I stood, realizing eyes from the tables close by had darted to me. I was a caged animal, watching the only prey I needed to stay alive, be just out of reach. I walked out of the room, needing the Minnesota winter air to freeze everything inside of me.
I paced outside the door with light snow falling just like my spirits.
Ed popped out and headed to me. “Hey, you’re going to freeze out here.”
“Well, maybe if I stand here long enough a snowplow will lose control, fly onto the sidewalk, and put me out of my misery.”
“You sound just like Zig Zigler.” He pulled two cigars out of his pocket. “Here, let’s light one up.”
“Won’t Tawnee miss you?”
“Are you kidding? She’s the bell of the ball in there.” He held up his lighter. “Nobody really gives two shits about the groom. So long as I’m at the end of aisle tomorrow, I’m good.”
“Hard to believe you’ll be a married man. I’m sure the guys will follow suit before we know it.”
“You sound pathetic.” He puffed as a white fluffy cloud of smoke floated through the crisp air.
“This weekend sucks.” I took a drag. “Sorry, not the wedding. Just the Fern part. I can’t believe she’s here with that guy.”
“I know this is tough. You just have to be civil.”
“How am I supposed to be civil to the dude I want to beat with a brick? I screwed the whole thing up. Initially we both were just having fun, but it changed. She came to the arena to say she wanted to see what could happen between us. But let’s face it, my track record with, well, everything is horrible.”
“I have a question for you. If Novots hadn’t found out, what would you’ve done differently?”
“When she came to talk to me, I would’ve told her I’d do anything to be with her because she’s the most amazing person I’ve ever known.” My eyes burned. “And I would’ve found a way to talk to Dave instead of him finding out the way he did, thinking of me as a sneak or being shady when it came to Fern. I fucked this up. I’m out a friend and the perfect girl.”
He looked up as the snowflakes were coming down a little faster, but there was no wind. It was perfectly still, just like when Fern and I walked down the sidewalk in front of my building.
“The weekend’s not over.”
“I see it this way. If I make a move, somebody ends up in jail. Either I see Brandon kiss her again and I kill him, or Dave sees me trying to get her back and takes me out. Odds aren’t in my favor on this one.”
He threw his head back as his deep laughter bounced off the building behind us. “Odds aren’t in your favor? Have they ever been?” He puffed again and looked over. “You’re the kid who ended up in foster care with no future. But wait, a wonderful woman came along, adopted you, and set you on the right track changing things forever.”
He nodded then continued, “Aren’t you the guy who hustled and kicked ass in college hockey?” He inhaled and held the cigar between his teeth as he spoke. “They say there’s a four in 10,000 chance to get a roster spot in the NHL, and you’re there, man. The odds have never been in your favor. You’re a ball buster, and I have a gut feeling you’ll win this.”
As if he pulled my sinking self out of quick sand, I threw my arms around him. “Thank you.”
He wiggled out of my hug as he laughed. “Get off me, dude.”
I inhaled. “Sorry, I’ve been beating the shit out of myself for hours?—”
“Cut it out. Just play it cool, stay in control, and steer clear of Fern. Tawnee said she’s here for three or four days after the wedding. But whatever you do, let it lie this weekend.”
“Okay.”
“Do you promise you’ll just be chill for the next day or two?”
I puffed. “Yes, I promise.” No, I don’t.
Brandon sat back in his chair and sipped his bourbon. “Do you think he’s coming back? Maybe I pushed him over the edge.” His smile boasted achievement.
“I think you’re having too much fun with this.” I scanned the room. Gabe was still MIA after Brandon kissed me. As friends, we do quick kisses every time we see each other so it wasn’t that weird. It started as a joke in high school when people were trying to figure out if we were friends or more. It’s just our thing.
He chuckled. “The plan was to make him crazy for hurting you. Besides, there’s no other time in my life I can mess with an NFL hockey player and not have my ass handed to me.”
“The weekend’s not over yet.”
