Ben Ryder - Noah Read online

  Callum clicked through the next three pages of images until he saw a different set of photos. Alongside pictures of Noah speaking into an interviewer’s microphone were more professional shots of the player. The first was a series of portrait shots, showing him looking either incredibly mean or joyfully playful. The next showed him in a suit, holding a hockey stick as a group of teenagers in hockey gear stood around him. The caption underneath the photo read “The Bobcats Hockey Foundation,” and it included a link to an article explaining how it took inner-city kids off the street and put them in the rink. Callum read the article and returned to the search results.

  There were various commercials and product endorsement shots of Noah holding a sports drink or pulling the latest safety razor down his cheek. It was probably a coup for the advertisers, who must have been counting on his trademark stubble. Noah was the picture of masculinity in every shot, whether on or off the ice, which only made Callum want him even more.

  Before he closed the lid of his laptop, one final picture caught Callum’s eye. It was a candid shot of Noah in what looked like the middle of a roar of laughter. He was looking down into the face of a very pale-looking little girl, around five or six years old, who had her arms wrapped around his neck. She was dressed in a miniature Bobcats hockey jersey and helmet, her own little face as full of delight as the man she clung to. Callum clicked on the photo to bring up the related article, wondering whether this little girl was perhaps his daughter.

  When the webpage opened there was no need to read the description, as the series of photographs told the story. The first showed Noah in his hockey gear shaking the hands of a middle-aged couple holding the little girl. The next showed Noah taking her into his arms while giving a look of concerned interest as he listened to her parents. The third and fourth photos showed Noah skating around the rink with the little girl in his arms while she waved to the crowds of the packed arena. The next photos showed Noah on the bench with the little girl, who was no longer wearing the helmet. He was kissing her bald little head with a smile. The last image was of Noah’s back. The little girl’s smiling face was pressed into his neck as she hugged him.

  The next day, Callum was glad the system checks would run themselves throughout the morning, because he was in no state of mind to have to think. He was too nervous to eat much of a lunch, but forced himself to finish a sandwich so he would have energy at the gym. He was determined to make a better showing than his last weightlifting experience with Noah.

  “That’s it, it’s all you,” Noah said as he guided the two hundred pound barbell under his hands while Callum’s face turned an uncomplimentary shade of crimson. It was his last set and Callum was more exhausted than he’d ever been at the end of a workout. “That’s it. One more.”

  Callum pushed the weight up once more and shifted it back to the rack. “Jesus! That hurt like a bitch. Is this what it’s going to be like every day? You’re an animal!”

  “You love the pain!” Noah said, adding another twentyfive pounds to each end of the barbell before taking a seat on the bench. “It may hurt like a bitch, but it doesn’t mean you have to whine like one!”

  “You’ve only added another fifty pounds. Are you sure you don’t want to go for a hundred? I’m not too sure whether you’ll get enough attention from your admiring fans with such a light weight.”

  “Hey, can I help it if you can only lift pussy weights?” Noah teased as he gripped the bar. Callum guided the bar down and watched Noah’s face turn from intense concentration to feral wild man as he gritted his teeth and pushed the weight back up.

  He liked the way Noah joked with him. They’d reached the end of their first workout and somehow they’d already come to trading jesting insults like they’d known each other for years. The constant belly laughs that rang across the gym made it clear they shared the same sense of humor. Even the dirty jokes they swapped between sets tapped into it.

  As Noah completed his final set, Callum had a sudden attack of nerves. He didn’t want to put Noah in the position where he would undress in front of him without knowing he was gay. It was bound to come up eventually, probably sooner rather than later, but since it hadn’t been discussed during their workout, he didn’t want him to think back on the day with a sense of being tricked.

  “Time for a quick run?” Noah asked. “I tend to sleep better when I exhaust myself after a workout.” “Sorry, not today. I have to get back,” Callum said, thankful he didn’t have to formulate an excuse for why he wouldn’t be joining Noah in the locker room.

  “Okay, one more before you go,” Noah started. “You’ll like this one.”

  Callum rolled his eyes, but let Noah go on with his joke. “The queen of England was visiting one of America’s top hospitals. During her tour of the floors, she passed a room where a male patient was masturbating. ‘Oh my God!’ said the Queen, ‘that’s disgraceful. What is the meaning of this?’ The doctor leading the tour explained, ‘I’m sorry, your Majesty, but this man has a very serious condition where the testicles rapidly fill with semen. If he doesn’t do that five times a day, they would explode and he would most likely die instantly.’ ‘Oh, I am sorry,’ said the Queen.

  “On the next floor they passed a room where a young nurse was giving a patient a blow job.” Noah mimed the action, and Callum was momentarily distracted by thoughts beyond the joke. Noah didn’t seem to notice and continued. “The Queen shouted, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening in there?’ Then the doctor replied, ‘Same condition, better health plan.’”

  Callum groaned as Noah held his arms out in a ta-da pose. Not to be outdone, Callum said, “Okay, one last one before I go.” Noah stood back with his arms crossed, waiting to be impressed.

  “An Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotsman are sentenced to a year in prison. They’re all notorious, hardcore criminals, and troublemakers. To keep them from rioting, the prison warden offers them one year’s supply of whatever they want to keep them quiet. But they can only choose one thing. ‘I’ll have a year of whiskey,’ says the Scotsman. ‘I’ll have a year of Playgirlmagazines,’ says the Englishman. ‘I’ll have a year of cigarettes,’ says the Irishman.”

  Noah was already grinning. Encouraged, Callum kept going. “So the warden locks them up after they promise that they’ll behave. A year later, their cell doors are unlocked and they are released. The Scotsman staggers out of his cell drunk and says, ‘Easiest time I’ve ever done.’ The Englishman walks out of his cell with a huge right bicep from jerking off so much and says, ‘Easiest year I’ve ever done.’ Finally, they open the Irishman’s door. He walks out of the cell and says, ‘Does anyone have a light?’”

  Noah gave a chuckle and said, “That was terrible.” “Better than yours,” Callum retorted with a grin.

  Two women, who’d been staring nearby, nervously giggling every time Noah looked in their direction, suddenly broke out in a cackle as Noah bent down to pick up his towel. Callum surmised one of them had made an innuendo about Noah’s ass as he leaned over. When Noah stood and glanced at them, they immediately recovered themselves and walked away at a quick pace.

  “Fans of yours?” “Yeah, they do the same thing every day,” Noah said as one of the women let out another screaming cackle. Her friend slapped her on her arm to quiet her.

  “Same time tomorrow?” Callum asked as he savored the feel of Noah’s hot palm in his own. “Sure thing.” Noah winked and then headed to the treadmills, leaving Callum alone with his dirty thoughts.

  Throughout the next three weeks, Callum continued to find his time with Noah was the highlight of his day. Noah pushed him hard in their workouts and Callum already could see the results beginning to show. Their conversations remained casual and fun, and he started to see Noah as a friend, which he discovered when he found himself feeling a little guilty after jerking off to the thought of Noah standing naked in a jockstrap.

  They didn’t speak of their careers, which he suspected suited them both. Noah was probably gratef
ul for the break from hockey talk, while Callum didn’t want to bore Noah with technical conversation he probably wouldn’t follow anyway. On a few occasions they didn’t see each other for a few days while the team played away games. Callum found those days to be long and plodding, and he realized he missed Noah when he wasn’t there.

  Callum sat at his desk reflecting on how much he enjoyed his workouts with Noah when he was drawn from his reverie by a woman’s voice.

  “Thank God the damn Jumbotron has finally arrived.” Amy said as she walked into Callum’s office. “Come see!”

  Callum joined Amy and they walked through the corridors toward the rink. “They’re just waiting for the team to finish practicing before they start the installation,” Amy said as her footsteps echoed off the bare walls.

  They passed the empty concession stands and turned into one of the section entrances. As they walked down the steps, past the brand new seats, which still had the protective plastic coverings over the cushions, Callum spotted Noah on the ice.

  “It’s looks much bigger than the one in the old arena,” Amy said, pointing across the other side of the rink where the huge Jumbotron was being hooked up, ready to be lifted into the ceiling directly above the ice.

  “Has Arnold sorted out the software for it yet?” Callum asked, his eyes still on Noah, who looked like he was performing an exercise drill. He skated furiously across the ice toward a cone, skidded around it with ease, and then sprinted back the way he came.

  “No,” Amy said, pulling at the cover of one of the front seats that faced the ice. “Actually, I was wondering if you could do me a favor. Could you help him out with it?”

  “Amy, he’s been asking me for help every two minutes. He’s gone from not talking at all to being at my workstation every day. I’m not entirely sure whether he’s just nervous of getting something wrong, or if he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He seems like a nice enough guy, but you may want to consider replacing him.”

  “He’s okay. He’s just a little awkward.”

  “No, it’s more than that. He’s asked me a few things that someone of his experience should know.” Amy fell silent long enough to pull a lock of hair down from behind her ears. “Please, I know I’m asking a lot, but the Jumbotron has to be up and running. He still has to do graphic panels outside the arena, as well as the graphic banner ad screens inside.”

  Callum sighed. “Look, if he gets stuck—and I mean really stuck—I’ll help him out. Otherwise, he has to do it on his own. The only reason I’m helping him in the first place is so I can run my software through the mainframe again, which I can’t do until he’s finished. But really, Amy, I shouldn’t be touching any part of his system.”

  “I know, but he could really use the help,” she said with a smile.

  “He could use help with the software that he designed?”

  Suddenly, there was a bang on the Plexiglas in front of them that made them both jump.

  “You finally made it!” Noah shouted, waving his hockey stick. “Hey, you free tomorrow night to go get some beers?”

  “Sure!” Callum shouted back.

  Amy made a little coughing noise that was far too obvious. Callum didn’t want to be rude. “Do you know Amy?”

  Noah shook his head but waved politely.

  “It’s so good to meet you!” Amy shouted with delight through the glass. “I’m a big fan!”

  “Thanks! That’s always nice to hear!” he called before turning back to Callum. “Where do you want to go?” “What are you asking me for? I’m not from around here, you fool!” Callum laughed. “If you’re looking for somewhere to go, you should try The Goose and Hound by Queens Quay on the harbor front,” Amy shouted excitedly. Callum looked at her. She was twisting at her hair again. “It’s a great old-fashioned pub. I used to go all the time and it’s so much fun,” she shouted. “But I haven’t been in ages because of work.”

  “You want to come along with us? I leave for a game on Saturday, so it’ll have to be an early one,” Noah called back. “Are you kidding? I would love to come along!” She might as well have been squealing with excitement. “Then it’s all set,” Noah said, smiling before skating off to the rest of the team. Callum couldn’t help it. He was aggravated by the way Amy had flirted with Noah. And Noah wanted her to come along. A swell of jealousy engulfed him as they walked back to the offices.

  “I didn’t know you knew Noah Lukas!” she exclaimed in delight.

  “We go to the same gym. We work out together,” Callum explained half-heartedly.

  “The players usually have nothing to do with the arena staff. I think I’ve only met one of them, and that was only because I was asked to give his agent a tour of the new arena.”

  As Callum was about to turn into his office, Amy stopped him.

  “Do you know if he’s single?”

  “I don’t know. I guess so,” Callum said with a shrug.

  “Oh, okay. I was just wondering. I’d better get on. I’ve got a ton of work to get through. Let me know what time you guys want to meet up!”

  She walked away, leaving Callum even more annoyed.

  Chapter Five

  11:31 a.m. W ITHOUT realizing it, Callum found himself navigating the narrow streets of Soho. He had walked through the morning bustle of tourists in a daze, his mind still focused on the phone call he waited for. The area had changed since he was younger, though it still held some of the more sordid bits of London. The topless lap dance clubs and peepshows were still there, but they now were surrounded by small boutique bars and restaurants. As he walked past the window of an adult DVD store, Callum saw a poster of a lean, blue-eyed blond model with ripped abs and an obviously aroused cock barely concealed in a pair of white briefs. In his youth he would have looked at the image and felt nothing but desire and lust. But now he looked at the poster and wondered how they managed to make the model look at once so available, yet so dead behind the eyes. Callum wondered when his taste in men had changed so dramatically. This goldenhaired, lean, smooth-chested party boy was far away from the dark-haired, muscular, hairy-chested professional sports star who was so imprinted on his every thought. He was pulled from his contemplation by two heavy drops of cold rain falling on his head.

  “OH, NOAH!”Amy exclaimed through a girly giggle. “You’re so bad!”

  Callum, Amy, and Noah arrived at the pub after a winesoaked dinner at a steakhouse on the harbor front. Callum wore a simple sweater and jeans and Noah was dressed casually for the evening in a plaid shirt. Amy, on the other hand—and much to Callum’s chagrin—wore a tight black dress that accentuated her curves and made her availability crystal clear. She didn’t go too over the top with her jewelry, but the necklace and earrings she wore looked tasteful and expensive. They found a four-person booth in the back of the pub after making their way through the Friday night crowd. Several of the drunken patrons hollered congratulations to Noah for the recent spell of victories the team had enjoyed, apparently due in no small part to him.

  Noah slid along to one end of the seat until he was next to the wall. Amy practically jumped into the seat beside him, leaving Callum to sit on the opposite side on his own. The dinner had been pleasant enough, though Callum had felt like a third wheel for most of the evening, since Amy focused most of her conversation on Noah. At first Callum thought her incessant chatter was a sign of nerves, but with each glass of wine it became clear she was trying to tell Noah as much about herself as she possibly could in the time she had. But now that they were at the bar, her attitude had changed and she spent the whole time hanging on Noah’s every word and agreeing with him on every topic.

  Noah shifted in his seat to reach for the beer the waitress placed at the end of the table. He grimaced in pain for a second and pulled his arm back. Amy slid her hand down his shoulder with a familiarity that irked Callum.

  “Are you okay?” she asked in a sympathetic tone. “You just looked like you were in agony.” “It’s my back. I got walloped pretty
hard in our last game against the New York Warriors. We won, so it was all worth it. But if I sit down for too long my back begins to hurt. It’ll be okay. Our team therapist has given me some exercises to strengthen it.”

  As Amy listened, Callum watched her give Noah a sympathetic pout with her glossed lips.

  “Do you want me to give it a quick rub?” she asked in a solicitous tone. Callum felt his throat swell in jealousy as Amy slipped her hand behind Noah and started slowly running it up and down his back with about as much pressure as a scared child stroking a horse. It was tender, almost intimate.

  “Do you get injured much?” Callum asked quickly, hoping to hide the look of the green-eyed monster that he was sure was plastered over his face.

  “Yeah, it can get pretty brutal out there on the ice.” “They have fights all the time! Proper knock down brawls. It’s fantastic!” Amy exclaimed enthusiastically. Her expression of sympathy turned to one of enthusiasm.

  Callum pulled his head back and frowned at her. “You like watching them fight?” “Yeah! Absolutely! It all adds to the excitement of the game. If there were more fights in cricket, it would probably be a more interesting game!” She turned to Noah, seeking approval for her joke. He smiled politely.

  “I don’t like seeing that kind of violence. It troubles me. I don’t think there’s a need for it, especially in sports,” Callum said, picking up his pint of beer.

  “It can get rough out there,” Noah said, nodding in agreement with his own statement.

  “Oh, who doesn’t like it a bit rough?” Amy said, throwing a heavy-lashed wink at Noah.

  Callum watched the two of them over the rim of his pint glass as they laughed at her innuendo. “By the way, Callum, I’ve been meaning to ask you a favor. I bought an old log cabin and some land a few months ago up in Niagara-on-the-Lake,” Noah said.

  “That sounds cozy,” Amy cut in and threw him yet another saucy wink that riled Callum. “Well, at the moment it’s pretty much empty up there.” Noah returned his attention to Callum. “But I’ve ordered an entertainment system. It has a flat screen TV, surround sound speakers, iPod docking system, stereo, Blu-ray, DVD player, wireless router, you know, all that sort of stuff. The thing is, I’m a complete moron when it comes to electronics. Is there any chance you can come with me to set it up?”