into his eye sockets. “If you want to share it sooner rather than later . . . Hell, if you want to come out sooner rather than later, I’m with you, one hundred percent. I just want you to think about it first and speak with your agent.”
“No, no. I do want to wait until the off-season. There’s too much happening with the playoffs starting in a couple of weeks. I don’t want to distract my team with this. Ugh.” Tay fell forward onto Dakota, burying his face in Dakota’s chest. “It sucks that coming out will be a distraction.”
“Yeah,” Dakota said with a sigh. “I know. Still, it’s brave of you to do it, and to share your comic.”
“I can’t decide which one’s scarier. Anyway.” With a kiss to Dakota’s collarbone that had goosebumps erupting on the back of Dakota’s neck, Tay sat up. “I should go. Let us both get some sleep.”
“It’s late. Stay the night.” Tay was flying out late afternoon tomorrow for a six-day road trip with his team, and Dakota wanted every extra minute with him he could get. “That way you can help me clean the crumbs off this couch in the morning.”
Tay blinked down at his mess. “Oops.”
APRIL
Tay hadn’t stopped moving in over three hours. If he wasn’t throwing extra finger foods in the oven to warm, he was bringing out more mini sandwiches or washing dishes or refilling the makeshift cooler with ice or opening additional bottles of wine or swiping empty plates off side tables and counters and bringing them to the kitchen. That was the thing about hosting a party—you didn’t get to enjoy it.
Didn’t matter. Mom was over the moon. Not only had she not had any idea about the party, but she’d cried when she’d spotted old friends and extended family who’d driven in from out of town just to celebrate her sixtieth with her. She currently sat in the living room laughing with friends. Gran sat on the couch next to her, picking at cheese puffs and mini quiches. It wasn’t the healthiest but at least she was eating.
He’d lost Dakota to the melee at some point. The last Tay had seen of him, he’d been chatting with Dad and nursing a beer since there wasn’t any scotch to speak of in his parents’ house. Andy, too, had disappeared into the crowd, no doubt playing with Tay’s cousins’ kids.
“Good idea having Dad take Mom to the movies this afternoon,” Anna said. She dried a serving dish and passed it to Stella.
Tay dunked more trays in soapy water to soak. “I told him to take her to the longest one.” There was a theater nearby that played old movies. They’d lucked out that this weekend’s movie was Gone With the Wind, giving them over four hours to pick up the food from the catering service, decorate, and greet guests.
Tay was grateful he’d been able to attend at all. His last regular-season game was two days ago, but with his team making the playoffs, he could’ve been scheduled for a game tonight. Not that the NHL routinely held games on Sundays, but with it being the playoffs, anything was possible. As it was, game one of the first round wasn’t for another couple of days, but that didn’t mean Tay had extra free time. Coach Dabrowski was working them to the bone and had them watching so much tape Tay was sure he was mumbling hockey plays in his sleep.
Stella grabbed the box of frozen assorted finger foods and emptied it onto the tray. “This is the last of it. After this we have to order pizza if people are still hungry.”
“I thought for sure we ordered enough food,” Anna said, hanging the dish towel over a cabinet door.
Tay peeked into the dining room. “There’s still a bunch of deli meats and buns and lots of pasta salad. The spring rolls and veggie platter got demolished, though. And the poor cake.” The cake looked like hungry heathens had been at it. Hell, everything did.
Mom had also cried when she’d seen the cake. Tay had brought Dakota front and center and showed him off, ensuring he got all the praise he deserved, but he’d just shrugged it off. Tay’s chest had puffed out in pride anyway. His man made some cool shit.
“Think we can actually sit down now?” Anna brushed past him into the dining room. “I’m starving.” She made herself a plate of food. Tay shared a glance with