The Puck Bunny

Fifty-Seven

CARTER

Before Denise could walk back in, I'd finished my coffee and pressed one more sneaky kiss to Fraser's cheek.

God, why couldn't I help myself?

I knew why, deep down.

Fraser was not Luke, not in the ways where it mattered anyway. They were similar in the fact that they were both amazing hockey players and friends, or that neither of them really gave a fuck what others thought, but he wasn't Luke. For starters, I knew Fraser wasn't afraid of committing to me like Luke had been. Seeing as Luke's affection toward me was entirely driven by lust to be with me physically, whereas Fraser appeared to have more of a drive for every part of me, not just my body.

And when Luke and I first started messing around, we really didn't know each other. Fraser had consistently proven again and again that he truly understood my brain and how my thoughts worked. Maybe it's because we were so similar, but maybe it was because he was a thoughtful guy that I should feel bad for leading him on.

I do feel bad, and I wasn't convinced that I was 100% leading him on. I was more concerned with trying to convince myself I didn't feel strongly about him.

But the truth was that I realised I did like him. I felt butterflies every time he kissed me or held my hand, and when we hung out together it was so natural, it felt like we'd been friends forever. With Luke, I was constantly nervous for a while and then it finally began to feel normal but Fraser and I had been comfortable with one another since we became friends which I took as a good sign. Or at least I hoped it was.

Denise walked back in not long after, an armful of food being set on the kitchen counter.

"Okay, I think we have enough food to survive an apocalypse" Fraser muttered, making both Denise and I roll our eyes.

"I'm ready when you are" I said and Denise nodded.

"We'll start with the bread. Have you ever made bread before?" I shook my head.

"I don't remember if I have, but I love to cook"

"You do?" Fraser asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, I used to cook at home all the time. I'm better than my mom by far. She's just lucky I enjoyed it too, or else I'd have been forced to cook and she'd have been forced to eat shitty food" I laughed. Denise smiled as Fraser put his mug in the sink.

"Well, you two have fun. I'm gonna go shower and wake Bennett up. I might steal Pruitt away for the three of us to go out and explore Dallas once Bennett and I are ready" Fraser said as Denise nodded.

"Of course but have her back in time to make dessert! I've heard all about her famous Pumpkin Pie and I'm going to put her to the test"

"Sounds great, pumpkin pie is my favourite Thanksgiving food"

"Oh you're not even gonna know what hit you McGill"

Fraser left the kitchen and I waited for Denise to make mention of something about us.

"You two are pretty good friends then, huh?" I nodded.

"He was a bit hard to get along with at first, I'm sure you know what his personality is like. But I took a chance on friendship and it's paid off. He's loyal" Denise smiled at me.

"He sure is. And you're right, he's not easy to get along with at all. It took him years to even warm up to me. Is there something going on between you two?" I looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, something more than friendship?" I laughed and shook my head.

"No, nothing like that. I'm a tomboy at heart and find it easier to be friends with guys than girls. I only have one friend who's a girl at college, the rest are dudes. It's easier for me" She seemed to be okay with this answer, but thanks to Fraser's warnings I knew she wasn't satisfied that nothing was going on between us.