9. Bennett

Bennett

I woke up to the gentle chirping of birds outside my window. Still half asleep, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand to check the time. A message from Xander caught my eye. Timestamp – 6:42.

Sunshine:Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? Because they lactose! *laughing emoji*

I rolled my eyes, a smirk tugging at my lips. Is he really cracking puns this early in the morning? Tapping the screen, I read my reply before hitting send.

Me:You're ridiculous. It's too early for bad jokes.

Sunshine:Just thought I'd brighten your morning, Grumpleberry.

I snorted softly, typing out a quick retort.

Me:Congrats, you succeeded in being annoying.

Sunshine:What are your plans this morning?

A sliver of sky peeked through a gap in my curtains; its blue hue was clear and bright. My weather app confirmed what I suspected – clear skies and mild temperatures.

Me:The weather"s perfect for fishing.

There was a brief pause before his message came through.

Sunshine:Never been fishing before. But I've eaten expensive fish, does that count?

My heart pounded slightly faster as I typed out a reply.

Me:Wanna come along? I'll show you how it's done.

Where did that come from?

Sunshine:Sure! When and where?

Me:Meet me at my apartment in an hour. I'll send you the location.

I quickly sent him my address and directions to my apartment building.

Sunshine:On my way!

A strange flutter stirred inside my rib cage, a sensation I couldn"t quite pin down. The thought of Xander swinging by my place had somehow triggered it, yet I was at a loss to understand why.

After a quick breakfast, I gathered my fishing gear from the closet. A couple of rods, a tackle box, and a cooler were all I needed.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Xander.

Sunshine:Almost there. See you in 10.

There I stood, on my own porch, the thrum of expectation pulsing through my veins like a silent drumbeat, waiting for Xander.

His car pulled up and he rolled down the window and grinned at me, his face lighting up with the kind of joy you"d expect from a child on Christmas morning.

"Ready for my fishing lesson, Grumpleberry?"

"Get out and help me load this stuff, Sunshine."

As he made his way towards my apartment, I found myself studying him with an intensity that surprised me. This wasn"t the first time I'd seen Xander outside the rink, away from our team – but it felt different this time. As if I was truly seeing Xander the man, not just Xander the teammate or Xander the hockey player.

At over six feet tall and built like a tank, there was no denying that Xander was good-looking. Yet now, as he strode towards me with an easy confidence that radiated off him in waves, a strange sensation stirred within me, akin to how my body reacted when I saw a woman whose beauty took my breath away.

As he drew closer still, I could make out his eyes – a striking blue that pierced right through me. And when he smiled at me – genuinely smiled at me – his dimples popped and everything else fell away. My gaze dropped involuntarily to the cleft in his chin – it was absurd how much attention I was paying it.

In that moment, it felt as though I was truly seeing him for the first time all over again.

Together, Xander and I loaded the gear into my car. The rods slid snugly into place, angled diagonally across the back seats, while the cooler and other essentials found their spot in the trunk.

"Let's hit the road." My voice was unintentionally gruff.

"Sounds good."

As we drove, the scenery changed from urban sprawl to serene countryside. Tall trees lined the road, their leaves turning subtle shades of yellow and brown mixed with the evergreen foliage, typical of a Los Angeles autumn. We arrived at a secluded lake, surrounded by nature"s quiet beauty. The water lay still, mirroring the clear blue sky above. It was a peaceful spot, far removed from the noise and bustle of the city.

Xander looked around, taking in the scenery. "It's beautiful."

"My favorite spot," I said, taking out the fishing gear.

We set up our gear near the shore.

As I guided his grip on the fishing rod, our fingers brushed, sending a jolt through me. Then, as I showed him how to bait the hook with a plastic worm, his hand moved even closer to mine and there was that zing again, making me pull back slightly, confused by the sensation.

"You okay?" Worry etched lines on Xander"s forehead.

"Yeah, just making sure you don't mess this up." My voice cut through the air, with a harsher edge than I intended. "Alright, let"s see if you can catch something."

Laughter bubbled out of him then. "Don"t worry, sensei. I'll be a good student." Xander cast out his line with all the grace of a newborn deer. I watched, amused. "So, when should I expect to catch my first fish?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Patience, Sunshine. Could be five minutes, could be an hour. Just gotta wait and see."

Xander grinned, settling in. "Guess I"ll have to practice my zen then."

He shared stories from his childhood, about begging his dad to take him fishing and the disappointment when it never happened.

"He never had the time," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Eventually, I just stopped asking."

"Well, you"re here now." The words were an attempt to lighten the mood. "And you"re not doing too bad for a first-timer."

His face split into a grin that reached his eyes. "Thanks."

I felt that zing again, but I tried to ignore it. It's the fishing. But ignoring him was like trying to deny the existence of gravity – impossible given the way his smile seemed brighter than the sun, his eyes lit up when he laughed, or he ran his fingers absent-mindedly through his hair when he was thinking.

About an hour later, Xander got a bite. He glanced my way, eyes wide, silently pleading for help.

"Easy now," I said, stepping closer. "Keep the line taut. Reel it in slowly, don't rush it."

He fumbled with the rod, struggling to follow my directions. The fish thrashed in the water, and despite Xander's best efforts, it slipped away. He let out a frustrated sigh but quickly shrugged it off with an easy grin. "Well, that was fun. I almost had it."

I shook my head at him, warmth spreading across my face in a small smile. "Nice try, but you'll get it next time."

"Do you think fish can sense fear? Because I'm pretty sure that one did."

Xander's retort was so unexpected, it took me by surprise. Involuntarily, I threw my head back and burst into laughter. I didn't peg him as someone who'd admit how frightened he was, but to do it in such an adorable way was even more unexpected.

Wait! What?!

Adorable?

There were only two people in my entire life I'd ever called adorable, and they were my siblings: Connor and Chloe when they were babies.

As my laughter subsided and I dropped my gaze, it landed on Xander's. His eyes were locked onto me intently. It was almost as if my laughter had taken him by surprise and captivated him in that moment.

A nibble at my bait brought my attention back to the reason why we were there. As I expertly reeled in the catch, I offered more guidance for Xander"s benefit: "Watch closely... Keep your line tight but not too tight... Let the fish tire itself out." My eyes flicked towards him periodically to ensure he was paying attention.

Another bite came soon enough for Xander and despite still fumbling with the rod, there was determination etched on his face. Exhaling, I moved behind him, my hands covering his on the rod to guide him. My voice dropped lower as I said, "Like this..." The closeness sent a shiver down my spine – an unexpected reaction that left me momentarily breathless.

As the fish broke the surface, Xander's excitement was infectious, and despite myself, I found a smile on my lips even as my heart pounded against my ribs and goosebumps prickled over my skin from our close contact.

"Look at that," he said, holding up the fish in wonder. "My first catch."

Retreating quickly to regain my composure, I muttered, "Yeah, yeah. Good job." And immediately felt bad about my under-whelming response. "Not bad for a beginner." It was hard to ignore the strange warmth I felt at his excitement.

His smile lit up his face. "Thanks, Ry."

That simple gratitude coupled with him using the derivative of my first name for the first time caused a strange flutter in my stomach.

"Let"s focus on catching some more."

We caught several more fish – mostly bluegill and sunfish. I managed to snag a decent-sized bass, and Xander got a crappie that he was particularly proud of.

By the end of the day, we had a good haul and decided to keep a few for dinner. Xander was beaming, clearly enjoying the experience despite his earlier struggles.

We teased each other, yet beneath it all, there was an undeniable connection growing between us – one that left me feeling both excited and confused.

As we settled by the water"s edge, I handed Xander a small knife and a fish, instructing him on the art of descaling.

"Alright, Sunshine, pay attention. This is where the real work begins."

"Got it, Grumpleberry."

His initial attempts were clumsy – more so than I"d expected – but there was something infectious about his enthusiasm. Each time he met with a particularly slimy or slippery patch on the fish, his expressions ranged from shocked to disgusted and back again. It was all I could do not to burst into laughter.

"You"re doing great," I offered, trying to stifle my laughter.

He shot me a mock glare. "Easy for you to say. You"re not the one getting fish guts all over your hands."

I shrugged, unable to hide my smirk. "Comes with the territory, Sunshine. You"ll get used to it."

Despite his initial reservations, Xander proved to be a quick learner, his movements becoming more confident with each scaled fish. Even as he wrinkled his nose at the messier parts, his determination never wavered.

As we worked side by side, the sun cast a warm glow over us, and the gentle lapping of the water provided a soothing backdrop. I found myself stealing glances at Xander when he wasn"t looking, noticing the way his brow furrowed in concentration and the infectious laughter that bubbled out of him whenever I teased him.

I shook my head, trying to push aside the unfamiliar flutter. Focus, Bennett. Just focus on teaching him how to descale a damn fish.

But no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn"t shake the awareness of his presence beside me, the warmth of his smile, or the way his laughter did stupid things to the organ in my chest.

And as the sun dipped below the horizon and we gathered up our freshly descaled fish, a sense of contentment settled over me.