The Hockey Player's Heart

by Will Knauss

  “I can’t believe you haven’t been.”

  Aaron shook his head and focused on the sidewalk. “Teacher’s salary.”

  Caleb suddenly felt like a dick. He’d assumed since Aaron had lived in LA for so long that he’d made a decent salary, and living in Foster Grove was cheaper than living in most cities on the East Coast. Aaron’s cross-country move might have been less about nostalgia for his old hometown and more out of financial necessity. His older car and the aging apartment building that he currently called home suggested that he might not have money to spare for a night out at a fancy restaurant. Not that any of that mattered to Caleb.

  He held the door for Aaron, and they stepped inside FG Plate to find the couple dozen tables at near capacity with a few parties waiting.

  “Well, tonight’s on me.” Caleb stepped up to the host stand before Aaron could argue. “Hi. We’ve got reservations for two, under Carter.”

  “Yes, sir.” The young host—Caleb guessed she was a high school senior—checked the list. “Yes. Just one moment.”

  “I can’t remember ever needing reservations to eat anywhere in town. Even on the weekend.” Caleb returned his attention to Aaron. “It’s really changed in the past couple of years. Where it was mostly chain restaurants, now there’s all these local places.”

  “It’s a more refined town than when we were growing up. I was shocked when I came back.”

  “I need to get here more often.” As he said it, Caleb realized that he meant it. In just the few days he’d been back, he’d surprised himself at how much he enjoyed being back in Foster Grove.

  “You should. New York really isn’t that far away.”

  “You sound like Pam or my parents.” Caleb smirked at Aaron. “A summer at home with family and friends might be perfect.”

  The aromas coming from the kitchen were overwhelming in the best way possible. Even though it was spring, the smells might as well have come from a holiday kitchen. Welcoming was the word that came to Caleb’s mind.

  “All right, Mr. Carter. If you’ll follow me.”

  They were seated at a cozy table for two. Despite being at near capacity, the restaurant wasn’t overly loud, which would make for easy conversation.

  “Here’s this evening’s menu.” The host handed over two planks that had paper secured by twine at the corners. “If you know you want the butterscotch pie for desert, I recommend preordering. And the apricot pan-seared-scallops appetizer is also moving fast.”

  “We should definitely start with those scallops. Pie too?” Caleb looked to Aaron.

  Aaron’s expression said Caleb was crazy for even asking. “For sure.”

  “Can you please put that in for us?” Caleb smiled at her as he made the request.

  “I’d be happy to. Javi will be your server, and he’ll be with you in a moment.”

  After the host left, returning to her post at the front of the restaurant, Caleb focused again on Aaron. “I’m glad we got here before anything sold out. I haven’t even read the menu yet, and I already know this is going to be good.”

  “I don’t think it’s going to be an easy choice.” Aaron’s gaze darted across the offerings listed. “It all sounds incredible.”

  Caleb was stunned as he read the fine print at the bottom of the evening’s selections. “No way.” He winced at how loud that came out, but he was surprised by what he’d read. “Nate Granger owns this place? And is the chef?”

  Aaron laughed as some of the people around them went back to their meals. “New York hockey player makes scene at local restaurant, news at eleven.”

  Caleb joined in the laughter. “Sorry. But wow. Nate, really?”

  “Yeah. You know him?”

  “Of course. We were in homeroom together for years.”

  “That’s right. I forgot he was in your class.”

  Their waiter approached and set two glasses of water on the table.

  “Good evening, gentlemen, I’m Javi.” The young man said before doing a double take. “Wow, Caleb Carter is at my table. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Caleb nodded. “Nice to meet you, Javi. Rangers fan?”

  “No, sir. To be honest, I’m a Sabres guy, but the way you move the puck so smoothly through traffic is incredible.”

  “Thanks.” Caleb smiled, stood, and shook Javi’s hand. “I get liking Buffalo. I was the same when I was growing up here. Practically the hometown team.”

  “Yes, sir. Exactly. We should get on to what you’d like for dinner. I saw that you’ve ordered an appetizer and desert. Anything else to start with, or just on to the main course?”

  “Excuse me, Javi.” A man in a burgundy-colored chef’s jacket came up behind him. “I had to see if it was true that Caleb Carter was actually in my restaurant.”

  Caleb smiled. “Nate, good to see you, man.” The two shook hands before pulling each other into a back-slapping hug. “I can’t believe this place is yours. I thought after graduation you’d be headed off to be some sort of science wizard.”

  Nate nodded and shrugged. “Two years and I realized I hated it. What I loved was cooking. I cooked for my frat brothers almost every night. I dropped out, pissed off my parents, and went to Paris to study at Le Cordon Bleu. Bounced around a few restaurants Stateside before I decided to come home and open my own place.”

  “Congratulations. My sister raves about it. Aaron and I are already having trouble deciding what to order because it all sounds so good. Oh, do you know Aaron Price?”

  “Good to see you. Welcome to my place,” Nate said, shaking Aaron’s hand before turning back to Caleb. “How are you even here? Shouldn’t you be playing somewhere?”

  “He’s injured,” Javi chimed in before Caleb could. “He’s looking to get back before the first game of the playoffs.”

  Everyone looked at Javi, surprised.

  “What? He’s on my fantasy team. It’s a thing,” he assured them as another server brought out their appetizer.

  Nate took their menus. “How about I make the choice easy for you two and put together something special. Some dishes with the very best our kitchen has to offer. If you’d like, I can suggest wine pairings as well.”

  “I don’t want to put you out. You seem busy enough already.” Caleb gestured at the full restaurant.

  “No trouble at all for an old friend. Make yourselves comfortable, and Javi’ll take care of you guys.”

  “Thanks, Nate.”

  Caleb sat as Nate retreated to the kitchen, and once Javi went to get the wine Nate suggested for the scallops, they were alone again and wasted no time digging in to the food.

  “Seems like he’s doing really well for himself.”

  Aaron nodded as he savored the food. “Another success story for Foster Grove. He’s made a real go of it.”

  Caleb enjoyed the look of pleasure across Aaron’s face and tried not fixate on it. He struggled to control a moan as the scallop melted on his tongue. The taste was incredible.

  “Does everyone end up coming back here?” Caleb asked once he could speak.

  “I don’t know about everyone. I’m glad I did. I needed the change.”

  “I figured you’d become, like, totally a West Coast guy.” Caleb added just a bit of valley speak, which caused Aaron to choke on his water.

  “Okay, promise not to do that again.” Aaron laughed between a few more coughs. “There was a lot to do in LA, and my parents loved to come out, but….” He shrugged. “It was time to get out. You must think I’m crazy for giving it all up. You love New York, all the people, the excitement?”

  “It took me a while to get used to the constant buzz of activity, but I do a lot traveling during the season so I’m not always in the middle of it.”

  “Now that sounds exhausting,” Aaron said as Javi returned with a bottle of wine.

  Caleb sampled the pinot gris, which tasted amazing, and Javi poured them each a glass and then left. “I can’t complain.” Caleb smiled. “I get to play for a living.
”

  “And you have an assistant to do all the stuff you don’t want to do.”

  “I try not to use him as just a gopher. Yes, he makes sure that the fridge has food when I come back from the road and that my bills get paid on time. But he also manages my social media, handles appearance requests, coordinates with my agent on the business side of things, and makes sure I don’t miss anything I agreed to do.”

  “He staying up here during your rehab?”

  Caleb shook his head. “Grant went back to the city this morning. His boyfriend opens in a play tonight, and I swore that I wouldn’t let him miss it.”

  “Sounds like you’re a good boss.”

  “I try. It would’ve been easier on him if I’d stayed in the city. He’s fielded a lot of calls about why I left. Does it mean I’m hurt more than I let on? Will it throw my rehab off schedule? It’s been worth it, though, since I got to help out the school, see Pam, and reconnect with you.”

  “Why don’t you come home more often, then?”

  Caleb considered that while Aaron took another bite of the scallops. “That might be the million-dollar question. It’s an easy drive. I could get a place here—either buy something or build new.”

  Aaron nodded while Caleb finished his scallops just as Javi brought the next course. Nate had outdone himself. Everything placed on their table looked tantalizingly delicious, worthy of a cover on an upscale food magazine. They both eagerly dug in.

  “Did you know there are lots for sale near the pond where you played hockey?” Aaron asked between bites of food.

  “Really?” Caleb quickly swallowed so he could talk. “A house with a view would be so perfect, especially if I ever had a kid. It’d be cool to—” Caleb stopped and mentally kicked himself.

  “What?” Aaron asked when it was clear Caleb wasn’t going to continue his train of thought.

  “Talking about kids seems, like, I don’t know….”

  “It’s fine. Remember me? Grade school teacher? I like kids. Nothing wrong saying we both want kids someday.” Aaron added a shrug. “Friends can say that to each other.”

  Friends.

  Caleb hoped the evening would mean they might be on the path to be more than that, even though Aaron explicitly said this was not that kind of date.

  “Can I ask how is it that you’re still single? I’ve seen pictures of you online with a number of seemingly eligible bachelors.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes as he finished a bite of roasted lamb. “I do go out occasionally. I’m not a total monk. I’ve backed off from that recently, though. I’m tired of all the questions about who I’m dating. It’s easier—for me and Grant—if I just go solo.” Caleb took a drink from his wineglass, which Javi was keeping filled. “As to your actual question, I haven’t found the right guy.”

  Aaron’s only response was to nod.

  Chapter Six

  TO Aaron’s relief, the conversation flowed easily as topics bounced between hockey, teaching, how Pam still needed to find her Mr. Right, and some of the other ways Foster Grove had changed since high school. They didn’t revisit kids or dating—Aaron wasn’t going to bring it up, and Caleb had thankfully let it drop.

  Earlier, before Caleb stopped by his apartment to pick him up, Aaron had been anxious, unsure of what to expect. But it didn’t take long for him to relax and for the evening to feel like dinner with an old friend rather than an internationally famous and devastatingly sexy hockey star.

  And Caleb was, without question, sexy. His casually mussed blond hair, shining blue eyes, and muscular body that filled out the light sweater he wore were very appealing.

  That was the weird part. He’d always been comfortable around Caleb, but suddenly it was less like he was Pam’s little brother and more like he was a friend. Despite the years since they’d seen each other, something had changed in their dynamic that both excited and, frankly, worried Aaron.

  “That was one of the best meals I’ve ever had,” Caleb said as the last of the dinner plates were cleared. “I can’t believe this place is in Foster Grove.”

  “I’m glad you brought me here. It was incredible.” Aaron took a last sip of his wine, finishing his glass.

  “Ready for desert?” Javi asked. He’d been an excellent waiter who had an uncanny way of appearing tableside at just the right time all evening. “And maybe some coffee?”

  “Can we have dessert in the café? It’d be great to stand for a bit.”

  “It would be,” Aaron agreed. “I feel like I’ve had more food than a Thanksgiving dinner.”

  “The chef may have sent too much food.” Javi sounded sympathetic. “I can serve you in the café, and you can take as much time as you’d like.”

  “Coffee now. Pie a little later?” Caleb looked to Aaron.

  It was a simple question, but the inquisitive look in Caleb’s eyes was stunning and distracting. “Sure.”

  “I’ll get that and meet you over there. Just take any open table.”

  Javi retreated to the kitchen, and Aaron and Caleb went to the adjoining café. Was it his imagination or were people watching them? It hadn’t seemed that way during the meal, but as they moved, Aaron sensed that all eyes were on them. He fought the urge to look around to see how true it was. Did Caleb go through this a lot? If he noticed, he certainly played it cool.

  They took one of the bar-height tables and stood together, draping their jackets over the empty stools.

  “If the pie wasn’t still to come, I’d have suggested a walk,” Caleb said, languorously stretching his arms overhead. His sweater pulled up slightly, giving Aaron the briefest glimpse of V-shaped abdominals that tapered below the waist of his tantalizingly low-slung jeans.

  Aaron quickly looked away and mentally chided himself.

  Walking with Caleb on an evening like tonight sounded nice, but what Aaron was thinking about drifted into date territory. What game was he playing with himself? There was no way he was ready to date and even if he were, he knew he wasn’t right for Caleb.

  Javi brought coffee and told them he’d check back. He’d barely gone when a hand came down on Caleb’s shoulder.

  “Caleb Carter.” The voice was loud, booming, causing several of the café’s patrons to turn, and even Caleb flinched. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

  Caleb looked to his side and smiled, recovering from the surprise. “Rick Hargrove. Great to see you.” The two bumped fists.

  Aaron knew Rick coached one of the town’s peewee hockey teams and was a former teammate of Caleb’s, going all the way back to middle school. Rick was a typical jock, had been as long as Aaron had known him. Seeing Caleb in comparison, it was like Caleb wasn’t a jock at all. Where Rick seemed to want to fill the room with his personality, Caleb’s quiet confidence appealed more to Aaron.

  “Aaron, do you know Rick?”

  “Of course. Rick, good to see you.”

  “Price.” He nodded briefly in Aaron’s direction but then returned his full attention to Caleb. “I couldn’t get to the carnival last night, so it’s dumb luck to run into you here. What are you up to?”

  “Having dinner and catching up.” Caleb looked around Rick and raised his eyebrows at Aaron.

  “You should come over. We could watch a game or two,” Rick continued, as if he hadn’t heard Caleb’s answer and was unable to decipher the hint that he might be a third wheel. “We could watch any team you want.”

  “He’s actually avoiding games.” It wasn’t Aaron’s usual style to interrupt, but he didn’t like the vibe between Rick and Caleb. “He’s anxious enough about not being able to play.”

  “Yeah. I’m only watching what Coach tells me to so I can stay up on strategy. You know how it feels to be scratched.”

  “Sure do. I had that broken arm our sophomore year and was out the last half of the season. Tell you what. Why don’t you come help me coach instead? My team would love to see you.”

  “I’m not skating quite yet, so….”

 
“No matter. You can coach from the bench. Price here can come along. We always need more adults to help corral the players.”

  Aaron was surprised by the invitation. He knew how to skate, sure, but he wasn’t exactly known for his athletic prowess. Although if meant he’d get to hang out with Caleb more, he’d consider it. But coaching? He wasn’t so sure. And was corralling players an actual hockey term?

  “How’s the team this year?” Caleb asked as Aaron considered a graceful way of turning the offer down.

  “It’s a good batch of kids. Third in the division right now and looking to step it up before playoffs.”

  “All right. I’ll bring some plays, and we’ll see what I can do to help push that. Can you help get me some solo ice time? I need to get back on skates next week, and I haven’t heard back from anyone at the rink about scheduling it.”

  “I can get that set up later tonight. I’ll email the slots I schedule you for.” Rick tore his gaze away from Caleb to look at Aaron. “You in for coaching, Price? You can skate, right?”

  “Of course I can,” he said, with a little too much pride in his voice. “Just say when.”

  “Great! See you both Monday afternoon at four thirty.” Rick gave Caleb a hug and went to the counter.

  Had those two ever been a thing? Aaron could’ve been reading the situation completely wrong, but it felt like they might have been more than just teammates. As far as he knew, Caleb hadn’t come out until college, just like he’d done, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something going on secretly before that.

  “He hasn’t changed at all.” Caleb sighed and looked to Aaron. “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay. I remember what he was like in school.”

  Caleb took a sip of his coffee. “You didn’t have to agree to help with coaching.”

  Aaron shrugged in a way that he hoped conveyed nonchalance, but all he managed to do was knock the handle of his coffee mug with the back of his hand, sending a portion of its contents across the table. Luckily it was a small spill, and he mopped it up quickly with some napkins. “It’ll be cool to see you in your element. Did you always know you wanted to play pro?”