AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, Jake? Um, I need to talk to you about Amara.”
“What about Amara, Ryan?”
Ryan detected a hint of defensiveness in his voice, so he tried to tread as lightly as possible. “I don’t think…I don’t think she’s OK, man. I found her crying again yesterday. She was in her car alone and JT was in here screaming. She’s…been crying a lot lately and I don’t…”
“And you think you need to tell me this? You don’t think I know my own girlfriend? You think I can’t take care of my family, Ryan?”
Ryan had been taken aback. “That is…absolutely not at all what I said.”
“Well, it sure fucking sounds like it!” Jake had snapped. “She’s a new mom, Ryan. This is all new to both of us. And unlike you, we don’t have youth on our side, man. We’re…really fucking old to be doing this shit. She’s tired. We’re both tired.”
“Jake,” Ryan had said cautiously. “It’s more than that. I think…I think she’s depressed…”
“Again, you don’t think I know this?”
“I’m not really worried about what you know, Jake,” Ryan had shot back, feeling himself beginning to fluster. “My only concern is for her and that little boy. And she’s not well. She needs help.”
“Ryan Baylor to the rescue! Always the savior. I’ve seen the kind of help you can give her, kid. And I’m not interested. I’ve got it from here. I can take care of my family.”
“Then maybe try doing it,” Ryan snarled. “And don’t worry, I’m heading out to sign the lease on my new place today. I’ll be out of your fucking house as soon as I get back from my road trip!” Ryan pushed past Jake down the foyer toward the front door but had returned momentarily.
“Know what? Do me a favor, OK?” he’d yelled, pointing at Jake, causing him to take a step back. “Don’t get so wrapped up in your own bullshit that you forget to pay attention to what she’s going through. I did it with Ty and look what the fuck happened. Don’t lose her, man. Listen to her. She’s screaming for help, Jake. Fucking listen!”
With that, he’d snatched the keys off the console table and stormed out the front door, hopping into the brand-new Carpathian Grey Range Rover Velar he’d bought himself a week ago to go sign the lease on his brand new, 1500-square-foot luxury waterfront apartment.
Fucking baller.
Most of the guys were already either fully dressed or heading out onto the ice as Ryan entered the locker room.
“Baylor! Nice of you to grace us with your presence, you fine motherfucker. Hope we’re not interrupting the rest of your day with our silly little practice,” the defensive coach, Rob Cenzi, busted his balls as he set his things down at his stall and began to undress.
“Sorry, Coach. I was signing the lease on my new place and it took a bit longer than expected. It won’t happen again.”
“Don’t care. Dress and get out there. We’ve got work to do. Blue line shuffles with passing since lately, your passes couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.” Coach Cenzi smacked him on the ass as he left for the ice, leaving Ryan alone to gear up.
He heard his phone buzz and decided to take a quick peek. He knew it couldn’t have been Hayes yet, so he was curious as to who it could be.
J: Ryan, I’m sorry about earlier. You didn’t deserve that.
J: I talked to Mar. She’s gonna talk to her doctor tomorrow.
J: I love you, kid. I was a dick.
He smiled before typing a quick reply.
R: Thank you. We’re good, man. I love you, too.
He set his phone back down and pulled his practice jersey over his head. That was one thing he could say about Jake: he’d always been quick to apologize when he was wrong. And Ryan couldn’t blame him; this was all new to him, not to mention being a brand-new father at almost 50 years old had to be rough. And it’s not like JT was the easiest baby, either…
“Baylor.”
He snapped out of it, startled, as he’d thought he was alone. He turned to find Koski standing there holding one of those mini cupcakes with a candle in it in one hand and a Zippo lighter in the other. “You take forever to get here. Anyway, paljon onnea vaan. Is how you say ‘happy birthday to you’ in Finnish. Go on and make wish.”
Ryan laughed before closing his eyes and blowing out the candle, taking the cupcake from his teammate’s hand, and setting it on the top shelf of his stall.
“I guess you can’t tell me what you wish for or it won’t come true, eh?”
Ryan shook his head. “No can do. But you?” Ryan looked around, making sure they were alone before grabbing hold of his jersey and pulling him close. “Are adorable.” Their tongues met instantly, followed by their lips for the quickest of kisses. Ryan pulled away first as they both adjusted their cups. “Thank you, Joss.”
