact and hits send.
Steven picks up on the third ring. “Noah, good to hear from you, bud. How are you?”
“Um…okay.” There’s noise in the background, some sort of sport Noah thinks.
The background noise disappears. Steve closed a door or muted the volume. “Not a social call then?”
“I’m sorry, no. I can call back at a better time.” But now that he’s got Steve on the phone, he wants to talk.
“Hey, no, Noah. I’m here for you—you know that. Anytime.”
Steve’s been like a dad to him ever since he lived with the Nortons. It’s the Nortons who made him want a big family himself. He misses the buzz of a houseful of people. The team provides a facsimile of that, but at the end of the day it’s just him in the condo. Or it was. He likes the change.
“What’s going on?”
The whole story pours out of Noah as he walks home. “Everything was going so well and then all of a sudden it wasn’t. And I just. I don’t know. I guess I wasn’t being realistic because he’s so sexual and I’m so not. But I wanted to be close to someone, and he wanted me and was willing to take it slow. And then he just made this decision and he didn’t even talk to me about it. I mean, it’s my sexuality, right? He doesn’t get to determine my feelings or my intentions. The only thing I asked of him was to talk to me first—about anything—and he didn’t. Am I wrong to feel this way?”
“No, you’re not wrong. Yes, he definitely should have discussed things with you. What do you want to do?”
“I want to talk to him.”
“So call him.”
“I have. A couple of times. He hasn’t called me back.”
“Did you leave a message? Does he know how you feel?”
“Yes. I left a message about Emma’s hearing. I told him we still needed to talk.”
“Maybe something’s happened to him? Is there any way to find out?”
“No.” The players aren’t obligated to notify the team of travel plans in the off-season, and he and Taylor hadn’t gotten around to trading ICE information.
“I could maybe call the front office, but I don’t know if they’d give me Taylor’s family information…”
“Probably not. Call him one more time, Noah. Then leave the ball in his court.”
They talk for a few minutes more about the Norton family, their latest hockey billet, and hockey in general before hanging up. Not about the end of the Rotors’ season, thank goodness.
He feels better, but then again, he doesn’t. He really should have considered a relationship with Taylor a little more thoroughly before jumping in. What was he thinking that he could have a physical relationship with someone who doesn’t understand what it’s like to have no thoughts related to sex at all? The reverse applies as well…how could Noah expect to sexually satisfy a person without having a sex drive of his own. In hindsight, agreeing to a relationship wasn’t the best decision he’s ever made.
Noah sighs. But they’re in one now, and if they’re going to stay in one, they need to talk. Noah calls Taylor. Again. The call goes straight to voicemail. Again. “Listen, Taylor…I don’t know what I did to make you mad. Whatever it was, I’m sorry, okay? This is new to me. Please call me so we can talk.” Noah doesn’t know what else to say, so after a few moments, he ends the connection. He’s tempted to throw his phone across the yard, but clenches it tighter in his palm and stalks up his mother’s driveway.
Chapter Twelve
