Now there was no one to be excited or proud of him.

Only himself.

Blocking another shot that Lucas tried to put in between his legs, Lucas threw his stick against the boards, distracting Tate from his sad thoughts.

“I mean, shit! I can’t score against you if my life depended on it!”

Tate forced a laughed as he tucked his stick between his pad and leg before taking off his helmet. “Hey, thankfully you don’t have to worry about shooting against me.”

Lucas shot him a dirty look from center ice, before skating towards him. It was great to have Lucas home. Tate was getting lonely, running and lifting weights without him. They had gotten into a routine since becoming friends so long ago. Lucas felt more like his brother than friend or teammate. It was nice to have someone who he could talk to. Maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought. He did play on a team of 30 guys, but he didn’t have a soul-deep connection with anyone of them. Not even Lucas knew all of Tate’s secrets.

He knew only the basics.

Tate was engaged, his parents and sister died, he came to the United States.

There was really nothing more that Tate wanted to share with him. But he wanted to share his life with someone. Someone who would love all of him, especially the broken part.

After a six-mile run, they decided to play around until Lucas had to get Aiden ready to go to school. It was such a convenience having an ice rink in Lucas’ house. Not only was Aiden right upstairs, making it easier on Fallon and Lucas for childcare, but Lucas and Tate hardly ever had to go to the arena to skate except for team practices.

Running his hand through his wet hair, Tate squirted some water into his mouth before throwing the water bottle down on the back of the net.

“So what did you do while I was gone?” Lucas asked before stopping in front of Tate, his own water bottle in hand.

“Nothing. Watch a whole lot of TV.”

Lucas laughed, “Sounds like fun.”

“Yeah, Leann called last night,” Tate said, referring to his old speech therapist.

“Did she now? What did she have to say?” Lucas asked with a dirty grin on his face.

Tate shrugged his shoulders, “She was making sure I was doing well, and asked if I wanted to come over.”

Lucas chuckled, “So you got laid last night.”

Tate laughed, shaking his head, “No, I didn’t go.”

Lucas stopped laughing, “What?”

Tate shrugged his shoulders again, moving his skates back and forth, “I didn’t want to go.”

“Didn’t want to go? What are you talking about? She is gorgeous and you said she was fun.”

“She was, but I don’t want to only have sex with her,” Tate said sheepishly.

Lucas face scrunched up, “I’m sorry. I am so confused right now.”

“What?” Tate asked.

“You were really into Leann, what happened?”

Audrey happened.

Tate hadn’t figured out a way to tell Lucas about Audrey and he needed to figure it out quickly. Tate knew that this friendship crap wasn’t going to last. The air crackled when he was around Audrey, he felt it and he knew she did too. She just had to get over asshat before she could fully give herself to him and he was the perfect person to help her forget about him.

“I just don’t want to only screw around, I want a relationship. I want to settle down. I’ve told you this.”

“I know this, even if I think it’s crazy. But why isn’t Leann settling down material?”

Tate shrugged his shoulder. Tate didn’t know if she was or not. He had slept with her a few times after his private lessons and then she would leave. It was fun but it wasn’t as if she knew his darkest secrets or anything. All she knew was how to please him, and he knew the same about her. In all reality, Tate just didn’t feel a connection with Leann the way he had with Audrey. Hell, not even with Elsa did Tate really feel the way he felt when he was with Audrey.

What did that even mean?

Looking up, Tate caught Lucas shaking his head.

“You aren’t telling me something,” he said, giving Tate a sideways glance. Tate didn’t say anything and Lucas’ eyes narrowed even more. “Please don’t tell me you are still hung up on your runaway lay are you?”

Tate rolled his eyes, “I like her.”

“Like her? It was one time and you haven’t seen her since-wait, have you seen her?”

Tate shrugged his shoulders, not making eye contact.

“You have!” Lucas accused. When Tate looked up, Lucas’ eyes were dancing with mischief and he was pointing his finger at Tate, laughing.

“Maybe.”

“Who is she? Have you gotten her back in bed again?”

“I don’t want to tell you and no, we are friends.”

Lucas’ laughter stopped and his hand dropped to his side. “I don’t know what I am more hurt by, the fact that you don’t want to tell me or that you guys are friends and you aren’t hitting it.”

“You shouldn’t be hurt by either, I’ll tell you when the time is right and I would rather be friends with her than not have the chance to be around her at all,” Tate explained.

“I am so appalled right now,” Lucas said, his hand on his chest, acting as if his heart was breaking but it soon went away, and an evil grin replaced his hurt expression. “If she has you this hung up, she must have been amazing, and you need to hit that again.”