Common Goal (Game Changers #4)- Rachel Reid Page 0,99

retire?”

Scott’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Just curious.”

“I haven’t thought about it. I still have a lot of hockey left to play.”

Eric nodded slowly. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.”

“Are you—” Scott dropped his voice to a horrified whisper. “Are you saying you’re ready to retire?”

“I’m forty-one.”

“Yeah, but. I mean. Look at you! You’re in better shape than anyone else on this team.”

“Have you been checking me out, Scott?”

“Sometimes! Can you blame me? Do you remember the height you got on your squat jumps at training camp this year?” Scott fanned himself theatrically.

Eric laughed. “Seriously, though. I can’t play forever.”

“You could try.”

Eric smiled fondly at him as the elevator reached their floor. He really did love Scott, and it was time to be honest with him. He followed him down the hall and stopped when they reached Scott’s room. Scott opened the door and gestured for Eric to follow him inside.

“Are you trying to tell me something, Benny?”

Eric steeled himself. This was it. “I’m going to be making the announcement soon. This is my last season.”

Scott’s mouth fell open.

“Don’t tell anyone,” Eric continued. “And don’t try to change my mind. It’s time.”

Scott opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, then said, “You’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“But I’ll miss you,” Scott said, as if that was all the argument Eric needed.

“I’ll buy season tickets. I’ll go to every game.”

Scott sat down hard on his bed. “Not the same.”

“I know. I’ll miss you too. I’ll miss everyone.”

“Does Coach know?”

Eric sat next to him. “No. No one knows.” It was a lie, but he didn’t want to tell Scott that he’d confided in Kyle first again. That would open a whole new line of questioning. And he definitely didn’t want to tell Scott that Rozanov knew. Scott would never recover. “I’m going to tell Carter as soon as we’re all back together. I don’t want him to hear it from someone else.”

“Okay, well. Be sure, before you tell anyone else, all right?” Scott said.

Eric nudged him. “You make it sound like I’m rushing into this instead of finishing an eighteen-year career.”

“It’s too soon.”

Eric patted Scott’s thigh. “I’m retiring, not dying.” He stood up, and Scott did the same, immediately wrapping him in a tight hug.

“You’d better be at every game,” Scott said.

“I will.” What else would Eric have to do? It’s not like he’d be busy.

* * *

“I don’t know if this TV is big enough,” Maria quipped.

Kyle snorted. Kip had invited him and Maria over to watch the All-Star Game. He had moved into Scott’s Manhattan penthouse a few months after they’d started dating, which had been a definite upgrade from living with his parents in Bay Ridge. Complete with a giant wall-mounted television.

“The players are basically life-size on this thing,” Kyle said.

“Hey,” Kip said, plunking a bowl of Doritos on the coffee table, “sometimes you need to see every drop of sweat during a hockey game, and every sequin during an episode of Drag Race.”

Maria pointed at the television with her beer bottle. “Look. They’re showing your ugly fiancé.”

Scott’s absurdly handsome face, with its square jaw and vivid blue eyes, filled the screen. He was talking to another player during a break in play, laughing at something the other man said. Eric hadn’t played yet in this game, because as one of the three goalies on the Eastern team, he was only going to be playing the third period. The broadcast had only shown at the beginning of the game, when each player had been announced individually. He’d looked heart-stoppingly gorgeous under the dramatic lights with his mask off, waving at the crowd.

Kyle had seen quite a bit of Eric over the past couple of weeks. After their mind-blowing afternoon in his bedroom, he had craved Eric every minute they were apart. Given the number of times Eric had invited him over, it seemed the feeling was mutual.

But it was just sex. That was what Kyle reminded himself every time he left Eric’s house, even though most of those times, he’d been leaving in the morning. Other than one afternoon hookup, he’d spent the night with Eric every time after, wrapped in his strong arms in that heavenly bed. They would always talk after sex, snuggled together and fighting sleep. The talking was almost Kyle’s favorite part.

Almost.

“I had another customer last night who suggested we have a proper whiskey menu,” Kip said during a commercial break.

“Yeah, I had two of those on Thursday,” Kyle said, grateful for something to talk about that