And there’s a small part of me that’s happy about it, knowing he hasn’t been tainted by the cruelty of the world. I hope he stays like that forever.
Stephen lowers his voice. “Hey, man. You shouldn’t run out of the locker room as soon as practice is over, by the way. That’s where we all bond and become a real team. What’s that about?”
My teeth gnash together, and I ignore his intuitive question.
“You know, if you’re into dudes, it’s cool. I’m?—”
“I’m not into dudes,” I snap, way too quick and way too loud.
“I’m just saying, you don’t need to be ashamed of it if you are.”
A sardonic laugh escapes me.Yeah, right.
“I’m bi.” He hikes a shoulder. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
My feet falter, but I recover quickly. I steal a glance at him out of the corner of my eye, in shock at how nonchalant he is with his confession, as if he just told me he likes both french toast and waffles.
My mind wanders to my father, and all the hateful things he’d have to say about my new roommate; all the ugly things he’s said aboutme; all the ugly things that happened inside my high school locker room once word got out.
I shake my head. “I’m not gay.”
Stephen nods, but the knowing look he gives me tells me he sees right through my front.
And I fucking hate it.
He caught me off-guard the day he walked into our dorm. For some reason, I’d imagined my roommate would be a quiet, studious biochemist, or a goth loner without any friends. I wasn’t prepared for someone who looks like he stepped off a Hollister billboard with the charisma to go along with it.
To add insult to injury, I’ll be spending all my time with him on the ice. There’ll be no escaping him. And Ineedto keep my distance from him.
Because Stephen McKinley is the embodiment of everything I can’t have.
“Why doyou keep looking at your phone?”
My eyes shoot up to the tiny, curly-haired little girl staring up at me. “Just checking to see if anyone texted me.”
Giuliana leans over my arm, glancing down at my blank screen. “Is it a girl?”
I chuckle as I slip my phone back into my pocket and lift my niece onto my lap. “You’re a very smart little girl, you know that?”
She rolls her big brown eyes. “I’m not a little girl anymore, Uncle Mac. I’m four now, ‘member?”
I smack myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand. “I’m such an idiot. How could I forget?”
She giggles. “You’re not an idiot.”
I wrap my arms around her and she nuzzles against me. “I love you, kid. You know that right?”
“Yup. And I love you. You’re the bestest uncle in the whole world.”
“Make sure to tell Uncle Trenton and Uncle Jason that next time you see them.”
She giggles again. “That’s not nice.”
“Hey, just so you know, I don’t have to be waiting for a girl to text me. I could be waiting for a man. Men can like men, and women can like women.”
She lifts her head and looks into my eyes. “Like Aunt Celeste and Aunt Kourtney?”
I nod. “Just like them.”
