“If anything, it’s a term of endearment. These guys can take it. Right, boys?”
The guy sitting in the passenger seat gave a half-hearted wave.
“What’s the matter, you can’t talk?” Dane asked.
“There’s no point asking them questions,” Austen explained. “They won’t answer, because they’re not supposed to speak.”
“Damn, they’ve got you fellas under a gag order, too? How deep does this thing go?” he joked.
“Dane! Don’t!” Austen said quietly, imploring him with wild eyes. “You can’t bring that up, either!”
“Right. Sorry. Fun and lighthearted interview, and absolutely no joking around. Got it.”
Austen leaned in and whispered into his ear. “You’re making this difficult. And awkward, too.”
“So, do your job,” he said aloud. “Ask me whatever it is you normally ask when you do this thing.”
She cleared her throat and bounced right back into her Austy Marlowe voice,tee-hee.
“I’m sitting here with Dallas Devils captain, Dane DeHardt. Today, Dane and I are heading to Bowl & Barrel for a little ten pin action. Are you pumped for that, Big D?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m so pumped for that, Austen. I love bowling.” He wasn’t exactly hiding the sarcasm.
“Be honest, when was the last time you went bowling?”
Dane had to think it over, and when he remembered, he gave a short snicker. “Years ago. I don’t really want to talk about that, actually.”
“Fascinating,” Austen remarked sarcastically. “You really are an open book.”
Good one,he thought with a smirk. It was rare for media types to use his words against him without having to first twist them or take them out of context. He decided to reward her with the story.
“Okay, fine. Last time I went bowling was back in my Junior days—”
“In Brampton, Ontario,” she jumped in, eager to show off her research. “Where you set the franchise record for goals and assists for the Battalion. A record which still stands today, right?”
“That’s right.”
At least she’s capable of doing research,Dane thought to himself.More than I can say for a lot of the beat reporters assigned to the team.
“Anyway, it was a bunch of us Battalion boys and our girlfriends. Long story short, we all had a few too many, and my girlfriend ended up breaking up with me in front of everybody at the bowling alley.”
“Oh no!” Austen squealed. “Did you two end up getting back together after the haze cleared?”
“Nope. That was it for us.”
“Well, seeing your success in the NHL, I bet she regrets it now.”
“Who knows.” Dane shrugged. “Who cares?”
She looked into one of the cameras and spoke. “Sounds like we’re making The Big D dig up old wounds today onDate with a Devil.”
Dane turned to watch the downtown Dallas scenery fly past his window.
Nah, you’re not allowed to do that, remember?
***
The camera crew closely followed Dane and Austen into the bowling alley.
