Page 2 of Lucky Shot
“If he wears any less…” Oddny says, shifting in his seat.
I shake my head, my attention already having moved on to others who have come out of their rooms for the day.
* * *
“To the Gay Gathering,”Max cheers, lifting his beer-filled stein causing amber liquid to slosh over the side as he waves it in the air.
“Did we agree on that name?” Ethan asks as he lounges back in Creed’s lap, lazily watching Max make a fool of himself with a microphone in one hand and the sloshing beer in the other. I think he’s going to be giving karaoke a try, but we’ll see.
I hadn’t thought that Buffalo’s starting line would be joining us. As far as I knew, they’d never been on the trip before, though I’m not sure it was for lack of invite. After the hell they went through last season, they’d been keeping such a low profile that the only reason I knew they were still around was because I watched their games.
I’ve always liked Ethan Wilder. He’s one of those people with a big smile and a friendly demeanor. Always ready to laugh and help out in whatever way he can. Credence Ayrton was with him more times than not, but there used to be a very charged distance between them. Everyone could feel it. Fuck, even I could feel it!
I’m pretty sure the entire hockey world took a breath of relief when the two finally got together.
And then there was Jakub Bozik who came out of left field. Or… the opposite end of the continent. The chaos that followed basically gave Max a window to let loose and no one noticed since every single camera was focused on the trio.
I was incredibly relieved when someone took the spotlight off them. If there were ever men who didn’t deserve the backlash they received, it was those three. Well, Creed and Ethan. Jakub had always been one of those players you knew upon sight but have never spoken to. He always kept to himself.
After reading all the articles on their relationship, I understood why. I’ve spent a few hours talking to him since the trip began and he’s a really good guy. Which doesn’t surprise me. I can’t imagine Ethan with an asshole.
“It’s not so bad,” Creed says. “At least he’s not calling this something like Pixies on the Sea.”
“Don’t let him hear you,” Owen hisses. Thankfully, Max has begun belting out the first lines of… I have no idea. Between his slurred words, off key tune, and his inability to keep the microphone to his mouth, I’m not sure what we’re listening to. “The last thing we want is for him to start calling us pixies.”
I chuckle, though he’s not wrong. Max would likely bring that home with us and the next thing we’d know, it would be all over the internet.
Owen snickers at something Ethan says and turns back to watch Max. I forget how much I enjoy Owen. He’s a big guy with the most striking blue eyes and baby blond hair. Actually, the two of us get confused often. Apparently, we look a lot alike. Since we both tend to be laid-back and observant rather than overly talkative, it only adds to our combined mystique.
We rarely manage to catch up, though. While so many of the ‘Gays Can Play’ crew grab dinner when we’re in the same city, Owen usually passes. I have theories that he’s hiding a family or some shit, but have never outright asked. He always claims to be single whenever it’s brought up.
Once, I might have said there was no way in hell he’d be able to hide anything like that, but since finding out Ethan and Jakub had hidden theirmarriagefor seven fucking years… I don’t dare say anything is impossible.
Max continues to bellow words that I’m not sure are part of the same song while we take wagers on how long it’ll be before he falls on his face. He stops mid-verse to take a long pull from his beer and then picks up again, but I think he’s moved on to a different song.
“Hello, hello did you call? I cannot hear youuu… hello, hello, hello.”
“I think that’s supposed to be Gaga,” Creed says.
“He’s butchering it,” Owen says as Jakub joins us. He takes his seat next to Ethan and Creed, handing them both a drink and kissing each on the temple.
While I roll my eyes and look away, my chest clenches. Not with jealousy. I’m very happy for them. Very. Especially now that they can just live without everyone breathing down their necks.
But I’m left wondering why I can’t find a single person to loveme,and they found two.
“Sto-o-o-pppp calling me my drink is on the dance floor!”
“I feel like they’re going to sue him just for butchering their song,” Owen says but he’s grinning as he sways along. I shake my head.
Max is further encouraged when a group gets up in front of the stage he’s singing on and begins dancing. I laugh under my breath when I spot Oddny with Noah. I’m pretty sure Oddny’s been hung up on Noah for like three years now. Whether this is him making a move or not, I’m unsure.
Noah doesn’t seem overly interested in anyone. He moves between bodies, always with a smile on his pretty face. When Gabe Zanderman pulls Noah away, Oddny abruptly stops dancing and glares as if he could shove Gabe into the pits of hell with his eyes alone.
I chuckle as Oddny turns away and stalks off the dance floor. He adjusts his trajectory when he sees me and drops into the chair at my side.
“Your plans for the night have been thwarted, huh?” I ask.
Oddny huffs and waves his hand. “We’re stopping at Kala in two days. I’ll get my dick warm there.” He glares at them dancing again and mutters, “Bet I can find someone who looks like him too.”
