Page 104 of Hockey Bois
Jenna’s voice, wordless but full of concern, rang out of the phone.
“This is Brady. Jensen. From, uh… from Nicki’s—Nick’s hockey team. He got a concussion and he’s kind of out of it, so I drove him to Urgent Care. The doctor said he’s good to go, but he’ll need someone to make sure he wakes up every couple of hours, and he’s gotta stay home from work for a few days.”
This time Jenna’s voice was sharp. Nick didn’t know what that meant, but his dull mind helpfully supplied him with the mental image of balloons popping unexpectedly.
“Yeah, I’ll drive him home. I got his hockey gear, but he’ll have to get his car from the rink. Not for a few days; he shouldn’t drive. He’ll also need to follow-up with his actual doctor. Heshouldknow all this, but like I said, he’s kinda out of it so I wouldn’t expect him to remember.”
“I’ll remember!” Nick whined. He blinked and reached out to gingerly touch Brady’s bandaged hand. “What hap—?”
Brady hissed and yanked his hand away. “Huh? No, no it’s— Look, I’ll get him there in about thirty, and I can help him inside if you want— You’ll meet us there? Great. Yes, I’ll call if something else happens between here and there. Yep, that’s fine. We’ll see you soon then. Bye.” He turned off the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket. “Your”—he hesitated briefly and licked his lips—“friendis kind of bossy.”
Nick nodded solemnly. “Jenna is my bossiest cousin. And my bossiest friend. And very bossy.”
A strange look came over Brady’s face then. “Look, Nick—”
“Nooo, don’t call me ‘Nick’ or Gail will yell at me again.”
“What—? You know what, no, I don’t want to know. Fine,Nicki, I know things are… weird… I guess… between us, and I’m sorry I did that. That’s on me, and I’m also sorry I’m too chicken shit to say that when you’re not concussed.”
Nick put a hand on Brady’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Yes,” he said.
Brady waited and waited, waited so long Nick forgot what they were talking about.
“‘Yes’ what?” Brady asked.
“Huh?”
“Yeah,” Brady said with a laugh that was a little too bitter for Nick’s liking. “This is clearly not the time for this conversation. Let’s get you home before your cousin accuses me of kidnapping you or something.”
Away from the florescent lights of the doctor’s office and without Brady pestering him to stay awake, Nick dozed off, drifting between images that never coalesced into real dreams. It was over too soon; one minute his mind was bouncing between hockey and accounting, and the next, Brady was gently shaking his shoulder.
“Hey,” he whispered to Nick. “We’re here. I don’t see your cousin. Want me to help you inside?”
“Inside where?” Nick asked groggily.
Brady’s head dropped forward, and he groaned. When he popped back up, he looked concerned. “That guy did a real number on you, huh?”
“Who?”
Brady muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “fucking adorable” before he opened his door and stepped into the darkness. Nick’s eyes followed him as he rounded the car and opened Nick’s door for him, even offering him a hand.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.” Nick was too tired and confused to know where they were going or why, but he trusted Brady to get him there. He accepted his hand and let himself be pulled out of the car.
“This would be easier if you’d actually use your limbs,” Brady grumbled. “I can’t carry you all the way to your house.”
“I bet you could. You’re strong. And manly. You grew a whole fucking beard overnight. You could carry me.”
“I really enjoy when you’re punch-drunk,” Brady admitted as he guided Nick toward the house, “but I literally don’t know how to respond to anything you say.”
“Punch-drunk? Did I get in a fight? My mom’s gonna kill me…”
“You didn’t get into a fight.Igot into a fight. Tell your mom to kill me.”
“Oh no,” Nick whined. “I don’t want my mom to kill you.”
They took the steps up to his house one at a time. He didn’t remember having a million stairs. “I don’t have my—” Nick’s eyes went wide when Brady started unlocking the door. “You stole my keys!”
