Page 105 of The Recovery Coach
“You aren’t retiring, and you aren’t dying.Why are you freaking out?”Lover failed to hide a smile.
Bile rose in Hazy’s throat.“Fuck.You’re either going to make fun of me or punch me in the face.”
The grin he’d been repressing broke free, but Lover held out a pinky.“Promise I won’t do either.”
Relief filled him.He looped his pinky around Lover’s.
“Before I say it, you should know I’m not planning on doing anything about it.”
“Do anything about what?”
Hazy took a breath and forced all the words out in one go.“I’m sorry, and I know it’s fucked up, and I swore it wasn’t like that, and I swear it wasn’t.It’s never been like that.And I haven’t acted on it.But I’m in love with Livy and I don’t know what to do about it.And I love you so much, and I love her so much, and I want you guys to be happy, but in case you wonder why I’m being awkward or distant.That’s why.”
Lover stared at him with an open mouth for five full seconds.Then he let out a whoop and punched the air over and over.
“I fucking knew it!I knew it!I knew it!I knew it!”
Hazy shushed him.“You didn’t know it.I didn’t even know it,” he said, confused.He’d expected anger, or sadness, or annoyance at a minimum.
“I knew it.”
“Why aren’t you mad?”
Lover frowned.“Why would I be mad?”
Hazy’s eyes bugged out of his head in disbelief.“Because I am your best friend and I just told you I’m in love with your girlfriend.”
Lover waved his concern away.“We aren’t together.”
“Since fucking when?”
In a shocking turn of events, Hazy had the urge to punch Lover.
Doing a happy dance in his seat, he said, “About a week ago.”
Hazy wanted to wipe the smug expression off Lover’s face.“You broke up a week ago.”
Lover, still bouncing with happy hyper-puppy energy, asked, “Didn’t you notice we hadn’t gone out at all this week?I spent two full evenings at your house while she visited Jake.You have poor observational skills.”
“You two had breakfast togetheryesterday.”
Livy had been up early and fed both Hazy and Lover before they had a long day at practice.Hazy joined the team for everything except on-ice time, thrilled to be spending time with them.
“Olivia made breakfastfor youand allowed me to crash it.Why do you think she had to cook more eggs after I got there?”
Hazy tried to remember every interaction he’d had with the two of them over the last week.It wasn’t a lot, but maybe Lover was right and his observational skills were shit.He couldn’t recall a single instance of PDA or couple talk between them.Not since the night he’d caught them making out.
“Did you hump and dump her?Because I swear to fucking God, I will kill you.”
“Jesus Christ, man,” Lover said.A crease formed between his eyebrows, disappointment written all over his face.“How could you ask me that?”
His expression was a fist to Hazy’s gut.“Well, how am I supposed to know?You two don’t tell me anything!”
Lover sighed and sipped his drink before he said, “Fair enough.So you love her.What’s the plan?”
“There is no plan.I already told you I’m not going to do anything about it.”
Lover’s palm hit the table, and he pinned Hazy with a death glare.“You better fucking do something about it.Neither of you can go on like this.It’s fucking miserable.”
