Love at first puck, p.1
Love At First Puck, page 1
© Copyright 2018 by Van Cole All rights reserved.
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Love At First Puck
Gay First Time Romance
By: Van Cole
Table of Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
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Come Stalk Me!
Foreword
All Scott has wanted since a child was to represent his favorite hockey team, but after a couple of seasons toiling away as a second string he's traded away unceremoniously. At first it hurts, but he vows to play well enough to make them regret ever letting him go.
He's welcomed at his new team by Mark, the personal trainer, and the two of them form an instant bond. Scott is unable to deny the attraction he feels, even though exploring it could jeopardize his standing among his new team-mates. Mark is an anchor to Scott, until everything around him starts to sink.
Scott is forced to ask himself if his career is more important than his personal life. He's already lost one dream, can he afford to lose another? And when it comes time to face his former club, will he prove them right or wrong?
Love At First Puck
Chapter 1
Scott walked into the general manager's office with a sense of pride. He'd been toiling away in the reserves for a couple of seasons now, and he was sure that finally he was going to be given his big break. As he approached the office he looked around at the pictures and trophies, gazing in awe at the other players who were holding their hockey sticks aloft in triumph. That's all he'd ever wanted since he was little and finally he was on the cusp of achieving it.
When he was younger he sat in the stands cheering the team to glory, and his dream had been to one day become a part of that team and lift the trophy himself. It hadn't been easy, but all the years of sacrifice were soon going to be worth it.
Scott knocked on the door of Willy Bingham's office. Scott had a wide smile on his face and thought back to his last few performances in training. He'd been putting in extra work, and it was clearly counting. He was still a young guy, having just turned 20, but a hockey player's career was a short one, and he was eager for his to begin in earnest.
A few moments later, the door opened, and Willy showed him in. Willy was a lean man, but had a fierce demeanor about him that reminded Scott of a dragon. Scott was taller, with broader shoulders, but he wouldn't have dared gone up against Willy. Neither would the rest of the players.
Willy's face was red and he almost slammed the palms of his hands down on his desk as he sat down. He took a moment to compose himself, then took a deep breath and looked at Scott.
“How're you doing Scotty?” he asked.
“Oh, I'm just fine, I'm feeling good, I'm feeling ready to play my part this season,” Scott replied, hoping that he wasn't overstepping his marks. But if he knew one thing in this sport it was that confidence mattered. In order to be on that rink you have to believe that you belonged there. Hockey wasn't a game for the faint of heart, and Scott had seen too many talented players be swept away because they didn't have the mental fortitude to succeed.
Willy's face fell.
“That's good son, that's good,” he said, then leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “I wanted to bring you in here today for a little chat. What are your thoughts about your career?”
“Well, I mean, I hope to be playing soon,” Scott said, suddenly wondering if this was going to be the time when his career would take off after all. “I've been paying my dues and I like to think that my performances in the reserves speak for themselves. I think I'm ready to make the step up. No, I know I'm ready. Wherever and whenever you need me, I'll make you proud.”
A faint smile crossed Willy's mouth.
“And what if I'm not quite ready to use you yet?” Willy asked.
“Then I guess I'll wait,” Scott said forlornly.
“How long would you wait?”
Scott inhaled sharply. “However long it takes. The only thing I've ever wanted was to wear that shirt,” he pointed to a shirt of one of the legendary players that hung on the wall of Willy's office. “I'll wait however long it takes to make that dream a reality.”
“You know son, there's a difference between a dream and reality. Dreams never work out how you want them to. Your career is important, and you're at the age now where you have to start making decisions about what you really want out of this. You're a good kid, and you've got talent, but I'm not sure you've got what it takes to make it here.”
Scott couldn't believe his ears. The world went silent for a few moments and a wave of nausea swept through him. He gripped the arms of his chair tightly as the world lurched. When he didn't reply, Willy continued to talk.
“I think that you've showed promise in your time here, but right now I have a settled squad and I'm overloaded in your position. What a player like you needs is game time, and right now I can't give you that. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to. And that's a hell of a shame, because I know how much this means to you.”
“I can prove you wrong. I can train harder, I can play better, I can earn a chance!” Scott blurted out, tears stinging his eyes.
“You can try if you want to, but I'm just saying that it's not likely to happen. I've got experienced players in your position, players I trust, players who haven't let me down. If you stay here then you're going to be rotting in the reserves, and you won't develop as you should. Trust me, it's in your best interests to play, even if it's not for this team.”
Scott swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded numbly.
“We've been in negotiations with another team. As I'm sure you're aware we're in need of a backup goalie, so we've arranged a trade. They've been watching you. They've had scouts coming here and they've liked what they've seen. It's a good set up, I think you'll be welcome, and I think it's in your best interest to take it.”
“Do I have a choice?” Scott asked. The steely, silent gaze with which Willy responded told Scott all he needed to know. Scott pressed his lips together and nodded again.
“Then I guess I'll be off.”
“This is a good thing son, trust me. It'll be the making of you. You'll get a chance there that you never would have gotten here.”
Deep down, Scott believed him, but it didn't make the pain hurt any less.
Chapter 2
Scott was sitting in darkness when he heard a knock at the door. Dazed, he staggered across his apartment and opened it.
“Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to ring you for hours,” Steve said. He looked furious, but his face soon softened when he saw how distraught Scott was. Scott shrugged and shuffled back into the darkness of his apartment, sinking into the couch.
Steve moved after him, the bright light from the corridor being suddenly blocked.
“What's going on?” Steve asked, concern creeping into his voice.
“The worst thing ever has happened,” Scott groaned.
“Oh my God, is your mom alright?”
“What? Yeah, she's fine.”
“Oh, man, I thought you were going to tell me she died.”
“No, it's nothing like that. I've been traded away. I'm no longer going to be a proud member of this hockey team. I'm unwanted. All the years of trying are for nothing. They don't want me. They don't think I'm good enough.”
“Oh damn, did they actually say that?” Steve asked, putting his arm around Scott's shoulder, kissing him on the head. Scott barely registered the gesture, for he was utterly swallowed up by the despair churning in his gut.
“Yeah, and more. I just...all I've ever wanted is to wear that jersey. I would have waited. Maybe I can go back there again and tell them that. If they knew that I would be willing to do anything they might-”
“They already know,” Steve said softly. Scott sighed and hung his head. He was finding it difficult to swallow.
“It doesn't seem like there's any point to it all now,” Scott said.
“Of course there is.” Steve took Scott's hands and held them tightly. “Look, I know that you've only ever wanted to play for them, but this is your career. You're amazing, and you deserve to be out there on that rink every game. It's not right for you to have to wait. You need to go out there and show them that they made a mistake in letting you go. Play your heart out, and then one day you can come back, the prodigal son, the returning hero, the champion, and then you can dictate your own terms.”
Scott smiled. It was a nice thought, a pleasant fantasy, but it didn't do much to help him in his current situation. Envisioning his future seemed like a waste of time now, since the vision he'd already had was now shattered beyond repair.
“Maybe,” was all he could muster. Steve sensed his anguish, and tried to move the conversation on.
“Where are the sending you?”
“I don't even know. Coach told me, but I wasn't really paying att ention. Some small team down south, they're new I think. They must be desperate,” Scott grinned sadly.
“Hey, come on, don't say that.”
“No, it's true. Do you ever think that sometimes you've been kidding yourself? That you're not actually as good as you think you are? I've been doing this for years now, playing hockey every day, taking down notes about the opposition and my own performances, researching, learning, training, and where has it gotten me? What kind of life is this?”
“Scott, you're selling yourself short. You've worked hard and yeah, okay, you're not where you want to be. But sometimes life throws you off course and what's important is how you respond. You can only worry about what you can control, and sadly you can't control the people who want to trade you away. That's their decision, their choice, but you have choices too.”
“Really? Because right now it doesn't feel like it. It feels like I'm a slave, being traded away. Maybe I should appeal, maybe there should be a revolution. There needs to be more loyalty shown from teams to their players. I bet if the situations were reversed they'd be in uproar, telling me how much money they had poured into my development, how many hours they had spent on my training. But no, they don't owe me anything. They can just decide to toss me away and uproot my life whenever they see fit. They can sit me down and tell me to my face that I'm not wanted anymore.”
“Maybe they are doing you a favor, in a way. They're on fire at the moment. You wouldn't have got into the team right now. Better you move now and get on with your career rather than continue to stay in the reserves, waiting for an opportunity that's never going to come, until you're in your mid-20s and they're finally deciding to release you, but no other clubs are interested because they have no idea who you are.”
“That's pretty much what coach implied. But you don't understand...”
“I do Scott, trust me, I do, and I wish that I could make this better. I wish that I could march in there and demand that they keep you and put you on the team, but I can't. They've made their decision, and now you have to make yours. You can either sit here and wallow in misery, let the world be against you and crumble, or you can stand up, square your shoulders, and make the best of it. This new team wants you. Be thankful for that. Sometimes you've gotta take one step back to take two forward. You don't know what's going to happen, but at least you'll be playing. This doesn't have to be a move that lasts forever, but you have to put everything into it, otherwise you'll blow it. And I know you're not that type of person Scott. I wouldn't be dating you if you were. I know it's a blow right now, but try and see this as an opportunity to broaden your horizons.”
Scott listened to everything Steve had to say, but his head was still bowed. It was difficult to see any light at the end of the tunnel.
“I just need some time,” Scott said.
“I know,” Steve said. “You are going, aren't you?”
“I don't really have a choice, not if I want to keep playing hockey. But it also means something else...what's going to happen to us?”
Steve's grip on Scott's hand loosened and he sat back, exhaling deeply. Scott didn't look up at him. This was the other moment he had been dreading. His heart thumped in his chest, almost ready to break.
“Well, how far away is this place?”
“Far enough for it to matter,” Scott said.
“I mean, do you want to try long distance?”
“I have no idea. I've never heard of it working well...”
“But maybe we could be the first?” Steve said. This time Scott did raise his head to look at him. Even in the darkness Scott could see the cheerful lines on Steve's face, the kind eyes, and the lips that brought him so much heaven.
“Do you really think we can do it?”
“I think we can do anything if we put our minds to it. I think you can do anything,” Steve said. He opened his arms and pulled Scott into a warm embrace, and kissed him softly. Scott closed his eyes and lost himself to the comfort of the hug. All of a sudden, things didn't seem so bad.
“I was so afraid of losing you too,” Scott said.
“You don't have to, okay? You don't have to,” he said. There they remained, sitting in the darkness, holding each other. It had been traumatic for Scott, but at least he could cling onto this. At least he hadn't lost everything.
Chapter 3
The following week or so was hectic. Scott spent as much time with Steve as time allowed, but his schedule was mainly taken up with packing and arranging things for his move. He'd been on the phone with a representative from his new team. Speaking with her put his mind at ease, for they seemed excited that he was joining them, and they were taking care of everything as best they could.
The closer it got to his move the more nervous Scott was though. He was leaving his home, everything he had ever known, and his relationship for this. It was a huge move, especially for someone like Scott, who had rarely ever left his home state. At night he tried to think about his new life and becoming a success, but it was difficult to shake the habit of a lifetime. Usually when he went to bed he thought of himself lifting trophies wearing the white and black of his home town team, not in yellow and gold.
The initial pain of the news had subsided into a dull ache, but the pain was still there. As much as he had resigned himself to this new status quo he would have done anything if Coach had come in and told him there was a chance he could stay. Perhaps it wasn't fair to his new team, but he couldn't very well change the way he felt.
He endured a final family dinner with his mom and sister.
“Your father would be so proud of you,” she said, looking tearfully at his picture that rested on the mantel. “I remember the two of you going out to play hockey, going to games. It's always been your whole life. He'll be cheering you on, and we'll be coming as often as we can to watch you play. You just keep in touch though, okay? Don't you dare be a stranger.”
“I won't mom, I promise,” Scott said. Most of the dinner was awkward, with his mom talking emotionally about Scott's father and childhood. It wasn't as though Scott needed more pain. It had been years since his father had died, and Scott wished he was still around so he could have given him some advice.
But Scott was alone now.
He even had to fly to his new home alone, as Steve was busy with work. His mom was there to see him off at the airport, and it felt surreal to get on that plane, to feel himself rise from the ground as though he were ascending into heaven, and then to leave for pastures new.
There was no telling what he would find in this new place, or what he would accomplish. Nerves churned and coiled within his stomach. He'd never known life away from the comfort zone of his own home, and it felt as though he was being thrown into the deep end. It remained to be seen if he was going to sink or swim.
The flight was only a short one, and when they approached his new town he peered out the window, intrigued. From his vantage point he could clearly see that this new place was a lot smaller than his old one, and instead of lush forests surrounding the city there were long expanses of desert and plain fields. It was going to take some getting used to.
