The Bargain

Chapter 27

~GWYN~

"Did I miss it?" Rhys burst through the front door without knocking in an unusual display of agitation and anxiety. He was usually so calm and collected, so put together and aloof. Gwyn didn't think she'd ever seen him this nervous, not even when VU entered the third period of the championship game down two goals.

"Like I said when I texted, and then again when you called, twice I might add," Cassian grumbled from the couch, "they haven't even started yet.

"Yes, but when they do, you know that Azriel's name is going to get called first." Rhys loosened his tie before sitting down in the open seat next to Cassian. True to his father's threat, Rhys had been required to join the family business as soon as the ink was dry on his diploma. There was no grace period, no mini-vacation between the end of college requirements and the beginning of real-world responsibilities. He tossed his cap in the air and immediately picked up a briefcase.

Cassian and Az, on the other hand, had enjoyed nothing but time since graduation. They worked out at the rink in the morning, helped out Azriel's mother in the afternoon, and spent their evenings hanging out around the townhouse. Rhys joined when he could, but his father seemed determined to keep him busy, going so far as to schedule a meeting for the morning of the draft that Rhys could neither get out of or postpone.

Thankfully, Gwyn's boss was a little more understanding. She and Nesta had found a summer job together in town, working at a children's day camp. Gwyn was in charge of the music lessons, which suited her just fine, and gave her a little downtime to work on some new songs of her own. The two friends had also moved into the townhouse, Nesta taking Rhys' empty room and Gwyn moving into Azriel's. But they knew it was temporary. Summer would end, the girls would go back across town to campus for their senior year, and Azriel... well, hopefully they would learn what the future held for him today.

The commercial break ended and a graphic flashed on the screen announcing the return of live coverage of the NHL Draft. The camera showed a wide angle of the crowded room. Azriel could have gone and waited on the convention center floor with all the other young hopefuls, but he wanted to be with his family and friends if and when they called his name. His mother wasn't up for such a big trip so her living room became their own personal draft day headquarters.

"Don't jinx him like that," Cassian cautioned Rhys, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Like what?"

"They're gonna call his name. It just might not be first. Hell, he might even need to wait for day two of this shit show."

Azriel reflexively squeezed her hand, as though to reassure himself that she was still there. Or perhaps the gentle press of her skin to his was insufficient to counter the anxiety rising inside of him. His two brothers had been discussing his prospects ad nauseum over the past week. She knew he was fed up with it and them, but he was too nervous to say anything. On the one hand, he felt confident that he was going to be drafted, but at the same time he was that little eight-year-old boy again who had just fallen on the ice.

A few players who had been in his shoes not all that long ago had reached out to offer advice. He had taken it to heart, but Gwyn also knew that he needed the comfort of his pregame superstitions. Unfortunately, he didn't have any that he could employ for draft day. That was where she came in. She too had received advice on today; not from players but from their significant others. Gwyn leaned over and kissed his cheek and then rested her head on his shoulder, falling easily into supportive girlfriend mode.

"No matter when he gets called," Gwyn said, soothing the growing tension in the room as she entered the conversation with gentle words, "I'm still going to be insanely proud of him." Az flashed her a grateful grin. "Really. I might never shut up about it. It's going to be my whole personality. I'll work it into every conservation."