“Yeah, he does,” Nate agreed dryly.
Jordan flushed even brighter red. “It’s not . . .he’s just . . .well,youknow.”
Oh, did he ever. He just reached over and patted Jordan on his knee, putting him out of his misery. “I get it.”
Jordan laughed self-consciously. “Of course you do. I just didn’t think Idid, but that new therapist Aidan hooked me up with? We’ve been talking about why I wanted to spend all that time in strip clubs, with women, and I guess.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t about the women at all. More like, what was Isupposedto like? What was Isupposedto do?”
“That’s good work, Jordo,” Nate said supportively. “You’re gonna figure your shit out, I know it.”
Next to him, Jordan relaxed a fraction. “Yeah. Yeah. I think so.”
“Just don’t figure it out with my boyfriend, okay?” Nate chuckled dryly. Not that he imagined Ramsey would ever do that, or that even Jordan would. It was just a crush, and an understandable one, because Ramsey shone even brighter than the diamonds he always wore.
“Oh God,” Jordan said, covering his eyes and groaning. “Is it that obvious?”
Nate just laughed. “Yeah, but it’s cute too.”
On cue, the lights dimmed, bass pounded and the Wolves streamed onto the ice.
Ramsey had told him he liked to head up the back of the line, and sure enough, Nate spotted him immediately, the43unmistakable on the back of his jersey.
But then, Nate would’ve known him even without his name and number.
“You nervous at all?” Jordan asked him as warmups continued and he found himself growing silent, tracking every one of Ramsey’s movements with his eyes. Heseemedfine. He’d cleared every protocol. He wasready.More than ready, if he was going to believe his boyfriend.
When Nate had expressed even the barest hint of concern that he was rushing back, that he was taking things too fast, and that maybe he should have gone to a rehab assignment in the AHL, Ramsey had shot him a very firm look and told him that he wasn’t going to be babied. Not by someone who went out and tackled people for a living.
Nate had shut up then, because Ramsey was right.
They both took risks with their jobs, every single day. But no matter what happened, they’d be coming home to each other.
“No,” Nate said, though he still was, a little. He’d shake it off, though, same as Ramsey would shake off the last of the rust when he skated his first shift.
“Yeah, okay,” Jordan said wryly, and yeah, okay, maybe he hadn’t beenthatsubtle about it.
“That why you wanted to come with me tonight?” Nate asked. “Worried about me?”
Jordan looked like he wanted to crawl under the seat, but he still kept his chin up and answered, which Nate gave him a lot of credit for. It was hard to become a better version of yourself. “Wanna be a good friend, like you guys were to me. I was . . .I wasn’t a good teammateora good friend. And you were to me.So. Trying to change that.”
He looked embarrassed still, like talking about his feelings meant he was less of a man or less of a football player, but Nate hoped if he spent more time around their group and also more time in therapy, he’d realize that emotional IQ didn’t make him any less.
“I’m sure your therapist told you this but intention is everything, man. And you’re getting your head screwed on right.”
Jordan’s smile was small but real.
“Yeah. She did. But really, you’re not worried about Ramsey, though? He’s got this. He’s worked so hard. He’s ready.”
Nate did not roll his eyes at Jordan’s enthusiasm for Ramsey, but he felt a fondness surge at it, anyway. “No. You’re right. He’s got this.”
And it turned out that he did.
There wasn’t even rust to shake off. Ramsey took his first shift the way he did everything in life—he embraced it fully, Nate watching with his heart in his throat as he vaulted over the boards, immediately taking the puck away and leading his team into their offensive zone.
When he got the main assist on the game-winning goal, Nate might’ve shouted himself a little hoarse. He didn’t miss how Ramsey turned in his direction as he headed towards the locker room, sending him a huge smile.
“See?” Jordan said, turning to him. “Told you he had this.”
“You wanna come down to the locker room with me?” Nate asked.
