I bite back a smirk, lifting my glass of whiskey to my mouth.
“Because we all have eyes, Cap.I’mthe pretty groomsman.”
Saltzy’s eyes narrow on him. “Have youseenWyatt?”
Forker’s jaw tightens. He shoots me a look of disbelief and a bit of offense before glaring back at our Captain. “Have you seenme?”
Saltzy rolls his eyes, relaxing a bit deeper into the cushions.
I know these past couple of years have been tough for him. Forthem, probably. He’s never outright told us about their relationship, but he’s tiptoed around it enough, and I’m not blind. I put it together fairly quickly, but just shut my yap about it. His business. What he does with it is his choice.
Slowly, he came out of his shell around us. Those of us he can’t avoid. Caulfield is a permanent fixture in Lowesy’s life. He’s sewn into the fabric of Declan’s being. Saltzy is with Caulfield now, and we’re Lowesy’s boys. It was inevitable that we’d be around the pair of them more often than not, and only a matter of time before the pieces came together for us.
And, come on. Their chemistry is unmissable, even for a dude that has like, two facial expressions, both of which are almost identical. The only time I’ve ever seen Callum Saltzman smile is when he’s looking at Wyatt Caulfield. I knew it was love that I was looking at. Nobody ever had to tell me.
I smack him on the leg, drawing his attention. I make sure he’s looking me in the eyes when I speak. “You talk about your relationship as freely as the rest of them, alright? Don’t hide that shit if you don’t want to, Cap.”
“Not with us.” Forker adds.
Saltzy’s throat bobs, and I hate the look of shame on him. “Still getting used to it. I’m trying.”
“I know,” I say, smacking his leg again, “and I know you’re not an oversharer in general. I get you. I’m the same. I just don’t want you thinking either of us would care about something like that.”
“We love you and we love Caulfield,” Forker agrees with a nod, bringing his beer to his mouth. “It’s that simple.”
“Alright, alright,” Saltzy groans, waving us off. A signal that he doesn’t want to keep discussing this. “You know how I am. Even with the women I’ve dated, I didn’t really bring them around. This just…feels like there’s more at stake, you know?”
I swallow, leaning back in my seat. “Because you love him, or because you’re scared of what the public will say about it?”
Saltzy’s eyes lock onto the fireplace table. A long few seconds of silence pass between us. Forker, uncharacteristically, knows to shut the fuck up.
“Both,” Saltzy grumbles finally, clearing his throat. His eyes flicker up to mine, and then snap to Forker. “He’s been through a lot. I don’t want him to have to listen to any bullshit. It’s not like male sports are historically known for being inclusive.”
I sigh, running a hand over my jaw. Understatement. “I’m sorry, buddy.”
And I am. It’s tough, and it’s not fair, and I don’t know how the fuck we can fix it.
“I do, though,” he says. He looks at both of us, his lips pulling upward. “Love him. So, Iwantto be more open about it withour friends. I’m trying… I’m fuckingtryingto be less robotic. It’s hard for me. I know I’m closed off, I just?—”
I feel Forker wince in the seat. His comments from last year keep coming back to bite him in the ass. He called Cap a robot, and the impact on him was unexpected. It hurt him enough to give him an identity crisis.
“I didn’t mean that in a bad way, Cap,” Forker groans, leaning forward. He places his hand on Saltzy’s shoulder, shaking him until he meets his eyes. “Caulfield fell in love with you because you are who you are. Don’t go trying to be someone you’re not because I made a stupid joke.”
“But you were right,” Saltzy admits, his voice quieter than usual. “I look at Wyatt’s life, at those people around that table, and…they’ve got a friendship that I envy. Somehow, they managed to createthatand it’s held up foryears.I realized I don’t have that. With anyone. All my shit, besides with Wy, is surface level.”
I nod. I’m not going to pretend it’s otherwise. Saltzy knows how he is.
Forker sighs. “Yeah, but that shit they have is rare, Saltzy. They’re a fucking anomaly.”
Also true.
“I know, I know,” Saltzy says, lifting a hand in defeat, “but look at you two. Look at how you both are with Lowesy. I want the people who I consider my friends to also consider me theirs, you know? And I don’t think that you guys do. I think I’m your Captain, I’m with Wyatt,andI’m in your life. I don’t think either of you look at me and feel like we have anything of substance.”
I watch him carefully, but say nothing. He’s right. Declan only tolerated him until he ended up with Wyatt. He grew to like him a bit more because of how much Caulfield cares about him. I have never texted Saltzy one-on-one about anything other than hockey. Forker wants to marry his dad, so he’s a bit morelenient, but Cap is right. He doesn’t have a solid friendship with any of us.
“I’m trying,” he says, his voice almost a whisper. There’s a flash of vulnerability I’ve never seen on his face before.
“You’re my friend, Cap,” I tell him. “I’m in your corner. You need me? Call me. You want to stop by for a coffee or a beer? No questions asked. Just don’t go thinking that we need you to be somebody else to do those things with us.”
