Empty Netter

EMPTY NETTER DELAY OF GAME BOOK 4 HANNAH HENRY Empty Netter By Hannah Henry This book is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Proofread by Judy Zweifel Copyright © 2023 by Hannah Henry ISBN: 9798390048443 For everyone who spent their twenties struggling with the confines of capitalism. CONTENTS Blurb CONTENT NOTES: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 New Year’s Eve, Again Next up - Book 5: Acknowledgments About the Author BLURB When Blake Brennan came out, he made NHL history. He is the elite goaltender of the New Jersey Ruby Reds, with a cute boyfriend and a bright career ahead of him. Now, he is single and struggling both in net, and with his personal life. Matthew Sawyer is living with his dad again after dropping out of college. His dad, the coach of the Ruby Reds, has high expectations for him. Matthew isn’t sure what he wants out of life, but he knows he doesn’t want the boring desk job his dad wants him to get. When Matthew sees the famously gay goalie for his dad’s team at a bar on New Year’s Eve, he goes for it, and has a little one-night-stand to spite his dad, even if his dad will never find out. A one-night-stand leads to more, and suddenly it becomes impossible to keep their relationship a secret. As trade deadline approaches, they both have to make some big decisions. CONTENT NOTES: This book discusses homophobia as well as explicit sexual content. CHAPTER 1 BLAKE It was New Year’s Eve at a gay club. Blake Brennan had never spent any meaningful time at gay bars before, let alone on New Year’s Eve, but Marcus and Luca were determined to “make sure he gets laid before the year ends,” and they were willing to do whatever it took. Blake had a drink in his hand. A stiff one. Only hours earlier, he’d let in enough of Pittsburgh’s honestly mediocre chances and got pulled halfway through the second period. Again. He wasn’t in the mood to pick up. But maybe it would help. Who knew? Nothing else was helping. “What’s your type?” Luca asked, scanning the room. They had changed after the game, and Luca was in black slacks and a burgundy shirt that straight men only got away with in Europe. Swiss bastard. He had an easy, perfect smile that Blake already could tell was attracting attention. “Robby was—” “We don’t bring up that asshole,” Marcus said, protecting Blake from a conversation about his ex. Marcus was, hands down, Blake’s favorite straight person. He was wearing a silky cream button-up that exposed at least half of his chest and contrasted with his dark umber skin. He went home after the game and deliberately made himself look beautiful for a gay bar. That is an ally. “I don’t have a type,” Blake said. “He likes them pretty,” Marcus said. “Okay, pretty boys,” Luca said, imbued with the air of someone who had just cracked open a Where’s Waldo? Blake wouldn’t lead them away from that path. Marcus was right. In quick succession, the two of them lobbed a number of options his way. From where they were standing around a high-top, it was hard to get a good look at everyone his friends were pointing out, but anyone who wasn’t fully clothed wasn’t his vibe. He turned down a guy who looked too much like his high school math teacher, and someone wearing snakeskin boots. “You’re being too picky. You’re not choosing your future husband, you’re choosing your evening,” Luca said. “Vibe’s gotta be right, though,” Marcus said. “Vibe’s gotta be right,” Blake agreed. He turned to look toward the dance floor, and with that motion, someone ran smack into him, their drink spilling between them. “Shit,” Blake said as the other man yelled his own curse. “Oh my God, I got it all over you,” the man said. He was tall—not taller than Blake, who at six foot six had never dated anyone taller than him, but taller than average for sure. His brown hair was swept up into a bun, a few strands hanging out of it. He had a vest on over his dark gray button-up that nipped in at his waist. And for all the femininity about him, he had a hard, square jawline that was unmistakably and beautifully masculine. “It’s fine, no problem,” Blake said, grabbing the single cocktail napkin off their table to blot at the smaller damp spot on this man’s vest rather than at his own shirt. This man was beautiful, and if anyone in this bar was close to “his type,” it was him. Blake’s friends would harass him all night until he brought someone home. He might as well go for it. “Can I buy you a new...whatever you were drinking?” The look on the other man’s face went from horrified and embarrassed to interested. At least Blake wasn’t overstepping. “Seems kind of unfair to you to buy me a fresh drink when I was the one who spilled it on you.” “Let him buy you the drink!” Marcus shouted, and now