Page 17 of The Goalie in Room 1

Hours later, darkness threatening, I sat in the passenger seat of Officer Vale’s—Aaron, as he informed me—cruiser. The house he pulled to a stop in front of looked nothing like what I expected. If I had tried to envision it, that is. I hadn’t, because what was the point? All these places looked the same. Only this one didn’t.

Officer…Aaron got out of the car, moving to the trunk he’d popped open as I swung around in the seat, my eyes locked on the sight of the house. Pressing both feet into the ground, I lifted myself out of the low-slung car. The three-story brick home reminded me of the house from Home Alone. Only instead of snowy Chicago, this one sat in sunny California, and the landscaping matched the location, but with the same immaculate, well-tended look.

“Can you navigate the stairs?”

My gaze swung to Aaron. His words, while most likely said with the utmost care and consideration, lit a fire in my belly that would make a dragon proud. I wasn’t a fucking invalid no matter how much I resembled one. I was a motherfucking badass. A fucking hockey goalie headed to the show. Even if the when of that was currently up in the air.

My nostrils flared with anger and copper burst across my taste buds before I managed to rein in the rage. “I’ll be fine.”

He smirked. “You will be, kid. I guarantee it.” Then he trudged up the stairs carrying my luggage while I navigated the wide steps leading to the front door.

At the top, I paused to catch my breath. The stairs weren’t steep or tall enough that I should be so winded, yet sweat rolled down my back. I closed my eyes, trying to reconcile myself to my fate. After all the group homes, foster homes, and billets, I’d promised myself I would never be in this situation again. Yet here I was. Screwed. Raw and without lube or even dinner and a movie.

“Hello, Cash.”

When my eyes opened, a small, willowy-built man filled my vision. He appeared almost otherworldly with his platinum-blond hair shot through with streaks of purple. He gave off an ethereal look, dressed in a long, flowy…attire? I couldn’t tell if it was a dress or two separate pieces that just looked billowy.

“Hello…” I greeted in return.

“Welcome to Halo House. I’m Phoenix. Why don’t we get you settled?”

4

THAD

The weeks after Maxie got sick, which thankfully hadn’t spread to the entire house, flew past. I spent what time I could helping with the preparations for the Halloween charity event, sending out invites, calling in favors, and strong-arming donors. All of it done from afar, since an intern had delivered a baby and her partner took time away as well. I didn’t begrudge them their happiness.

Much.

I ’d never really considered kids. Not even with Chelly. At least not really. Her insane levels of jealousy and possessiveness about what and who dominated my attention had pushed the idea of a family with her, a future with her, out of my mind.

The night before the charity event, I pulled into the garage at the house, grabbed the few groceries I stopped to buy out of the passenger seat, and swung the backpack I carried instead of a briefcase over my shoulder. Once inside, I cooked a real dinner for myself, splurging on a ribeye with fish sauce and lime butter, sautéed rapini, and a chickpea-and-burrata side dish Mariska had been raving about a few days earlier. I sat outside at the dining table on the balcony, savoring the delicious meal while enjoying a bottle of wine with the ocean crashing on the rocks below.

If I read through intakes and referrals while I ate, so what? A man could only change so much.

The next morning, I woke in my ridiculously large, half-empty bed and stretched. The sound of the ocean filtered through the pushed-open wall of glass separating my bedroom from the upper balcony and the world beyond. As I sat up, I glanced at the clock in shock. I slept the whole night for the first time in what felt like—fuck, I didn’t even know. Forever was all I could come up with. I woke rested, completely devoid of the grogginess that sometimes…always…plagued me upon waking.

As usual, I spent the morning in the gym after my protein shake-and-coffee breakfast. I went through my routine—yoga, a rowing session, and weights—then, because I had nothing pressing, I went down to the beach with my surfboard and spent several hours in the water.

Back in the house, I showered and then dressed in some sweats and my old Fighting Irish sweatshirt. The thing was so old and threadbare. It shocked me every time it came out of the wash in one piece.

I checked my email, plowed through a mound of paperwork, and contemplated how to get out of attending the Halo House event. I’d specifically scheduled this day off so I could get ready for it and not worry about failing to show up because of a last-minute emergency. But as the clock ticked closer and closer to the time I would need to get ready, I dreaded doing just that. So rare was it that I took time to relax, even if I had done paperwork and reviewed some cases, that I didn’t want it to end.

Another glance at the clock, and I sighed. I pressed myself up out of my Eames lounge chair and headed down the hall to my bedroom and the bathroom beyond.

I took my time getting ready, showering and then standing before the large metal-framed mirror hanging over the vanity with a towel wrapped around my waist. While trimming my beard, I cursed myself for not planning well enough that my barber could’ve done this for me. I never got it lined up quite right.

Oh well.

Once I had styled my hair, I went through my skincare routine and splashed on some cologne. I moved into the closet and stood in the massive half-filled custom-designed space meant for two, looking at the perfectly hung clothing. As if someone had used a ruler to space each hanger equidistant from the ones on either side.

Unable to fathom why anyone would do such a thing, I ran my hand over the top of the rod, shuffling the pristinely placed items so the space no longer looked so staged.

Aaron

Remember! The event’s at a nightclub filled with boys and subs and hot as fuck queer men on Halloween.

Shit! I forgot it was a costume event.