Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Gray remembered being miserable when he’d first switched to the Ravens in an attempt to get away from Craig, but if he could choose a team today, he’d go with Camas. He’d always had a thing for the underdog, and he kind of found the Tridents unbearably arrogant these days.
“Do you miss the game?” Darius sidled up next to him.
Gray didn’t know how to answer. He wasn’t the carefree hockey fanatic he’d once been.
Gid came to a stop at a door Gray knew led to a big closet with gear, skates, sticks, and clothes for juniors.
Dodging the question, Gray waited while Gid unlocked the door, then ushered the boys inside.
“Okay, let’s see if we can find you some skates.”
The twins announced they’d go change.
Jayden sat down with Justin on a bench and looked around curiously, and Gray took the opportunity to squat down in front of the youngest boy. It was telling when Jayden stiffened.
“Relax, Jayden.” Gray touched Jayden’s cheek quickly before refocusing on the shy kid in front of him. “Have you gone ice-skating before, Justin?”
Justin nodded uncertainly and glanced at Jayden.
“He likes hockey,” Jayden supplied.
“Cool.” Gray smiled. “I just wanted to give you a warning that it can get loud on the ice, but it’s all in good fun. It’s like laughing. Laughing can get loud, right? But it’s a good kind of loud.”
Justin nodded again, and then he signed something with his fingers that made Gray curse internally. He really should’ve taken that class in ASL in college, but he’d opted for a series of seminars on mental health in sports instead, figuring it would benefit his friendship with Abel.
“He’s saying he thinks it’s exciting,” Darius murmured from the doorway. “He’s not afraid.”
Gray looked back at him as realization hit. Fucking duh, Darius knew sign language because of Willow. He mouthed a thank-you and turned back to Justin.
Jayden raised his brows and pointed at Justin’s hands. “Are those words?”
Gray chuckled. “It’s a whole language. He hasn’t told you?”
Jayden shrugged while Justin nodded with an almost exasperated expression.
“You’ve tried explaining to him?” Gray guessed, to which Justin offered another nod. “Well, luckily for us, we have Darius here. He understands. There’s no pressure for you to go only to Jayden if you want to say something. We’ll make it work, okay?”
They were good to go. Gray observed Justin as they found gear for the boys, and it would take a minute to tap into his language, but Gray could already detect the truth in Justin’s eyes. Because while they laced up the skates, the anticipation was clear. The boy was almost vibrating with a sense of let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.
Gray relaxed and pulled out his own skates from his bag. Before they’d left the cabin, and before he’d pulled on sweats and a hoodie, he’d put on his base layer consisting of a long-sleeved, skintight shirt and compression pants.
He’d taken a lot of pleasure from seeing Darius eye-fuck him.
Gray skipped the pads for now, though. He could gear up later when the boys had snacks. They’d brought graham crackers, hot chocolate in a thermos, and a container of brownies.
As he spotted Darius tying his laces, Gray frowned. He’d completely forgotten to ask him about his own experience. Judging by the Bauer brand on Darius’s well-worn skates, he wasn’t a novice.
When was he ever?
“Do you know how to play?” Gray asked curiously.
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Darius grunted and exchanged his leather jacket for a hoodie. Jeans, hoodie, and skates. “We played a lot of field hockey growing up, but then it was twenty years before I stood on a pair of skates again.” He lifted a foot and made sure the blade cover was attached. “I bought these a couple years ago when we took my niece ice-skating for the first time.”
Well, Gray was looking forward to seeing Darius on the ice.
The twins were already on the ice when Gray and the others reached the rink.
He took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, cold air, and heard the familiar sound of a puck hitting the boards with an echoing smack.
“Where’s your gear?” Gideon hollered, widening his arms.
“What’s the rush?” Gray countered.
Gid snorted and skated closer. “You’ve forgotten how it’s done. Admit it. Need me to pad you up, big brother? I’m sure we can find some Raven threads in the cleaning closet if that makes you feel better.”
“Ooof,” Gabriel chuckled. “Shots fired.”
Gray wasn’t new here. He didn’t take the bait, though he couldn’t deny the trash talk ignited something in him.
Instead, he squatted down to help Justin with his blade covers.
“Are you better than him?” Jayden asked.
“Hell yeah,” Gray said. It was only half true, but it had the desired effect on Gideon, who got riled up way too easily.
In reality—well, before last fall—Gray made a good aggressor. He was fast and gave Gid a good run for his money, but in the end, Gideon had him beat.