Empty Net by Avon Gale Read Free Book Online

didn’t nod and kept staring at Isaac, unblinking, his fists clenched at his sides.
    “How about this,” Isaac said, casting about for something that might help. The team needed the constant stress and Laurent’s infectious bad attitude to be over and done with. “You don’t act like such an asshole, you stop the gay slurs and try and get along with the guys. And I won’t tell Coach about what… what you just told me.”
    Laurent’s expression gentled for a moment, and he looked confused—like he didn’t understand why Isaac gave a shit about any of it. But he nodded, and Isaac expelled a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and offered a tentative smile. “So. Friends?” He held out his hand.
    Laurent took a step away from him. His cold mask was back in place, and he eyed Isaac’s outstretched hand with mistrust.
    “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Isaac snapped. “What?”
    Even though Isaac told him to speak, Laurent didn’t say anything. But he reached out and shook Isaac’s hand, and as cold as Laurent was, his skin was just as warm as anyone else’s.

Chapter Five
     
     
    IT WAS never going to work.
    He should have kept his original plan. He should have spit on Drake again, in his eye or something. He should have made good on his threat and called the ECHL on his coaches. He should have done whatever it took to not make Isaac Drake think they could be friends.
    Except he hadn’t. Isaac had seen Laurent crying and hadn’t done what he should have, which was make fun of Laurent or mock him for his obvious weakness. Instead he’d taken him home and given him a Twinkie.
    Laurent didn’t think he’d ever even had a Twinkie. It wasn’t very good, and he never planned on having another one, but still.
    He was sitting in Drake’s room, and Drake was trying his damnedest to make small talk, but Laurent wished they could go back to him not having to talk.
    That had been so… maybe nice wasn’t the right word. Relaxing, maybe. For the first time in a long while, Laurent felt like he could breathe.
    “So Murph thinks you went all homo hater on me because you’re secretly gay.”
    Laurent’s head snapped up from his perusal of an old copy of The Hockey News he’d found on Isaac’s floor. “I’m not secretly anything.”
    Drake sucked on his lip ring. He did that a lot, and Laurent still couldn’t quite believe he got away with having it in the first place.
    “You’re straight?” Drake asked.
    With a little extra oomph, Laurent flipped past an article about how much everyone hated shootouts. They should try being a goalie. “I just told you. I’m not anything.”
    “Uh,” said Drake. “I… What?”
    The thought of anyone touching me makes my stomach turn. “My father always said I could fuck when I’m famous.”
    “Oh my God. Every time I think I couldn’t hate him more.” Drake eased into a stretch, though it appeared to be mostly so he could reach for the pretzels. “Your dad is a prick, Saint.”
    That nickname. Laurent had never had one before. His father was always Savvy, of course, and his teammates on the Ravens called him Savvy J, for Savvy Junior. Which he hated more than anything.
    “My father has two Stanley Cup rings, a Vezina, and a Conn Smythe. He’s probably going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.”
    “Your father is a douchebag who needs to be knocked over the head with all of those trophies,” Drake said. “And you don’t know if you’re attracted to men or women?”
    The conversation made Laurent uncomfortable, as that sort of conversation always did. “I don’t know.”
    To his surprise, Drake didn’t push. “Okay. That’s cool. But if you’re gay, you know… you can talk to me about it.”
    Laurent’s stomach churned with unhappy nerves. “Why are you even doing this?”
    Drake didn’t bother to ask him what this was. “Because I hate what’s happening to my team. And I hate knowing you’re not an asshole but you don’t know how to