“Okay, what?” I demand in frustration.
He smiles. “I see a guy fighting something for all he’s worth.”
“I’m not fighting anything.”
“No?” He shrugs. “Okay.”
“It’s barely been a week,” I repeat. “You think I should just propose?”
He chuckles. “No. But why not admit you like her?”
“Of course, I like her. She wouldn’t be in my house, sleeping in my bed, and driving my car if I didn’t like her. You didn’t ask if Ilikedher—you asked if it was serious. It’s not the same thing.”
“Fine. I’ll concede that point. Are things going well? Do you think there’s a possibility that it will get serious?”
Christ.
That’s not a question I want to answer.
“The truth is that neither of us are looking for that. She’s focused on her kid and I’m…” I stop talking because the truth is, I’m running out of excuses. What am I waiting for? My broken heart is healed. I get twinges now and then when I think about Briar but it’s been over a year. She’s moved on and though I’m being cautious, it’s time for me to move on too.
“Look, I’m the last guy to push you into something you’re either not ready for or not interested in, but she seems great. Why not give it a chance?”
“I am,” I say quietly. “I’m just trying not to jump in with both feet.”
“I think that ship has sailed, my friend. You’re into her. And I’m going to assume the chemistry is hot.”
“I’m not talking aboutthat,” I mutter, “but yeah—super hot.”
“It’s the kid, right? You don’t want to get attached to another kid that’s going to be ripped away from you if things don’t work out.”
The problem with having friends is that they know you too well. And he sees right through my bullshit.
“I’m trying to work through it,” I say finally. “I like her. We have a ton in common. She’s sweet and beautiful and sexy. From the outside looking in, there’s no reason not to get serious. But we both know things aren’t always that simple. That’s all. We’re both being cautious because neither of us wants to be hurt again. Her ex did a number on her, abandoning her and the kid.”
“Douche.”
“Exactly. And I don’t want to be another guy in her life who lets her down.”
“I don’t think that’s who you are, but I get it.”
“Thanks for…listening.”
He nods. “Any time, bro.”
Then he puts his headphones back on and leaves me to my thoughts.
I hate playing in Minneapolis. Not only is it cold and snowy all the fucking time, I also despise a player named Anthony DeMarco. He’s one of their defensemen and we’ve been rivals since Major Juniors. He’s just one of those guys that irritates everybody, both on and off the ice. He talks shit all the time, even when there’s no reason to, and he’s had more than one altercation with members of the teams he’s been on.
Rumor has it, no one likes him. He’s effective on the ice, no doubt about that, but from what I’ve seen and heard, teams pay a price for the negativity he brings to the locker room. Although no one but my agent and the owner of the Thunder know this, one of the conditions of my signing with the team was that DeMarco would not be picked up in the draft or traded for in the first two seasons.
That’s how much I dislike the guy.
Thankfully, I’m in a position where I have that kind of power, and now that I’m captain, I do my best to be a good role model. To show the higher-ups that I’m worthy of both the C on my jersey and the condition I set.
Last time we played in Minneapolis, DeMarco was out with an injury, but he’s playing tonight and I’m not looking forward to being on the ice with him. He tends to go after goalies, especially theRussians. I don’t know what his problem is, but Vik isn’t just a teammate now—he’s my roommate and my friend. So, I won’t tolerate any of that nonsense.
The warmup starts like any other. Minneapolis goes out first and then we come out a few minutes later. We circle our half of the ice, getting our feet under us, shooting a few pucks, giving the goalies a little exercise as well. Since Vik is playing tonight, Simon’s in net during the warmup, and Vik is near the bench, stretching. He’s one of the most limber guys I’ve ever met. He can do a full split, both with and without his equipment on. Handstands. He said he was a gymnast as a child, before he discovered hockey, so I love watching him move sometimes.