Page 13 of Delay of Game

“Pretty good, I think. It’s a way different pace from juniors. But I’m twenty, so I kinda have to pick up the pace this year, you know? Or I’m gonna either be an over-ager or putting in my time in the minors if they don’t offer me an ELC.”

“No shame in going to Allentown.”

“Well, that’s easy foryouto say.”

“I didn’t spend any time in the A,” Zach agreed, “but Nate did, and it didn’t hurt him at all. Not to say you won’t make it out of camp. I watched you today, and I think you’ve got a chance.”

“Really?”

Gagnon’s face was so young and hopeful at the offer that Zach had to keep himself from cringing, embarrassed by how earnest he had been. “Yeah, of course, bud. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. You got good hands and good hustle. Hey, I’ll tell you what. When we get back into the dressing room, gimme your number. You can text me with whatever questions you got, okay?”

Gagnon blinked. “Yeah, um, wow. Thanks, Reed.”

Zach shrugged, rolling his shoulders. “Any time. Not a problem, Gagnon.”

“Uh, you can call me Gags, if you want? All of the guys do.”

Even now, it was still weird to realize that the kids looked up to him and valued his opinion. He clapped Gagnon on the back and said, “Got it, Gags.”

III. FALL

Chapter Three

September

For all of the awkwardness Nate had agonized over the last few weeks, it was easy to forget once Zach had made it obvious they could pretend it hadn’t happened. And Nate had really missed spending time with him, which was normal, because Zach was his best friend and they had always spent all of their free time together.

It was hard to imagine, sometimes, that when Zach had first gotten traded from Montreal he’d been so depressed about the trade and so on edge about being judged by his new teammates that he’d spent most of the first training camp alternately ignoring and making fun of Nate. Nate hadn’t known how to feel about him at first either, because all of his usual gestures of friendship had been rebuffed and rejected and he was always hyperconscious of how his teammates felt about him. When Zach had teased him and needled him and been awkward and prickly, Nate had just...retreated.

Those two preseasons seemed like a lifetime ago, and since then Zach had become the person he spent the most time with, the person he talked to the most, and just generally, his most leaned-upon buddy. It was hard to imagine being able to handle the captaincy without Zach as his A. He’d done it one season, and he never wanted to do it again.

He didn’t truly feel at ease again until Zach followed him home for dinner and a movie night after they were finished with the on-ice stuff. They might have lived around the corner from each other now, but Zach couldn’t cook for shit and Nate enjoyed doing it, so they spent a good amount of time at each other’s places for meals. Tonight, Zach had already fed the dogs, so he brought them over too; by the time he was finished helping Nate wash the dishes and clean up, it was already pretty late.

“Buddy, we don’t have to watch the movie if you don’t want to,” Zach said.

Nate couldn’t even remember what he’d agreed to watch. Zach was really into whatever comic book shit was out at that time and Nate preferred more original sci-fi or fantasy stuff. “No, it’s cool, we agreed. I’ll stay up for it.”

“If you’re sure,” Zach said, skeptical.

Halfway through the movie, Nate was yawning, the kind of huge, face-splitting yawns that rebounded three times worse if you tried to choke them down.

He woke up disoriented and really warm. The TV still glowed, lighting up the dark room sickly purple and red. Nate realized he must have slid to the side on the couch while he was passed out. He was tucked underneath Zach’s arm, face pressed against his ribs. Zach was asleep too, if his deep, even breathing was anything to go by.

At a certain point in their first season, the late-night chats in each other’s hotel rooms had ended up with one of them passing out in the other one’s bed. Nate always slept better those nights, like having another warm body around quelled all of the anxious, frenetic thoughts that ping-ponged around his brain when he was alone.

Or maybe it was just having Zach’s warm body around.

Nate thought:I should wake him up.

He didn’t.

Nate closed his eyes and drifted off again.

When Nate opened his eyes, he regretted all of his life decisions that had led him up to that point.

He always slept better than he usually did when Zach stayed over. That was exactly as to be expected. And he had slept soundly the rest of the night. As soon as he realized where he was and what was going on, any rested, calm feeling evaporated.

Nate had never woken up quite like this before.