AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What the fuck are you grinning at?” I look to my right to find Brayden standing next to me as he punches my shoulder.
“And holy shit. It smiles,” Troy exclaims, making a joke about my normally emotionless face, but somehow, since I met Lily, I can’t stop smiling like a Cheshire cat.
“Fuck off.” I pretend to inspect my stick butt end. I don’t need to. Superstitious about who touches my stick, I tape my own and in a very specific way; three layers of grip tape, just like my dad.
He maintained each one represented the three most important people in his life. A layer for my mom, one for me, and the other for my sister. Although I know it’s because it gave him greater stick handling and control over the puck. I guess mine now represents the three most important people in my life; my mom, my sister, and my dad.
I look over at Lily again. Maybe I should add a fourth; one for her.
“Is the hot little blond sitting next to your mom responsible for this shocking turnaround?” Leon pipes up and they all look over at her.
Feeling the weight of my stare, she looks our way and blows me a kiss. Automatically, I catch it and hold it to my heart.
And I know for a fact the cameras will have caught that.
“Well, I guess that answers your question, Leon.” All three of them burst out laughing as the crowd's cheers become louder.
They are excited for the first pre-season game and there is no doubt in my mind that we won’t disappoint them tonight.
I wipe my brow and keep quiet as my friends bombard me with questions.
“Wow, she is beautiful. Where do you meet her?”
“How long have you been dating? What’s her name?”
“Does she have a sister?”
I shake my head, rolling my eyes at their predictability and if I don’t answer them, they will never leave me alone. “She works at the coffeehouse across the road as a second job. During the day, she’s an events planner in the city. We met a few weeks ago. She was the one who gave me the black eyes.”
“Well, shit,” Brayden exclaims. “Are you into that sort of thing? The slapping, hitting thing during sex?”
“Kinky.” Troy bobs his head as if liking the sound of that. Weirdo.
“Shut the fuck up, assholes.” I continue, “It was an accident. She hit me with a door. Then I bumped into her again earlier this week. Her name is Lily. Originally from Spruce Plain, she’s been studying and living in New York for the last four years. Her mom died and so she moved back to Edmonton to be closer to her family. We’ve had one date and yes, she does have a sister. She’s sitting next to mine, which, for the record, Leon, Erika is still off limits this season.” And every other season.
Leon protests, “She’s eighteen this year. Legal.” He holds his hand out, pointing to her and I know he’s screwing with me, but it’s still a big, fat, no.
“You can’t protect her forever,” Brayden sings mockingly over the fans shouting and whistling, the music subsiding, getting ready for the game to begin.
“Maybe not, but if I can protect her from Leon-the-man-whore, then I’ve won.”
Placing his hands on his hips, Leon pretends to be mad. “I’ll have you know I haven’t slept with anyone in months.”
“Not possible.”
“Liar.”
“Is that a fucking unicorn sitting in the crowd?” Brayden, Troy, and I all say in unison.
Leon lets out a disappointed sigh. “You guys have no faith in me.” He looks away as we wait for his confession, which arrives quicker than I thought it would. “Okay, maybe I slept with one, or maybe two girls last week.” Holding his hands up in surrender, he then adds, “They broke a very dry spell. Almost two months.”
Two months, my ass. We all chuckle. None of us believe him.
“I see what you mean and I get the message. I’ll stay away from Erika.” He makes it sound like that’s almost impossible. I’ll slice his balls off and feed them to him if he doesn’t stay away.
Troy playfully pulls me into a headlock, and they all slap my helmet.
“We are so proud of you. Ash finally has a girl. We all thought you were asexual.” Troy hits my head harder this time. “When was the last time you fucked a girl? Was it that fitness instructor you used to have an arrangement with a couple of years ago that you slipped up and told me about?”
