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I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. We still had time—time for coffee, time for a walk, time to exist in our temporary bubble before facing the world and all its pressing realities.
"Feel like taking a walk?" I finally asked, reluctant to move but equally eager to stretch my legs and breathe in the salty air of Cold Pines.
Hoss sighed, seemingly weighing the comfort of our warm bed against the call of the day ahead. Finally, he gave a single nod, the corners of his mouth ticking up in a lopsided grin. "Lead the way, Chief.”
We broke out of our morning cocoon, but it didn’t shatter. It would be there waiting for us again at the end of the day.
A few minutes later, we walked from my apartment building down to the boardwalk. A hint of early spring was in the air, and the rhythmic crash of gentle waves soothed my hassled mind.
Hoss nodded, and we made our way downtown to the boardwalk. The salty air and rhythmic crash of waves were oddly therapeutic.
As we strolled along the boardwalk, its worn planks creaked beneath our steps. To our left, the ocean was a restless expanse of blue.
"There's Stella's," Hoss nodded toward the little bakery with its frosted windows and a hand-painted sign that looked like it had been around since before we were born.
"Ah, home of the mother of all breakfast sandwiches," I grinned as we pushed through the door.
The warmth hit us first, followed by the rich aroma of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee. Stella, a woman whose smile was as big as her personality, stood behind the counter, greeting us by name.
"Pete! Hoss! What can I get for you fine gentlemen this morning?"
"The usual," I said. "Two breakfast sandwiches with the works. And throw in a couple of coffees, black."
Stella's hands were already in motion, efficiently slapping ingredients onto the grill. "Coming right up!"
While we waited, Hoss squeezed my hand, and I felt it all the way to my toes.
Another customer in the bakery piped up. "Hey, aren't you two the guys from the Cold Pines Cougars?"
I turned to see a young guy, maybe in his early twenties, wearing a Cougars hat and an open mouth at spotting us.
"That's us," Hoss said, flashing him a grin.
"Wow, man, it's an honor to meet you both! Good luck in the championship game; we're all rooting for you!"
I walked over to his table and offered a hand to shake. "Thanks, we appreciate the support. Means a lot to us and the team."
Stella slid our sandwiches across the counter, wrapped in parchment paper and smelling like heaven. "For our local heroes," she winked.
"Much appreciated," Hoss said, handing over the cash and picking up the brown bag.
Coffees in one hand, bag in the other, we stepped back outside. We continued our walk along the boardwalk, finally pausing at a bench overlooking the water.
"So, you ready for this?" Hoss asked as he unwrapped his sandwich, taking an appreciative sniff.
"Ready as I'll ever be," I replied, mirroring his actions. I laughed when Hoss reached out to offer me a bite of his sandwich. I did the same, and my heart thumped hard as we fed each other breakfast.
We chewed in sync, the future momentarily forgotten as we savored the simple pleasure of breakfast sandwiches done right.
The sky above the ocean slowly brightened, streaks of pink and orange heralding a new day. For the moment, it was just us, two guys on a bench, celebrating peaceful lives in a little town on the ocean.
When we reached the arena, I had a nagging sense that a storm cloud was awaiting us. And then I saw it—the local newspaper sitting neatly folded on my desk. A massive headline screamed, “Massachusetts Businessman Eyeing Purchase of Cold Pines Cougars, Plans to Move Team.”
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, holding the paper up for Hoss to see.
"This is...wow. Timing is everything, huh?" he asked, his eyes not leaving the text. “Wanting to buy a championship team.”
I skimmed the article and dropped it back on the desk with a sigh. "Well, practice should be interesting."
