AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Caro!” I hiss between laughter. “This is a family game.”
“Then they shouldn’t give out free beer,” Aly huffs.
“That beer wasn’t free,” I say.
“I’m doing a public service. If you think I’m not family friendly, picture Aly at the bottom of this beer.” I look from Caro to Aly who is still waving her foam finger.
“Yay hockey players!” Aly squeals with sheer delight as the finger bounces off her forehead.
I take the beer from Caro as the flap of wings overhead catches my eye. I squint, watching the spotted towhee flutter from one rafter to the next. I wonder how long the bird has been stuck in the arena as I chug half of Aly’s beer.
“I can’t believe I haven’t been to more of these with you,” Aly says. “This is so fun!” She shakes the foam finger and it bounces in her face. “Foam is a wonder.”
Caro glances at me, and with a resigned sigh, finishes Aly’s beer.
“You should come to more,” I say.
“And he just gives you these tickets?” Aly asks.
He does. It’s always a bit of a negotiation. The WAG seats are better, but then I’d have to sit with the wives and girlfriends, and I’m neither his wife or girlfriend—nor will I ever be. I almost relented this time. Just because it’s their first home game since Freddy’s injury two weeks ago. But it felt like a line I couldn’t cross, not if I want to keep Zeke as my friend.
Someone slams into the boards a few rows in front of us. Aly and I flinch. Caro just grins.
“Beat that meat, my man!” Caro shouts, and then points at the ice, on the opposite end from the action to where Zeke and a Denver player are talking, the Denver player’s helmet is tipped in our direction. “Ooh, they heard us!”
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Aly asks, following my gaze.
“Probably nothing you’d want to hear,” I say.
“Oh, you think they’re trash-talking?”
“Zeke is probably saying something like, ‘your momma,’” Caro says in a terrible caveman-zombie Zeke impersonation.
“And the other guy is probably saying something like, ‘your sister,’” I say in an equally terrible impression.
“‘I don’t have a sister. But your sister is ugly,’” Caro-Zeke growls.
“‘I don’t have a sister. But your face is ugly,’” me-as-Denver-guy barks.
Aly hugs her popcorn as she watches our melodrama.
“‘My face isn’t ugly.’”
“‘Is too.’”
“‘Then how’d I get such a hot side piece?’” Caro-Zeke grins.
My cheeks flush hot as I turn my gaze back to the ice where Zeke and the defender are skating more aggressively.
“‘If by side piece you mean a blow-up doll, I heard even she left you.’”
“Ooh, burn!” Aly squeals around a mouthful of popcorn.
“‘Nah, I’m gonna marry Faye. You’re gonna end up alone.’” Caro-Zeke grins.
“Oh! Faye! He lurves you!”
Zeke goes flying into the boards, hard.
