“Stick with me,” Fabian murmured sleepily, “and you’ll be bewitched, bothered, and bewildered.”
“Bothered?” Ryan teased, but he was mentally stuck on Fabian’s suggestion of sticking with him.
“Oh, I can be very annoying,” Fabian said. “Fair warning.”
Ryan hugged him tighter. “Noted.”
Ryan realized, as he drifted off to sleep, that he hadn’t thought about his flight in the morning once all evening.
Chapter Twenty
“Are yousmilingon an airplane, Pricey?”
Ryan covered his mouth with his hand, pretending to be smoothing his beard. “Nope.”
Wyatt batted his hand away. “Youare! What’s going on?”
Ryan’s gaze darted around the plane. None of his teammates seemed to be paying any attention to them as they waited for the plane to take off. “Nothing. Just in a good mood.”
Wyatt eyed him skeptically. “What were you up to last night?”
Ryan knew his cheeks were heating, but he tried to act cool. “Not much. Hanging out with a...friend.” Damn. He probably shouldn’t have hesitated before saying friend.
Wyatt beamed. “Holy shit. Did you get lucky, Pricey?”
Yeah. Really fucking lucky. But all he said was, “Maybe.”
“And he cured your fear of flying.”
Ryan snorted. “I’m still terrified. Don’t worry.”
“Nothing to worry about. We’re going to get through this road trip and get you home safe and sound to your new man.”
Even the thought of having Fabian to come home to sent a rush of happiness through Ryan.
“Look at you!” Wyatt said, elbowing him. “You’re glowing! You really like this guy.”
Ryan shrugged, but he was still smiling. “I do. I like him a lot.”
An absurd amount, probably, given their short time together. But Ryan couldn’t help his feelings. It was like he’d just been going through the motions of living for the past thirteen years, dragging himself from city to city. Waking up alone in hotel rooms and barely furnished apartments, watching videos of hockey fights, and trying to hide the fact that he was just barely holding himself together at any given moment.
Now it was like the lights had been turned on and Ryan’s world was full of color and possibility. It was terrifying in its own way, but now that he’d gotten a taste of what his lifecouldbe he would do whatever he could to push the darkness away.
He checked his phone and saw there was a text from Fabian.
Fabian: What are you doing Sunday morning?
Ryan: Nothing. Why?
Fabian: My friends get together every Sunday for brunch. It’s just Vanessa, Marcus, Tarek, and me. Do you want to join us?
Ryan: Really?
Fabian: Yes. It’s not fancy. We put things on frozen waffles. And drink cheap Baby Duck mimosas.
Ryan: Do you toast the waffles?
Fabian: Yes! We’re not monsters!
