I’m grateful beyond words that I didn’t have to express I was uncomfortable. I clear my throat and pointedly ignore the ribbing my teammates try to get her into. I cut in, “How was watching your first hockey game?”
Ellington and Valenti’s brows rise in sync. “This was your first game?”
O’Connor lifts his drink. “Glad we put on a good show for you.”
Cindy whistles. “And show it was. That was a great start to the season, boys.”
Nobody says it and they don’t have to. Everyone besides Bella is extremely aware of how severely I was lacking before. It’s a miracle I scored once, let alone twice.
Perhaps Bella is my lucky charm.
She beams as she tucks a lock of her brown hair behind her ear. “I honestly loved it. I feel like I’ve been missing out. It’s so fast-paced I felt like my heart was going to fly out of my chest.” She gasps, her eyes widening slightly. “And the violence and fighting! I never knew it was so physical besides the skating.”
O’Connor grins at me over Cindy’s head. “You’ve gone and converted her.”
“Not a bad sport to be converted to.”
Cindy grins at Bella and the girls fall into a random fit of laughter. I look to my teammates for answers. “Any clue?”
“I’ve known her since she was in diapers and I still don’t understand half the shit she says. You just have to go along with it and nod,” O’Connor says over their laughter.
Cindy elbows him. “Hey!”
He smirks down at her, love very clearly written in his gaze as he kisses her forehead, effectively silencing whatever Cindy was going to say next.
The women fall into such an easy conversation something in my chest warms. I knew Bella would be perfect for this arrangement. Something within me just knew she would fit in.
Although, now I’m worried she might have slipped in too perfectly.
What happens when this is all over and we have to end things?
Cindy and Bella exchange numbers as the evening wraps up, the pair promising to get coffee over the weekend before the next home game. Everyone flowed into such easy banter I forgot to do the rounds, forgot that she isn’t my real girlfriend and that the entire point of her presence here tonight was to introduce her to the entire team and convince them all.
All I successfully managed to do was forget that this isn’t real. At least for a short period of time.
Reality always has a way of crashing down around me.
Bella and Cindy hug their goodbyes while I see my teammates off. At first, I get a few puzzled yet excited expressions as I do so, and it takes until I’m saying goodbye to Mitchel for it to truly sink in.
This is what I used to do.
I used to come to the celebratory drinks, have one or two and take care of my friends. I used to send off my teammates and watch over them if a puck bunny had a history.
This is the Grayson I used to be before my life came crumbling down.
I slipped back into the past version of myself so easily it frightens me. I don’t want to forget what happened to Drew, which only occurred because I was careless and I wasn’t watching out for him.
That version of myself was so naïve it was dangerous.
I’m in my head by the time I move back to the booth and wrap my arm around Bella. In fact, I don’t even realize I’m no longer steering Bella. Instead, she’s maneuveringmeinto an Uber, and when I finally look around, I realize we’re already halfway home.
An apology is on the tip of my tongue, but it seems I’m not the only one in my head.
“Are you sleeping with puck bunnies?” Bella blurts out, making our Uber driver choke.
GRAYSON
good game boys!
