Twin Babies for my Pucking Defenders (Chicago Icebreakers #2)

35. Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Carter

The escape room is dark, eerie, and honestly, a bit over the top with the fake cobwebs and creepy-ass music. But Jade—she’s grinning like a damn kid on Christmas, already diving headfirst into the clues. She’s got this spark in her eyes, pure determination. I want to help her win, even if you don’t give a shit about solving puzzles.

“All right, guys, we’ve got sixty minutes to get the hell out of here,” Jade announces, already grabbing a piece of paper from the wall and analyzing it like her life depends on it. “There’s got to be a code somewhere over here.”

Axel leans against the wall, arms crossed. “You really think this is gonna be hard?”

Nate shrugs. “It’s meant to be fun, not life-threatening, dude.”

I watch them banter, and for the first time in a long time, I feel...normal. Not like the outsider. Not like the guy who’s trying too hard to fit in. I feel just like one of them. It’s weird, but in a good way. Like, this is what it’s supposed to feel like to have friends. Real ones.

Jade’s pacing now, talking a mile a minute, and it’s fucking adorable. She’s got this thing where she scrunches her nose when she’s concentrating. I’ve seen her do it a hundred times before. Watching her lead us all through these ridiculous clues is the cutest thing ever.

“Carter!” she calls, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Come help me with this lock. I think I’ve got the first two numbers.”

I step over, my fingers brushing hers as we both fumble with the lock. “You sure about this?”

“Positive,” she grins, that cheeky smile lighting up her whole face. “Trust me, I’m good at this shit.”

And she is. We’re barely halfway through, and Jade’s already piecing together stuff that the rest of us missed. Axel’s surprisingly helpful too, although he’s mostly focused on teasing Jade every chance he gets.

“Why are you making that face, Jade?” Axel smirks, watching her struggle with a particularly tricky riddle.

“I’m concentrating, you ass,” she fires back, flipping him off without missing a beat.

We all laugh, even Nate, who usually keeps things a little more chill. It’s...easy, the vibe between us. No pressure. Just fun.

Before I know it, we’re solving the last clue. Nate holds up a lantern, shining it around the room until Jade spots a hidden panel in the floor.

“There!” she shouts, racing over to pull it up. “I knew it! This is the final key!”

She’s practically bouncing on her toes, and when we finally unlock the door, there’s this collective cheer. We did it. It’s stupid, sure, but it feels good. Like we’re in this together.

“Man, that was way too easy,” Axel says, but there’s pride in his voice. He’s smiling too, even though he won’t admit it.

“I told you I’m good at these,” Jade brags, nudging me with her elbow. “Told you.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re a damn genius, Jade.”

She beams, and for a second, I let myself soak in the moment. This— this —is what I’ve been missing. This connection, this lightness. It’s the first time since I came to the States that I’ve felt like I belong somewhere. Like I’ve got people.

“All right, what’s next?” Nate asks, glancing at his watch. “I’m starving.”

“Pizza?” Jade suggests. “There’s a great place around the corner.”

Axel immediately agrees. “I’m in. I need carbs after all those mental gymnastics.”

We head out of the escape room, the cool night air hitting us as we make our way to the pizza joint down the street. I’m quieter than usual, the high from the escape room slowly fading, and that familiar weight settling back in my chest, the one I’ve been carrying for months now.

At the restaurant, we grab a booth in the back, the smell of pizza already making my mouth water. But even as we joke around, my mind’s elsewhere. It’s been building up for a while, this...thing I need to say. And maybe now’s the right time. These guys—they’re my friends. They care.

I take a deep breath, my heart racing a bit as I look around the table. Jade’s laughing at something Nate said, Axel’s sipping his beer, and for a second, I wonder if I should just keep quiet. But fuck it. I need to say this.

“Hey,” I start, my voice rougher than I meant it to be. Everyone turns to look at me, and suddenly I’m regretting this. But I push through. “There’s...something I wanna share.”

Jade tilts her head, concern flickering in her eyes. “What’s up, Carter?”

I scratch the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. “I’ve been...dealing with some shit lately. Depression. It’s been rough for a while now, but I’ve been working through it with my therapist.”

The table goes quiet, everyone just watching me, listening. Fuck, I hate this. But I need to get it out.

“I started meds a couple of weeks ago,” I continue, swallowing hard. “And honestly, it’s helped. But there are still days where it’s...hard to get out of bed. Hard to give a fuck about anything.”

Axel’s sitting up straighter now, his eyes locked on mine. He’s the only one who knows some of this already, but even he doesn’t know the whole story.

“I run with Axel sometimes, or we’ll go to the gym, box a bit. It helps. Keeps my mind off things.” I force a smile, but it feels weak. “But it’s still there, you know? The heaviness.”

Jade reaches across the table, her small hand finding mine, squeezing it tight. “Thank you for telling us, Carter.”

I blink, taken aback by how much that simple gesture means. “Yeah...yeah, thanks.”

Nate clears his throat, his usual stoic expression softer now. “If you ever need anything, man, seriously. Don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ve got your back.”

Axel nods. “Same here. We’re in this together.”

There’s a moment of silence, it’s not uncomfortable. It’s full of understanding. Like they get it. Like they see me.

I chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, now that I’ve dropped that bomb, who’s ready to eat?”

Jade laughs, her hand still resting on mine. “I’m always ready for pizza.”

As we dive into the food, the conversation turns lighter, but there’s this sense of closeness now that wasn’t there before. Like maybe, just maybe, I’m not as alone as I thought.

We joke around, talk shit about the escape room and how Jade carried the team. Nate and Axel argue about the best toppings for pizza, and for the first time in a long time, I’m not just pretending to be okay.

I’m here with them. And maybe that’s enough for now.