Page 129 of The Tryout

On Christmas morning, we sleep in, lazily wrapped around one another while snow falls outside the window. Finally, as the clock ticks toward noon, our stomachs pull us from bed. Downstairs, the smell of bacon and french toast lingers in the kitchen, though Jamie and Ethan are on the couch. Finn and I serve ourselves and, after cleaning up the dishes, join them in the muted light of the Christmas tree. Beneath, there are a few presents, including one from me for Finn. As I look again, it seems like there’s now one for me, as well.

“Do you want to open your present?”

He looks at me, biting his lower lip, and nods hesitantly. I grab the box, wrapped in blue paper with snowflakes, and put it on his lap.

As Finn unwraps the package, he fixes me with his eyes. I really debated what to get him, not quite knowing where our rules stand now that he’s outearning me by a factor of ten. Still, I know Finn well enough to know that a watch or designer clothes wouldn't be quite right for him, regardless of whether he’d accept them or not.

Popping open the tape, he looks inside hesitantly.

“Are these…sheets?”

His eyebrows are high on his forehead.

I nod.

“The same ones from home. Or, I mean, from my bed.”

He unzips the plastic packaging, running his finger over the material.

“They’re still so soft.”

I smile, even though my heart is breaking a bit at the thought of him sleeping in them without me. As I struggle with a response, he gets up, walking upstairs. Within a minute or two, he comes back down, handing me a small box wrapped in brown paper.

I slide my fingers under the tape, pulling the paper off neatly before opening the box. Inside is a picture frame, one that matches the others in our apartment. And in the frame is the picture of us together at dinner just a couple nights ago, arms around one another’s shoulders and foreheads tilted together.

It’s even better than the photo of the two of us that already lives in our apartment, because in this one you can clearly see exactly what we are to one another. Not just friends or roommates, but partners. I smile at Finn, tears in my eyes.

“I love it.”

He smiles, relieved, as though I could have had any other reaction.

“I’m glad. I got a copy made for my locker, too.”

My smile widens at that, at the thought of sharing such important real estate next to his Nana. Not only that, but of a place where others can see what we are to each other, even if I can’t be there in person. I make a note to make my own copy when I get back to Des Moines, to make sure that Finn can live inside my locker, too.

Later that day, Finn and I are laying on one of the living room couches together when Ethan gets a phone call from Jack Kinkaid. While Finn’s still getting accustomed to Jack’s no-nonsense attitude, Ethan’s been with the guy since he was in the AHL. Their conversation is casual and easy, almost more of a family check-in than a business discussion. As he roams the apartment, discussing endorsements and articles while tidying up our dinner plates, I’m surprised to hear my own name.

“Yeah, Finn’s with us for the holiday. Avery came up from Des Moines, too. It’s a full house.”

The smile on Ethan’s face says he doesn’t mind.

“Mm-hm. Yeah. Jack, don’t you think that’s a little…intense?”

Ethan rolls his eyes and heaves a deep sigh.

“I’ll ask.”

Phone still against his ear, he turns toward us.

“Jack would like to fly in tomorrow for a meeting with you two. A chance to meet Finn in person.”

From where I am, I can hear sound coming out of the phone’s speaker.

“Sorry, a chance to meet Finn and his guard dog in person.”

I can tell Ethan delights in the chance to needle me a little bit, although I can’t say I mind people thinking of me as Finn’s guard dog. If anything, I like it, the knowledge that no one’s going to get to Finn without going through me first.

“I…”