14. Kade

Chapter fourteen

Kade

W e could already smell the sweet scents of cinnamon and nutmeg as Ziggy knocked at Dottie Perkins' door. He turned to look at me. "Are you sure you're okay? You look a little green around the gills."

"I'll manage." I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop my fidgeting.

Ziggy appeared twice as calm as me, but he'd grown up in the same town as our host. He told me that I only needed to provide simple answers to her questions that couldn't be used against me. He made it sound so easy. I worried that it would be a monumental task I might fail.

While we waited for Dottie to answer the door, Ziggy leaned close to my ear. "Remember, if she asks directly, we're just friends. We're working with Rory to teach the juniors. That's it." His voice trembled slightly by the time he finished.

I nodded as my mouth went dry. I managed to choke out a few words. "Just two guys who decided to put a white-hot rivalry aside. Why would that be suspicious?"

Ziggy grinned, but before he could say more, the door opened. Dottie stood there. Her floral apron and silver hair gave off TV commercial grandmother vibes. The intense aroma of freshly baked cobbler made my mouth water despite my nerves.

"Oh my, it's two shining examples of the best of young New England men. Do come in." She held the door wide and ushered us into her apartment. "You have perfect timing. I took the cobbler out of the oven five minutes ago."

As I looked around, I would have sworn we'd entered a time capsule or a set decorated for a '60s sitcom. Nearly every surface sported floral designs. The armrests of the upholstered chairs displayed doilies pinned to the fabric, and knickknacks crowded shelves on every wall. I suspected they all had stories that Dottie would be eager to share.

Framed family photos crowded together on the fireplace mantel. It meant generations of Whistleport residents were in the room with us. Their presence nearly overwhelmed me, but somehow, I found it comforting, too.

Guiding us to an immaculately preserved overstuffed sofa, Dottie implored, "Please, boys, make yourselves comfortable. I'll dish up some of the cobbler and make a pot of tea."

As we sat, the cushions nearly swallowed us whole. I fought my urge to reach out for Ziggy to rescue me.

When Dottie left the room, we glanced at each other. His green eyes were open wide. He shook his head and fiddled with the doily on one arm of the couch. "Mom has a drawer full of these but never uses them. I'm not sure what they're for."

Finally, I knew something Mr. Knickerbocker didn't. "They're used to protect the furniture. The ones here on the couch are supposed to absorb the oils from your sticky fingers and keep the upholstery looking new."

"That's just bizarre."

"My grandmother on my mom's side is a little like Dottie. Until about ten years ago, Grandma and Grandpa kept their furniture wrapped in plastic."

Ziggy chuckled softly and snorted, leaning against me and rubbing my shoulder. "This is small-town life, for sure. Hold on tight, Kade. Things might get even more interesting."

With the clatter of tea cups and spoons, Dottie returned with a tray holding a tea set and three dishes of gleaming red cherry cobbler. Goosebumps rose on my arms as I watched her set the delicious display on the coffee table.

While Dottie poured three cups of tea, she asked, "Milk? Sugar?"

I couldn't remember the last time I drank hot tea, so I stuck with the basics—"Plain."

"And Ziggy?"

"I'll take it black. Mom says milk and sugar are only for special occasions."

Dottie smiled from ear to ear. "And this is certainly one of those. I'll add a spot of milk and two cubes of sugar for you."

After equipping us with cobbler and tea and pointing out the proper coasters, Dottie launched into her primary concerns for the day. "Now, please, tell me how the two of you are getting along this summer. Gladys said you perform wonders with the kids. Her little grandson, Benny, is taking part in the junior leagues."

Instead of answering immediately, I took a large bite of the cobbler to buy some time. An incredible blend of sweet and tart exploded on my tongue. The dessert was scrumptious.

After swallowing, my eyes met Dottie's. She had crinkly lines at the corners of her eyes, and I noticed a thin chain attached to her eyeglasses. I answered her question. "It has been interesting. I've never worked with kids, so Ziggy's showing me the ropes."

He nodded in agreement. "Yep, it's just two hockey players working together to help the kids the best way we can. Nothing particularly special."

Dottie tugged her glasses partway down her nose. "Well, I wouldn't say that. How often do rivals put the nasty bitterness aside and become fast friends? I think that's rare, particularly between two men as… committed as the two of you."

My face began to flush with warmth, spreading up to my cheeks. "I suppose it's like they always say. It's best to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer." I hoped my words didn't sound as inane to Dottie as they did to me.

"That's a charming way to look at it." Dottie took a tiny sip of her tea. She kept her eyes locked on us, peering over the rim. I suspected she was retaining a mental recording of every movement we made.

Suddenly, Ziggy choked slightly on his cobbler. I thumped him on his back, and he swallowed the offending bit.

I decided I needed to carry the conversation for the moment. "Mrs. Perkins—" She waved her hand and cut me off.

"As I believe I mentioned before, it's Dottie, dear. There's no need to explain how you are getting on. One only needs to keep their eyes open. I may be old, but I'm not blind." She leaned forward. "When my dear departed Harold and I first got together, we faced our fair share of wagging tongues. He was from the next town over, and in those days…"

She leaned back as her voice faded. Looking beyond us, the look in her eyes was miles away. "Oh, yes, Harold. He was the life of any party as soon as he entered the room. He was tall, like a lighthouse, with shoulders that would rival those of Atlas. His eyes were almost indigo blue, like the deepest part of the ocean."

Still lost in her memories, she chuckled softly. "When we first met, now, that was something. I couldn't stand him. He was arrogant and pig-headed, and he thought he owned the world. At least that's how I saw him, but you know what? It didn't take long for me to warm up to him. He wormed his way deep into my heart."

Suddenly, Dottie turned her attention back to us. "I suppose I'm trying to say that love doesn't always happen like a lightning bolt out of the blue. Sometimes, it sweeps in like the tides. It's persistent and rises a little each day until suddenly you're up to your shoulders. When you find that person who can challenge you and make you be better, hold on tight. You should never let go regardless of what the blabbering mouths say."

While our jaws dropped open, she reached out and patted our hands. "Harold and I stared down our fair share of negative Nellies. On a few nights, I went home and cried, but we had nearly fifty years together. I wouldn't change a thing."

Dottie wasn't finished. "So, I'm here to tell you that when you know you've found that special someone, and he makes your heart race like when you've scored a winning goal, don't dare let him get away. Our lives are far too short to indulge in regrets."

I blinked hard and could barely believe what I was hearing. Ziggy was quite still beside me. He sat with his back ramrod straight and hands placed on his thighs.

Dottie had one more zinger to share. "Real love always has a way of winning out in the end. This little town might gossip, but beneath that, everyone has a big heart. You just have to give them all the time they need to come around."

The weight of her words hung in the air between us while all I could hear was the ticking of her grandfather clock. I did my best to process her message of acceptance and understanding.

Ziggy suddenly cleared his throat. "Dottie, we're not… I mean, we haven't…"

She reached out and patted his knee. "Oh, honey. Don't try to explain. You're a tremendous young man. Just yesterday, Mabel went on about the poems you've shared with us. Anyway, we're all on your side. Love is love, and anyone who wants to look closely enough can see it blooming between the two of you."

My breath caught in my throat. Ziggy's hand crept over to mine and gripped it tightly. A wave of Whistleport affection crashed over my head.

"I... we..." I stammered. I cleared my throat and tried to form words for a second time. "Mrs. Perkins—Dottie—I don't know what to say."

Ziggy let out a shaky breath. "Dottie," he said, his voice rough with emotion, "you have no idea what this means to us."

I nodded vigorously, feeling a smile spread across my face even as my vision blurred with tears. The acceptance we'd been so afraid of seeking had materialized, wrapped in the warmth of cherry cobbler and unconditional love.

When we left Dottie's apartment an hour later, our heads were still spinning. As we walked along the sidewalk, the late afternoon sun gave Whistleport a golden glow, and the harbor glittered in the distance.

I tried to find appropriate words and couldn't. "Who would've guessed?" was all I could manage.

"Yeah, I'm stunned." Ziggy ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it and leaving it an adorable mess. "Did we just get major relationship advice from Dottie Perkins?"

I laughed. "I think we did, and she declared herself an official ally."

We wandered side by side for three more blocks. Ziggy piped up. "Want to grab a coffee at Tidal Grounds?"

I nodded, happy to surround ourselves with a friendly crowd and extend our time together. "Yeah, that sounds great. A brew from Silas might help us process… whatever that was."

The bell over the door chimed as we entered the shop. Before we could meet Silas at the counter, another voice called out. "Look who it is." Brooks leaned against the counter, sipping from a steaming mug. "It's Whistleport's newest power couple."

Ziggy tensed, and my pulse quickened. The temptation to flee nearly took over, but then Brooks flashed his trademark warm and accepting smile. He motioned us over.

I gripped Ziggy's elbow and headed for the counter. Brooks lowered his voice. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me, or it's as safe as any secrets are in this town."

As we approached, I asked, "Is it that obvious?"

A deep chuckle rose from inside Brooks' chest. "Only if you know what you're looking at. Guys, I know it can be rough navigating all of this in a town like Whistleport, but from someone who's been there and done that, it's worth it in the end."

Gesturing toward the rear of the room, Brooks made a suggestion. "Let's go sit on the deck." We both followed without questioning the suggestion. I settled onto one of the Adirondack chairs and enjoyed a gentle breeze off the water.

Brooks continued his thoughts. "You've got something special. Don't let your fear of what people might think get in your way. This small town might surprise you. I'm still finding out new things, and I've been here my whole life, except for the time in the NHL."

The door opened, and Silas appeared, carrying two iced Americanos for Ziggy and me. "These are on the house, lovebirds. I'm on your side."

Ziggy's face flushed pink, but he was smiling. I remembered Dottie's words. Ziggy and his town had successfully wormed their way into my heart.

Night was settling over Whistleport like a velvet cloak when we left Tidal Grounds. Warm pools of light cast by the streetlights appeared on the sidewalk. Ziggy and I paused at the corner where we usually said goodnight, but neither of us was quite ready.

Ziggy spoke. "At the risk of making a massive understatement, this was quite a day."

"Yeah, it was. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect—"

"Dottie to adopt us as her gay grandsons?" Ziggy smiled and reached out for my hand.

"Yeah, exactly." I squeezed his hand tightly. "And then Brooks and Silas just piled on the good vibes."

Ziggy rubbed his chin with his free hand. "When I first understood that I might be… well, knew that I liked guys, it scared the hell out of me. That was my first year in high school. I thought I'd have to choose between being me and all the rest—hockey, Whistleport, my family. Now—"

"It feels like maybe we don't have to choose."

"Yep, and that's more than I ever hoped for."

I looked at Ziggy and took in the entire picture. There was that dark, messy mop on the top of his head that I always wanted to touch. Then there were the green eyes that I got lost in regularly and the luscious lips that always looked like they were ready to break into a smile.

Everything came together for me. "This town and these people, and you. You're all so much more to me than I ever expected. For the very first time in my life, I feel like I belong somewhere. It's a place where I can be my entire self."

I reached up to touch Ziggy's cheek with my free hand. He leaned into my palm as our eyes met. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. I heard a slight tremor in his voice.

"More than okay. I'm home, at last, Ziggy. You're my home."