by Will Knauss
Nervous laughter spilled out before Caleb could stop it. “That’s a lot better than anything you made me do when we were in school.”
Pam was the principal at Foster Grove Elementary, the same school they’d gone to when they were children. She’d always helped with school events as far back as he could remember. Her involvement usually meant he ended up doing something she needed.
“I promise you’ll just be signing stuff, nothing crazy. Unless you want to work the kissing booth too.”
“Why would there be a kissing booth at a grade school carnival?”
“I’m kidding, although it would certainly keep some of the parents busy. And if we had a celebrity, someone like you….”
Caleb stared at Pam in disbelief as she seemed to be mentally filing the idea away for future reference. Best to nip that idea in the bud, and quick. “No, thank you. But I’d be happy to do the autographs. Just let me know where to be and when.”
“You’re a great little brother.” She jumped up, came around the table, and hugged him. “Any chance you might donate a few things for the silent auction?”
“Why didn’t you ask me to send something up? I mean, I’m happy I’m here to sign in person, but I would’ve given you auction stuff regardless.”
Pam sat back down and shrugged. “You outdid yourself a few years ago with the whole New York trip and game package, so I didn’t want to push. But since you’re here….”
“Of course.” He couldn’t help but grin. “I’m sure I can get something good put together.”
“Perfect. You’re the best! Aaron and I have been pulling our hair out over the last-minute details that have to be dealt with.”
“Aaron?”
“Yes. Aaron Price,” she said, looking at him as if he’d lost his marbles.
“He’s back in town?”
“Oh God, I never told you? His job in California didn’t work out. When he told me, I suggested he come back home. He started teaching third grade at the beginning of the school year.”
“Well, what do you know.”
“He’s doing a phenomenal job, I knew he would. The kids adore him, and I’ll admit, I love having my best friend back, just like the old days.”
Caleb sipped his coffee and tried to picture Aaron Price after all these years. “I hope I have a chance to see him while I’m in town.”
“You’ll see him on Friday. Like I said, he’s helping with the carnival.” She checked the time on her phone. “Crap. I’ve got to go. I’ll send you all the details. It’s this Friday afternoon,” she said pointedly. “See you later.”
She got up, gave Caleb a peck on the cheek, and was off like a shot. He wasn’t even sure if she heard him say goodbye.
He sat back and took another bite of the delicious pastry.
It felt good to be back in Foster Grove.
He hadn’t really intended to do anything other than lay low while he was here, but he was more than happy to help out with Pam’s fund-raiser. Playing in the youth hockey league and after-school programs had started him on the path to the career he had today. He liked to give back whenever possible.
Caleb pulled out his cell phone and called Grant, his assistant, to arrange to have some items sent up for the event.
Chapter Two
“YOU’VE outdone yourself, sis.” Caleb looked around the school gymnasium as the final preparations were being made, with students and parent volunteers buzzing around. “I remember the carnivals when we were kids. It was a handful of ragtag booths.”
“Now we get each grade to do a booth. We also ask parents to get involved and create the attractions and games. There’re prizes for groups that earn the most money. We need the support, so we try to make it fun and exciting for everyone involved.”
“I’m impressed.”
“Me too,” said Grant Paulson, Caleb’s assistant, who’d driven up from New York earlier in the day with items for the auction. “I’ve been with Caleb to professionally created events that aren’t half as organized as this.”
“We try.” Pam beamed with pride.
The gym door behind them opened with a clang.
“Pam, have you seen—”
They turned to find a man who had stopped short in the entryway.
“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Caleb couldn’t believe it. Aaron Price stood before him.
He was more handsome than Caleb remembered.
Gone were the thick black glasses he’d worn in high school. He now sported very stylish frames that suited him nicely. His thick dark hair was swept up off his forehead, and the close-cropped beard was a handsome addition.
“Aaron!” Caleb stepped forward awkwardly, pivoting his weight on the cane, and pulled Aaron into a hug. “Pam told me you were back. It’s good to see you.”
“I’d heard she’d corralled you into this.” Despite his words, Aaron looked surprised. “Thanks for helping out.”
“My pleasure.” Aaron seemed tense in his embrace, so Caleb clapped him on the back before letting him go. “You know, you guys really can ask for anything, anytime you need it. Grant can have me sign things and ship them here.”
“Of course.” Grant smiled, looking perfectly happy to have been summoned to Foster Grove with no warning. “It’s no trouble.”
“Better to have you here, little brother. Let people see the hometown hero in person.”
Caleb’s cheeks heated. All he did was play the game he loved, and he was lucky enough to make a living at it. There were no heroics involved.
“What all did she have you bring?” Aaron asked.
“I cleaned out the closet,” Grant said. “We’ve got a couple of jerseys, some game pucks, a pair of gloves, a couple different pictures, and even a stick that’s seen some gameplay.”
“Pam also conned me into wearing one of these during the signing,” Caleb said, indicating the game jersey he had on. “She thinks we can auction it off for a higher amount later tonight.”
“I’m buying you both breakfast tomorrow. I’ll make it worth your while.” She smiled and bumped her shoulder against Caleb’s.
“She knows exactly how to get me to do what she wants.”
A parent came up and whispered in Pam’s ear. Pam nodded and quickly gave them their marching orders. “Aaron, can you get Caleb and Grant set up at table twenty-one? Silent auction forms should be there already, and everything needs to be put on display.”
“Happy to. Follow me.”
Aaron and Grant grabbed the boxes filled with auction items, and Aaron led the way across the gym. Caleb, mindful of his foot, fell in step beside them.
He couldn’t help but notice how Aaron’s arms flexed against the sleeves of his polo shirt.
“It’s good to see you,” Aaron said. “Sorry about the circumstances, though.”
“It’s annoying not being able to play. I should be in Tampa tonight, but injuries happen. I’m happy to be here, though. Otherwise I’d just be trying to avoid the game and making myself crazy.”
“Pam says you’re here for a couple of weeks.”
They stopped in front of a table draped with a colorful handmade banner emblazoned with Caleb’s name and set the boxes down. There were auction sheets taped down, plus room to display the various items, as well as space for Caleb to sign autographs.
“The city started to feel like a microscope, so I came here.” Caleb studied Aaron now that they were standing still. He seemed nervous, which didn’t make any sense.
“Where your sister puts you on display for the whole town.”
Caleb shrugged. “Yeah, when she gets an idea in her head, it can be hard to say no.”
“Well, if there’s anything I can help with while you’re here….”
“Tutor me some geometry, maybe?”
Aaron looked momentarily confused, and Caleb couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Kidding.”
“I wondered for a moment why on earth you’d need geome
try to recover.” Color rose in Aaron’s cheeks.
Caleb turned his attention to the table, hoping to steer them away from his bad joke. “So, what do we need to do so we’re ready?”
“Get everything set up on display alongside the forms and keep enough space for you to comfortably sign.”
“On it.” Grant stepped up to the table and started unloading and arranging items. “How will we know who bought an autograph?”
“People buy tickets, and each ticket has a two-dollar value,” Aaron explained. “Pam’s priced Caleb’s autographed pictures at twenty tickets, and pucks at thirty. If anyone brings something for you to sign or if they want a selfie with you, it’s ten tickets. The stick and the jerseys will go during the live auction.”
“That much?” Caleb had done high-profile fund-raising events in the past and knew special items brought in high dollar amounts. But that was the big city and usually for a large charity, not Foster Grove Elementary. He wasn’t sure the people he grew up with would pay that much.
“I guess so,” Aaron said before leaning in to speak quietly. “You’re kind of a big deal, you know. Haven’t you noticed people stealing glances at you since you walked in, especially the kids?”
Caleb glanced around the room, trying his best to not be obvious about it. There were several kids looking his direction instead of focusing on their tables, much to the chagrin of a few frazzled adult volunteers.
“People try to play it cool, but if they don’t know you personally, it’s huge that you’re doing this.”
“Okay. If someone’s willing to donate that much to the school to get me to scrawl my name on something, I’m all for it.”
As if on cue, Grant pulled out a stack of glossy eight-by-ten color photos featuring Caleb in his full Rangers gear—blue home jersey with red and white lettering diagonal across the chest. He held a stick across his body as he smiled for the camera. It wasn’t his favorite, but as the official team picture, it was what he was supposed to use for this kind of event. He felt he was too primped, with every hair just so and looking perfect for the camera.
Aaron stared at the photo.
“Something wrong with those?” Caleb finally asked.
“They’re really good.” Aaron said, closely studying the photo. “But hockey players are usually all scruffy and sweaty. This is clearly well before game time.”
Aaron preferred his hockey players scruffy and sweaty? Duly noted.
“These are taken at the start of the season, before anything has a chance to get marred—the gear or the player. Nothing ever looks this pristine again. I’d prefer a more realistic look, especially since this year it’s like some doppelganger model took my place.”
Aaron laughed, and Caleb had to admit he liked the warm sound. “Maybe James Bond is under there. Peel off the gear and there’s a tux and with a hidden compartment for a martini.”
“Now those”—Caleb pointed at the pictures Grant had just placed on the table—“are much better.” Grant handed one to Aaron to look at. “This was taken just before a face-off. It’s candid, more real. It captures the intensity of the moment.”
A young student and parent, with cell phone at the ready, approached them. “Excuse me, Mr. Carter.”
“Yes?” Caleb looked down at the boy who’d spoken.
“I’m Heath, and this is my dad. We’ve been doing some Facebook Live posts to show people what to expect when they get here. Can we talk to you?”
Caleb looked over to Grant and raised his eyebrow. “Do I have an interview scheduled?”
He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “Nothing on the calendar, but I think for this young man, we can fit him in.”
“I think you’re right.” Caleb looked to Heath and smiled warmly.
Grant stepped out from behind the table. “Take it easy on him with the questions, okay?”
He nodded vigorously.
“I’m going to leave you with the media,” Aaron said. “I’ve still got some setup to do.”
“We’ll catch up later,” Caleb said before Aaron headed off for a group of students at the third-grade table. He turned his full attention to Heath. “So, what do you want to know?”
Caleb spoke with Heath for several minutes while his dad recorded. When Heath went to find his next subject, his dad stayed behind and told Caleb that Heath was a fourth grader who wanted to be a reporter when he grew up, and that he had taken it upon himself to interview people about the evening.
Once Heath called his dad away for another interview, Caleb and Grant worked on arranging the table so people could easily navigate around it for photo ops.
When had Aaron become so cute and adorable? He hadn’t been like that in high school. Geeky-cute, sure, with his thick glasses and wiry-thin look. The intervening years had been good to him. He was lean but muscular. Maybe he worked out, because he certainly wasn’t a beanpole anymore. The new glasses and beard really made Caleb take notice.
It’d been more than a year since Caleb had dated anyone, and more than five since he’d been in a serious relationship. He struggled to maintain something since he traveled nearly half of the season, which could stretch to more than eight months if the team went to the playoffs. Even if something serious were to start in the off-season, all too soon he’d have to seriously focus on his game.
Would it be different to date someone who lived in his hometown? He didn’t get here often, but it’d be a reason to make sure he returned more regularly. His family would love that, and so would he, really. He loved playing for New York, but the longer he’d been there, the more he wondered if the big city was really for him.
Caleb shoved those thoughts aside when some other parents came up to thank him for helping the school. He’d have plenty of time to consider the possibilities later.
Chapter Three
AARON returned to his students to help them finish their booth setup.
Even though Pam had mentioned that Caleb would be making a special appearance at their small-town event, it hadn’t prepared him to see Caleb for the first time in years, standing in the gym. It was good talking to him again after so long. What had surprised him was the visceral reaction he had to being close to Pam’s kid brother like that.
One thing was for certain. Caleb Carter was no longer a kid.
What the hell was happening? Just standing close to Caleb had left Aaron unsettled. Examining those pictures, Aaron felt the heat coming off Caleb, not to mention the occasional bumps he had gotten as Caleb reached around to point at the images.
The candid picture captured the real Caleb—and it was sexy as hell too. Caleb’s sweaty face, a lock of blond hair peeking out from the helmet, showed the effort and intensity of the game. The subtle five o’clock shadow got Aaron’s full attention and drew him in. He wanted to see the photo come to life.
Thankfully Heath, intrepid fourth-grade reporter, had come up and broken the moment before Aaron’s body could noticeably react—no blushing, no sweaty palms, and thank God, no tent in his jeans. That would’ve been the worst.
Caleb looked amazing. Aaron had a pretty good idea about the physique underneath that oversized team jersey he was wearing. Caleb packed solid muscle from all the training he did. It’d been true in high school—he’d seen Caleb shirtless a couple times by accident—and it still had to be that way since he was a pro athlete.
He couldn’t think about that. After what had happened during his time in California, he’d had enough of jocks to last him a lifetime.
“Wow. It is true!” An unmistakably loud voice from the next table caught Aaron’s attention. Hunter James was the tallest boy in Aaron’s class. His height and take-charge attitude made him the de facto alpha male among his group of friends—or at least, Aaron supposed, as alpha as a third grader could be.
Hunter pointed across the gym at Caleb. Josie and Terry, teammates of Hunter’s on one of the city’s youth hockey teams, looked where he indicated.
Aaron suppressed a c
huckle. The kids—in particular these three who were teammates—had been in a state of disbelief since Pam announced two days ago that Caleb would be here. It didn’t matter that he’d been seen around town; many students were still sure he’d find something better to do on a Friday night than turn up at the carnival.
“It’s true. It really is him,” Aaron said.
“And that’s his stick?” Terry asked as Grant passed by carrying a hockey stick.
“Of course it is. What’s wrong with you?” Hunter shoved Terry’s shoulder. “Why else would it be here?”
“That’s so cool,” Terry whispered, staring at the stick.
“Hey, Grant?” Aaron called, motioning him to come over. “Would you mind giving these guys a closer look at that?”
“Sure.” Grant doubled back and held the stick out to the trio.
“Can I hold it, just for a second?” Hunter asked.
“I don’t see why not.” Grant handed over the stick, which was taller than either Hunter or his friends. The reverence with which Hunter treated it surprised Aaron.
“Cool,” Hunter whispered, as the other two also touched it. Hunter returned it more quickly than Aaron expected. “How much is it?”
“I don’t know.” Grant said. “It’s being auctioned off.”
“What’s that mean?” Terry asked.
“It’ll go to whoever offers to pay the most for it,” Aaron said.
“Oh man, I got no chance at that,” Hunter said, sounding defeated.
His disappointment tugged at Aaron. “Come on. I can introduce you to Caleb.”
“You call him Caleb?” Josie sounded surprised.
“Sure. I’ve known him for years—even helped him pass geometry.”
“No way.” Hunter bounced in place, his excitement evident.
“If I knew Caleb Carter, I’d make sure everyone knew it,” Terry added.
Grant chuckled, and Aaron couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t want to dampen the students’ enthusiasm, and it was cute how they reacted to the star in their midst.
“Are you sure, Mr. Price?” Josie asked, seeming unsure that such a thing was even a possibility. “Can we really meet him now, before everyone gets here?”