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Except my girlfriend has gone to my sister’s house and I’m stuck here with two guys who want to marry my girlfriend. The walls are closing in on me.
Be there in twenty.
My plan is to leave without saying anything to Nathan and Michael but Hughes sees me grab my keys and head for the front door.
“You’re not going to Dani, are you?” he asks. “We should wait for her to tell us when she’s ready.”
“Oh, like you waited to ask her to marry you?” I ask in disbelief. The fucking nerve of this guy. “I’m going to the bar, Dad. Don’t wait up.”
It feels satisfying to slam the front door behind me. I’m not usually a guy who gets pissed off the ice. But I’m angry that I got sucker punched by Dani and Michael and I’m also scared. Will I lose Danielle if I’m not ready to put a ring on it?
McGinty’s is a pub near the arena where players like to hang out because it’s quiet and chill. Fans do hang around trying to grab a selfie or an autograph but they’re usually respectful. There’s a decent number of people here tonight but it’s not a mob scene. I instantly spot Alexsei at the bar with his roommate, Cameron.
He sees me and waves.
“Hey, what’s up?” he says as I approach. “They let you out tonight, huh?”
I almost groan but instead I steel my shoulders and grab the placard with the QR code to scan the drinks menu. I put my phone to it and pull up the menu. “I do what I want,” I tell Alexsei.
He lets out a snort of laughter. “Damn. Sure you do, man.”
I do. But honestly, what I want to do is almost always on the ice or at home with the three people I live with.
And I’m pissed thatallof that is currently fucked up and feeling out of my control.
Alexsei claps me on the shoulder. “Grab a stool. You remember Cameron?”
I nod and turn to his friend, who is the total opposite of Alexsei, who is loud and a goofball. Like me. Cameron is an intellectual, not an athlete. Slim build, rarely smiles, he puts the “tense” in intense.
“Hey man, what’s up?” I say.
Cameron just nods in return. No smile. I’ve never been able to figure out if this guy hates my guts or if he just doesn’t give a shit. Or hell, maybe he likes me. I have no clue. Right now, I don’t really care.
Dani was so upset.
It shreds me inside to think that I’ve hurt her.
“You getting a drink?” Alexsei asks when I raise my hand for the bartender.
I’m scrolling the menu on the phone. He sounds surprised, which he should. I don’t usually drink. “Me and Dani had a disagreement at home tonight. It was kind of my fault.” I don’t want to go into specifics because that’s our personal business, but I do need to talk about it with someone.
“Yeah, well, it’s hard to keep three people happy. Hell, it’s hard to keep one person happy.” Alexsei points to his beer. “You like oranges and pine notes? Try this beer. It’s like a fucking walk through the Illinois woods.”
“That sounds like shit,” I tell him, honestly. “I want a Coors Light. I want to pretend to drink, not actually drink.”
Cameron startles me by giving a sharp laugh. “I can appreciate a man who knows himself.”
“I thought I knew myself.” I take the stool on the opposite side of Alexsei and drop my phone on the bartop with a sigh.
“Want to talk about it?” Alexsei asks sympathetically.
I shrug. “Dani wants to get married. I’m not sure I’m ready for all that.”
Alexsei whistles. “Marriage, huh?”
“Damn,” Cameron says. “That’s a big step.”
“Exactly. Armstrong and Hughes are all on board.” Even though they both had fucked up tonight too, Dani will forgive them. Because they are committed to her and she knows that. It’s what she wants. It’s what she deserves. “But my life is crazy and I just want to enjoynow. What’s wrong with that?”
