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I strip my gaze off Ellery to look at Kit.
Ellery laughs. “Why, yes, it is.” Ellery smiles and gets up, going over to talk to Adeline about what roles each of us should have on the team.
“I’m just gonna assign ours,” Damon says. “Adeline and Ellery, you two sweep, I guide the rock, and Cooper is the captain telling us what to do.”
Both of the girls put their hands on their hips and stare him down.
“Um… no,” Adeline says.
“Why would Cooper be the captain?” Ellery asks.
Damon looks at me with an expression that says he thinks coming here was a big mistake. “He’s the captain of the team. He’s used to being a leader.”
“I work in the chaos of the ER,” Ellery says.
“I run a classroom of middle schoolers,” Adeline says.
“Fine.” Damon holds up his hands in obvious defeat.
“We’ll draw for the positions.” Adeline grabs a piece of paper and a pen from her purse.
We pull the spots and lucky us, Ellery and I are the sweepers, Adeline will be captain, and Damon gets to guide the rock.
This should be fun.
We manage to finish curling without fighting anymore. Occasionally, Ellery wanted her broom first and started overpowering me, but I didn’t fight her too much.
We say goodbye to Kit and Kevin, exchanging numbers so we can get them tickets to a home game, and head to the restaurant at the curling place. It isn’t fancy, but it’s quiet because there’s hardly anyone here, and they only play curling on the television, not sports or entertainment news.
Ellery and I sit across from one another, with each couple on our sides. I feel like the damn mom and dad of the crew. We order our meals, and the table is unusually quiet. I hate the fact I’m not talking with Elle unless we’re arguing.
“So, Adeline and I have an announcement!” Damon interrupts the awkward silence and stands.
I can only imagine what he has to say. Another baby, maybe? Which would mean he’s got two and I’ve got none. Not even a wife.
I used to think I didn’t want a relationship while I was in the league. The hell it put my mother through, I never wanted that for anyone. But as I grew up and saw what being in the league was like, I figured out quickly that I’m not my dad. And a lot of the guys aren’t like my dad’s old school buddies.
The problem is there’s only one person I want a life with if I’m honest with myself, and that woman currently doesn’t want anything to do with me.
“Our bye week is coming, and originally, I wanted to take my girl away, but we’ve decided we want all of us to go up to a cabin. We’re going to leave Clover with her grandparents. I found the perfect cabin where we can ski, downhill or cross country, or we can ice skate and do all kinds of outdoor activities.”
“First of all, we can’t ski during football season,” I say. The fact we played curling might not be great, but it’s not high-risk like skiing.
“Okay, buzzkill, well, there’s a lot we can do up there in Wisconsin, and it’ll be so much fun. A getaway I think we all need.”
“I love the thought, but I’m out,” Ellery says.
Damon looks at Adeline as if she needs to do something. Adeline stares back at him as though he’s suggesting she kidnap Ellery.
“Okay, I’m gonna be honest,” Damon says. “This whole situation between you two blows. You’re sucking the fun out of everything for all of us. Grow up, talk about the problem.” He sits down and crosses his arms.
“Grow up? I’m being a grown-up. I’m here, aren’t I?” Ellery says. “I could have canceled on all of this, but you’re asking me to go away with him when he’s not even apologetic for what he did.”
“Why should I be? I did it for your honor.”
“Oh please, my honor.” She shakes her head.
“Forget this shit.” I stand.
