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“I’d heard rumors that they’re moving the team up near Rochester,” he explained. “I found out tonight, it turns out they’re true.”
For a moment no one said anything at all. It was news to me, but an even bigger adjustment for Tyler and Axel. In the span of an hour the guys had gone from losing Zane as a teammate to losing him entirely, clear on the other side of the country.
“The River Kings,” swore Axel. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us.”
“Yeah, well…”
Tyler cleared his throat. “There’s something I didn’t tell the three of you either.”
I whirled on him. This was a surprise I hadn’t expected.
“Alexandra’s father finally offered me a job with his company. A good one. Tons of money. And I don’t even have to speak to his daughter again.”
My mouth dropped open. He’d been after this job forever.
“Tyler that’s… that’s great.”
He laughed and shook his head. “No it’s not. It’s miserable.”
“But you said it pays tons of money,” Axel pointed out.
“Oh yeah.”
“So you’re at least considering it?” asked Zane.
“Fuck no. Not even a little bit.”
I was shocked and relieved at the same time, but I also felt terrible. The job had always been a carrot Lexus dangled to keep Tyler interested in her. Now it was a lure she was using to get him back. I wasn’t worried about that part, but Tyler’s job prospects had remained pretty much in neutral while he’d waited on this. And now that it was finally here, he had to turn it down.
“So what are you going to do?” asked Axel.
Tyler drained his beer and shrugged. “Look, I’m tired of doing odd jobs, of drifting from place to place. It would be amazing to settle down, to have a career. But not with him, and not with Alexandra around. And maybe, not even here.”
“What do you mean?”
“You ever wanna just get away? Go somewhere else?” Raising a finger, he called for another pint. “I mean, we grew up in Seattle. We’re still here, after all these years.”
“Amen to that,” said Axel.
“Might be cool to see somewhere else,” Tyler went on. “Anywhere else, actually.”
“You mean like upstate New York?”
The question came from Axel, not Zane. His expression looked almost hopeful.
“I wasn’t thinking of anywhere specific,” Tyler lied. “But yeah. I’ve heard upstate New York is pretty fucking amazing.”
Zane’s eyebrows came together so hard it looked like they touched. “Are you saying the rest of you would—“
“Why the hell not?” asked Axel. “Rochester’s a huge hockey town, plus you’ve got Buffalo right on the Canadian border. It would be nice to see the eastern cities, no? Toronto. Montreal…”
“Ottawa…” I added slyly.
A huge smile began playing its way across my face. I couldn’t help it.
“Really, Ari?” asked Zane, poking me. “You too?”
“Sure,” I shrugged. “Why the hell not? Semester’s almost over, and I need to move anyway. Plus, Tyler’s right. Maybe we’ve all been here too long. Grown too comfortable. We’re stagnating.”
