Chapter 6

Chapter Six

TORIN

Another practice I didn’t need to be at, but made sure to sit in the very front. Now that Coach has pointed out that everyone looks for me, I see as it happens. I flush (obviously), but it doesn’t erase the warmth in my chest.

I haven’t been able to stop myself from watching them look for me. Sometimes, I imagine them relaxing when they see me. How had I never noticed this before? Was I really that obsessed with Hugo?

Yes. Clearly the answer is yes, and I’m not even sad about it. If anyone deserves to be obsessed over, it’s Hugo Bladen. He’s just a good person. So sweet and kind and thoughtful.

And hot.

As usual, I wait until practice is done and gather the pucks. Ever since the day Coach Ajo told me about them looking for me, they always say hi on their way by. Sometimes, they still don’t see me in the hallway until Hugo says hi first. But they definitely see me in the stands now.

The team leaves for a series of away games tomorrow. They’ll be gone for nine days. I don’t usually join them since my role as the mascot isn’t usually something that’s allowed at other arenas. They have their own mascots. I only get invited along if there’s an event or something specific that I’m needed for.

Such is not the case with this trip .

I take my time on the ice, sliding around as I gather pucks. It gets lonely here when the team is gone. It’s really quiet, too. I don’t come to the arena as much either since Hugo isn’t here and I have no one to drool over.

Is it really stalking if I keep my infatuated stares reserved to in person practices and games? It’s not like I follow him. I don’t even search through his social media since it’s always a bunch of girls tagging him and who wants to see that?!

A smile touches my lips as I think about all the time we’ve been spending texting. He hasn’t given me any indication that he knows he’s texting me . Why would he know that? I doubt he programmed everyone’s phone number into his phone when he received the roster of the company with phone numbers. There’s literally no other reason he’d know my number.

I have no reason to believe he knows it’s me. Is it creepy that I haven’t told him? Or maybe romantic? I’m delusional to think it’s going to lead anywhere. He’ll eventually figure out it’s me and have a good laugh. Maybe we’ll remain friends.

We spend a lot of time talking about lots of things. I love it. I look forward to it. Even better, I think he texts me first as often as I text him first.

Once I’ve finally gathered the pucks and pushed the bucket to the chute door and into the equipment room, I’ve stalled long enough. I have nothing to do in my office because of the string of away games and I’m going to be lonely, so I pull my hoodie and hat off to toss on the back of my chair. Shutting off my light and closing the door, I head for the back exit.

I’m surprised to find Hugo standing just inside. My feet drag for a minute as I stare at him. He’s looking out the window. Not sure if he wants to be alone, I slowly approach until I’m standing next to him.

His teammates—a couple of his friends—are heading toward their cars. Otherwise, I don’t see anything. But Hugo’s eyebrows are knit together and he’s not smiling.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

He looks at me and though he immediately smiles, it’s not filled with his usual exuberance. “Yeah.”

“You’re not going with your friends? ”

Hugo sighs. “Sometimes, I don’t want to be the extra wheel. They’re all in relationships now. Even Winny. So it’s just me sitting by myself awkwardly.”

I glance at the trio of girls outside. I’m not sure that Hugo’s ever been an extra wheel. He always has a girl with them. While I think I’m going to regret this, I say, “There are girls right there that would be your… wheel.”

He grins. For real this time. My cheeks burn, but I appreciate that I made him smile.

“Yes. I don’t mean like… physically? I just mean…” he trails off as he glances at the girls. “It’s not the same, you know? Yeah, I can grab any girl and join them. Or no girl and join them. But it’s not the same because they love their partners. And me?” Hugo shakes his head. “I’m just messing around.”

“Do you want a partner?” I ask. Pick me, pick me!

Hugo shrugs. “Dunno. I guess I just don’t want to feel extra and out of place. It’s not anything they’re doing. Definitely not intentionally. They’re all really good people. With Winny now having a girlfriend, it’s just become very obvious that I’m not the same as them. More so than normal.”

I’m at a very big disadvantage here. I’m twenty-four with no friends to speak of. I didn’t have friends in school and I sure as hell haven’t been able to make any in adulthood. Aside from the online people, I have zero experience talking about feelings and shit.

So I’m not at all sure what I’m supposed to say right now. What does he need from me?

“I think you’re better than they are,” I blurt, and then wince. “Not that I think they’re bad!”

He looks at me and my face burns. Oh, fuck.

“I just mean… You don’t have to be the same as them to be just as… good?”

I love Hugo’s smile. It’s all very real now. Big and beaming as he looks at me. Fuck, he’s gorgeous. Staring at me like that. My heart thunders in my chest so hard I’m confident he can hear it.

“Thanks, Torin.”

I nod awkwardly and stare out the window.

“Hey, what’re you up to now? ”

“Just heading home.” Where I have less of a chance of making a fool of myself!

“Want to hang out?” Hugo asks. My stomach jumps so abruptly that I think it’s going to turn itself inside out. “You can come over and we can play video games or… something.”

Yes! Yes, I want that so fucking much. But I’m awkward as hell and this is going to get uncomfortable for him.

Still, I can’t make myself say no. I don’t want to say no. And he looks excited and hopeful.

So I nod. “Yes.”

His smile is a beacon of brightness. “Awesome. Do you have Spectrum? The messenger part of the app?” Hugo pulls out his phone as I nod. “I’ll message you my address. T O R I N…” I watch as he looks me up. “What’s your last name? I feel stupid. I should know this.”

Shaking my head, I tell him, “Jonah. I don’t wear it on the back of my shirt.”

Hugo laughs. I try not to smile in return. “Ha! Found you.” He turns his phone toward me and I nod at my little icon. Thankfully, it’s just a picture of me looking awkward as hell standing in front of my mother’s sun-yellow wall.

Before I can pull out my phone, I hear it ping in my pocket.

“There,” he says. “You can follow me, but now you have my address just in case. Hey, want to get something to eat first?” He opens the door as he asks.

The sadness that had been hanging around him has completely lifted now. I can’t stop my smile. He’s… excited to hang out with me.

I nod at his question and follow him outside. I’m even more excited when he doesn’t even look at the girls hanging around. His focus is on me alone.

“Cool. Do you have a preference? Or allergies?”

I shake my head. “Just not too spicy, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, absolutely. Oh! How about Italian? I know the perfect place close to my house. It’s soooo good.”

“Sure. Sounds great.”

“Awesome! I’ll text you that address too. Just in case we get separated. Or you can ride with me. Where do you live? Are you close? ”

“I’m not close,” I admit. “It’s an hour.”

Hugo stops. “You live an hour from here?”

I nod.

“Ouch. My drive is twenty-three minutes, and I think it’s too long. Um… I can bring you back to your car later if you want to ride with me? But then you can’t leave when you want to.”

“I’ll ride with you,” I say before he can talk himself out of it. Honestly, I’d go anywhere with him.

Hugo grins. “Okay, cool. This way. That’s my car. Which one is yours?”

He doesn’t have an enormous, expensive car like so many others do. It’s an Audi, so not like, uber cheap but definitely not the cost of a middle-class house either. I feel sheepish pointing to my Toyota.

“Hybrid! Sweet. That’s my next one. Everyone keeps pushing the stupid electric cars, but I have this irrational fear of getting caught in L.A. traffic and my battery dying. Then what? The charge lasts far shorter than a tank of gas.”

He continues to talk about electric and hybrid cars as he opens the passenger side door for me. I’m not sure he even realizes he does so. I bow my head to hide my blush as I climb in. He waits until I’m situated before shutting my door. His voice cuts off as I’m left in the silence of his car. As soon as he climbs into the driver’s side, he’s talking again.

I can’t help but smile. I love how he talks a lot. Even about electric cars and why he thinks they’re a stupid, irresponsible, and unreasonable idea unless they’re going to make the highways charged so you can drive and charge your car at the same time. Apparently, some countries are doing that.

There isn’t much for me to say while Hugo drives. He carries the conversation for the entire twenty-minute drive, which leaves me smiling as I listen. As soon as he parks outside the restaurant, he abruptly stops talking.

I’m surprised to find that he’s flushed a little. “Sorry,” he says sheepishly. “I tend to ramble sometimes, but you can interrupt me. I don’t mind.”

I shake my head. “It’s okay. I enjoyed listening to you.”

Oh god, what did I just say? Was that corny? Or did it sound flirty? Fuck, was I just blatantly flirting with Hugo ?

There doesn’t appear to be any reason to be concerned though, because Hugo’s big smile is back. “Come on. This place is great. I love their food.”

He opens the door as I unclick my seatbelt and follow. Hugo’s already around to my side, opening my door for me. I’m not sure if he does so intentionally, but the way it makes my heart race is going to give me palpitations.

I follow him inside and we stop at the host stand. There’s an older gentleman there that smiles as soon as we walk in. “Good afternoon, Mr. Bladen,” he greets, inclining his head. His hair is curly and graying on the sides.

“Hi, Tony. This is my friend, Torin.”

Instantly my face heats when Tony looks at me. “Hello, Torin. Welcome to Antonio’s. Have you been here before?”

I shake my head.

“Ah. You’re in for a treat. This way.”

Hugo takes a step back to allow me in front of him. My insides burn when I feel his hand at the small of my back, guiding me along. He must not realize he’s doing it. This is probably a place he brings all his dates.

Not that I’m a date. I’m not. He doesn’t like boys. I’m just a friend. He introduced me as a friend!

Which is probably just as exciting. We’re friends.

Hugo lets me choose which side of the booth to sit in and then he sits opposite. Tony hands us menus and tells us that Susie will be with us shortly. Hugo picks up his menu and says, “This is just formality. I already know what I’m getting.”

“What’re you getting?” I ask.

“We’re getting arancini for starters. They’re stuffed rice balls that are fried and they’re so damn good. Have you had them?” He looks up and meets my eyes. I shake my head. “So good. You won’t regret eating them. For dinner I’m getting their wild mushroom risotto with house made sausage.” He groans. “Torin, it’s amazing. Also, we’re having their panna cotta for dessert, so save room.”

My smile covers my face as I listen to him talk. “What should I get?”

Hugo sighs. “You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Oh! Get their agnolotti with Bolognese sauce. Or their pizza. Ooh! Or their carbonara.”

His enthusiasm for life will never not make me smile. It’s just food, but he’s so passionate about it.

Susie comes over and Hugo declares that he’s ordering our meals, which is entirely fine with me. I don’t know half the words he says, but I’m content to let him order the entire menu if it makes him happy.

Once the waitress leaves, Hugo stares at me with a wide smile. “Hey, can I sit with you?”

This isn’t going to come as a surprise, but my cheeks heat. I nod and scooch a little further into the booth. Hugo gets up and changes sides, sliding in beside me until our knees touch.

“Now we can people watch together.”

I sigh. I don’t care what else happens tonight. This is already a very perfect evening. There’s no way it could get any better.