“Thank you for giving me the option.”
Jett’s snuffle was loud, making Harrison jump.
“Shit, sorry,”said Jett.“I’m not crying for a stupid reason. It’s the release of adrenaline.”
“Sure, kid.”
“I’m not a kid,”said Jett in that bratty tone that made Harrison want to correct him.“And also—the things I said earlier. You can pretend that you didn’t hear them.”
“I could,” said Harrison. “But I won’t.”
Harrison imagined how red Jett was turning, so he put him out of his misery. “I’m okay right now, so give Bracken back his car and his condoms before he decides to get in and kidnap you. I’m climbing in bed with my heating pad, and about a hundred Advil in me, but call me when you’re in your hotel room.”
“Yeah, I will. I promise.”
Harrison ended the call and set his mind to the overwhelming task of standing and leaving the shower. Every part of his body ached, and it took a colossal effort just to get to his feet. He limped away with his phone gripped tightly in his hand, at ease with the fact that he could call Jett back if needed.
It took time to get his medication and locate his heating pad from where it had disappeared under the bed, but he got under the blankets with the jersey still on, and the heat on his leg easing his pain.
It couldn’t have taken him more than five minutes to make himself comfortable when his phone lit up. He answered it on the first ring.
“Jett.”
“Hey,”said Jett.“I hope you don’t care, but Bracken is doom-scrolling on the bed next to me. He said he promises not to listen to our conversation.”
“Sure,” said Harrison. “What are you wearing?”
A round of sniggering answered whether the conversation was private or not.
“Dude, stop,”said Jett, taking the phone away from his mouth to chastise his captain.“You’re like, twenty years older than me. Act that way.”
“Wow, twenty years? Really, Jett?”
Jett’s voice was back, sounding closer now.“Don’t worry about him sticking around. Once Powers texts him saying he wants to go for his walkies, Bracken will be gone.”
Harrison scoffed. “Goalies are weird, but yours might take the cake.”
“Tell me about it,”said Jett. “But Powers isn’t the only weird one we have. Wolf is a close second, and he’s not even a goalie.”
Harrison went quiet as Jett began to talk about his teammates, letting his voice soothe him into a calmer state. He had always wondered what the Sunburst team would be like, and even though there had been some trades since Harrison’s draft, most of the staple members remained the same.
He knew Jett was finding every excuse he had to keep him distracted, and it was working. That clawing need inside that demanded tobe numbed by self-inflicted hypothermia had settled, leaving him feeling floaty and content.
He didn’t realize he’d drifted off until he heard Jett whisper his name.
“Huh?”
“I can hear your little snores,”said Jett.“You should sleep. I’ll keep chatting until I’m sure you’re gone, and then hang up. But I want you to text me when you open your eyes.”
Harrison sighed and stretched gently, testing his sore leg. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine now if you want to hang out with your teammates.”
Judging by the sound he let out, Jett didn’t believe him.
“There is nowhere else I would rather be right now, Killinger. Get some fucking sleep.”
Harrison grumbled and closed his eyes, already drifting into darkness again. He heard Jett talking, reading something that sounded like a gay hockey romance novel, but he was too far gone to understand the words.
And for the first time in a long time, Harrison had dreams instead of nightmares.
