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I head back toward the reception hall and meet up with Kaiden.
“Dude, I’m sorry if I caused any problems by mentioning your name,” he says.
“It wasn’t anything you said. It’s my fuckup. I still hadn’t been honest about my career. What are the fucking odds she’d be here?”
He looks at me from under his furrowed brow. “What are you going to do?”
“I think this set of circumstances calls for a stiff drink. I’m gonna start with that, and later I’ll find a way to get her alone. She’s not shutting me out over this.”
We trek through the crowd, exchanging brief greetings.
“Jesus. I didn’t think we’d ever make it here,” Kaiden says, leaning on the bar. “What do you want to drink?”
“I don’t care. You choose,” I say.
He orders two gin and tonics.
“I’m surprised by how many people are in attendance.” Scanning the faces, I notice coaches from other teams and even NHL executives.
“It’s a great turnout. Coach must be pleased,” he says.
“Is he ever really pleased?” I ask.
“That’s true. He’s as pleased as he can be,” he corrects.
The bartender slides our drinks across the polished wood to us. Kaiden and I both drop a tip in the jar for him.
I take a sip and an old memory hits me. I hold up my glass. “My grandfather in Greece drinks these.”
He tips his glass back and the ice cubes clink against the side. “Your grandparents still live there?”
“Yep, both sets of them. I’m supposed to find some time to go visit during the off season.”
“I’ve never been to Greece. It’s on my bucket list, though.”
Ryder sidles up to the bar on my right side. “What’s up?” I ask.
“Not much. Just checking out the fresh meat in the room while I wait for the meal to be served.”
“Don’t you ever take a break?” Kaiden asks.
“Life is short,” he answers evasively. “Speaking of fresh meat, who’s the blonde hottie sitting at Coach Carling’s table?”
My gaze swings across the room to see who he means. An anger-generated haze briefly obscures my vision when I realize Evie is the “blonde hottie” he’s referring to.
“That’s Evelyn, Coach’s daughter,” Kaiden says.
“She single?” he asks, and my molars clench so tightly I hear creaking and grinding.
“No.” I bark the word at him.
“How do you know?” Ryder asks.
“I know because she’s my girlfriend.”He doesn’t need to know we haven’t officially labeled what we are.
A slow grin spreads across Ryder’s face. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“He’s serious,” Kaiden jumps in.
