Tough Guy (Game Changers, #3)

by Rachel Reid

A little girl in a pink version of the Guardians jersey—because obviously you can’t let your daughter wear something that isn’t bubblegum pink—smiled up at him. He forced himself to smile back. It wasn’t her fault he was in a bad mood. It wasn’t her fault that he hated hockey and the people who loved it, or that her parents were far too concerned with aggressively gendering their child.

Fabian was sure the team was packed with heroic, upstanding young men. Certainly not a bunch of homophobic alpha assholes who would be celebrating their win by doing very gross alpha things tonight. Fabian had met exactly one hockey player in his entire life of being forced to meet hockey players who wasn’t a complete nightmare.

“That’s awesome! Do you play shows?” “I do. I play here in the Village a lot. But all over town. Sometimes in other cities. I have a show at the Lighthouse next Saturday.” Ryan frowned. “There’s a lighthouse here?” Oh no. Ryan Price is still adorable.

“I know I ask this every week,” Tarek said, “but is it supposed to burn this much?” “Yes,” Fabian said. “It burns because your face sucks. It has to work extra hard to fix it.”

It was in an ancient two-story building that used to be an orphanage or a children’s hospital or something. Either way, it was, as Vanessa had put it, for sure haunted.

“Come on. The last date I went on was with Andy Hart, and it turned out we’re distant cousins. I need some big city romance stories.” Ryan laughed. “Isn’t he Mom’s cousin’s son?” “I don’t know. Something like that.” “Yeah, that’s not that distant.” “Oh, look at you, Toronto. So fancy just because you aren’t dating your cousins.”

“So, is he gay, or...” “Yeah. He told me last night.” “Seriously?” “Weird thing for a hockey player to lie about, so I assume he’s actually gay, yes.” “So what we know,” Vanessa said, “is that he liked you enough to go to your recital when you were both teenagers, he remembered you after thirteen years, he went to your show last night, he carried your gear home, and he’s totally gay.” “Right.” “That,” Marcus said, “is fucking romantic.” “That,” Fabian corrected him, “is not anything.”

“So, new plan,” Marcus said, clapping his hands together. “Fabian breaks up with Claude, and then he marries the gay hockey player and they have big, dumb babies together.” “You’re an idiot. And Claude and I are not together.” “Your mouths were together last week,” Tarek pointed out.

Fabian scheduled in the night out at Force on his phone. He could really use a night of dancing. It had been an age. “You should bring your hockey boyfriend,” Marcus teased. “I’m gonna bring your dad.” “You should. My dad is a smoke show.”

Ryan could not believe he was trying to describe his perfect man to his perfect man. “Okay. This is it: I like men who sort of look at what men are supposed to be and say ‘fuck you.’ I like men who have the confidence to be themselves, even if it means a lot of people are gonna look at them funny.”

“Wow,” Fabian said, walking past him into the living room. “I’ve never been in one of these buildings.” “I couldn’t quite afford a unit that faces the CN Tower, but I still have a pretty good view, I think.” Fabian snorted. “My apartment has a view of an alley where raccoons like to fuck. There’s a reason why I keep my curtains closed.”

“Whatever, man. That’s your business. I don’t have a problem with you.” “I have a problem with you saying homophobic shit about anyone. I don’t want to hear it again.” Ryan felt oddly calm. Almost like he did when he was fighting during a game. Someone behind Ryan whispered, “Holy shit.”

Some fucked-up part of him wished his teammates could see him now, on his knees for a man wearing lace underwear and makeup. They’d never understand. This wasn’t for them to understand. This had nothing to do with them, and Ryan couldn’t be happier about it.

“We’re not going to scare off your big strong boyfriend,” Tarek said. “He’s not my—” Fabian huffed, and continued. “I’m serious. No grilling him with questions. No oversharing about sex.” He gave Vanessa a particularly pointed look for that one. “No teasing. No implying that I’m in love with him. Just. Be. Cool.” Vanessa put her hand over her heart. “I promise I won’t do at least some of those things.”

“So tomorrow night, you are going to beat up a man you have no problem with to protect a man you hate?” Ryan threaded his fingers through Fabian’s hair, which made him sigh happily. “You make it sound stupid.” “It’s very stupid.”

“When you walked into the store where I work, I was shocked. And then...” Fabian turned in Ryan’s arms to face him. “I had this overwhelming feeling of relief. Like this was what I’d been waiting for. This was what was missing. You.” Ryan stared at what he could see of Fabian in the dark, completely speechless. “Sorry. That probably sounds nuts.” “That’s how I felt,” he said quietly. “Like I’d finally found you. I didn’t know I’d been looking but...I found you.”

“You gonna bring him flowers?” Wyatt asked. “Do guys do that?” Ryan hadn’t thought about it. Should he bring flowers? “We can do that,” he said. “Men can like flowers.” Wyatt seemed to consider this. “Y’know? I would love to get flowers. Why don’t men ever get flowers?” “Because the world is stupid.”

“Do anything fun today?” Ryan asked. “I wrote a new song.” Fabian bit his lip, trying to decide how much to reveal. “It’s a bit...sappier than my usual style.” “Oh?” “Something inspired me to write a love song. Can’t imagine what.”

“Holy fuck. Ryan, are you serious here?” “If you don’t like it I can—” “Like it? Ryan, it’s gorgeous.” He carefully pulled the long, white-gold chain from the box. The necklace was dotted with black pearls and tiny diamonds. “I thought it would look good with that black jumpsuit you have.” “God, it will. I can’t believe this. Is this really for me? I own this now?” Ryan laughed. “It’s yours. The lady at the store was really excited about it. She assured me my ‘wife’ would love it.” “She does love it. I want to put it on, but it won’t go with this sweater.”

“Sometimes I just need a reminder that we’re really together. Especially when you’re onstage. Because it’s pretty hard to believe.” For a long moment, Fabian didn’t say anything, which made Ryan worry. Then he said, “I hope you don’t think you’re getting the better end of this deal, Ryan, because I have never been with anyone who makes me as happy as you do.”

“Okay. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to say. And I practiced it. So I want to say it.” “You practiced it?” “Yes.” “Well by all means, let’s hear it.” Ryan stood and set his mug on Fabian’s desk. “The thing is—” He paused, already lost. “These past few months—” Damn it. “I know we haven’t—” He sighed, and then cursed under his breath. “Ryan.” Fabian stood and placed a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to say anything.” Ryan shook his head. “I’m in love with you.” He swallowed. “I had to say that. Just that.”

“You can put it on the desk. And, um, about what you just saw...” Ilya rolled his eyes and took the paper from Ryan. “He’s not going to tell anyone, Shane. Fucking relax.” He shot Ryan a questioning look that said you’re not going to tell anyone, are you? “No. I won’t tell anyone. That you’re, um...” “Making out at work? Yes. That would be bad,” Ilya said with an amused grin. Shane looked like he would never smile again. “I don’t know what I see in you,” Shane grumbled. “Yes. You say that every day.”

“Don’t tell Mom and Dad,” he said, “but I am extremely grateful that they took in hockey players when I was growing up.” Ryan laughed. “I find that hard to believe.” “I’m sure they didn’t intend to play matchmaker for their son, but it certainly worked out.” “It did.” “Maybe I’ll thank them at our wedding.”