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“Natural protective instincts and a killer slapshot? I thought for sure that he was going to beat up the drunk at Oakley’s who grabbed your ass.”
“Are you just going to keep going if I say no?”
“Probably, so just give me the answers to the questions I want to know, and we can stop this charade. Why aren’t you interested in Slade?”
I open my mouth to speak, but she holds up a finger to stop me.
“And don’t tell me that it’s because of whatever happened half a lifetime ago. I know what he did sucked, but if you still harbored as much resentment towards him as you claim that you do, I wouldn’t have caught him sinking his puck in your goal twice in two weeks.”
“Ok, fine,” I relent. “He’s gorgeous, he’s great with his…” I stop myself before uttering the word “cock” in a family-friendly coffee shop. “… hockey stick, and yes, he’s protective and as of recently, he’s been showing me a different side of him that has me wondering which Slade is the real one.”
“Could he have changed since college? Maybe he feels bad for what he did, and he’s reformed? Have you talked to him about everything since he moved back?”
He does seem different from the guy he was in college.
“Sort of, but not in detail. He knows that I’m still upset about everything that he cost me, and he’s apologized on numerous occasions but what do I do with his sorry? Do I just accept what happened, forgive him, and move on?”
“I don’t know… can you forgive him and move on?”
I think about it for a second, lifting a french fry from my plate and crunching on it for a second.
“If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said no, but he’s been trying to make it up to me by coming in to work on my old routine with me, so I have a skating partner… and now I—”
Tessa jumps in before I can finish my sentence.
“You two are skating together now? As in, he’s figure skating with you before his own grueling practice to make up for the fact that he scared away your prospects years ago?”
I nod, hearing her say it out loud. I already know how she’s going to react.
“Well shit, I’d fuck the guy too.”
“Tessa!” I say, my eyes widening at her to use better language while out in public.
A group of Girl Scouts and their moms just sat down a couple of tables over.
“What? This could be free education. If they listen a little longer, they might earn their birds and bees badge today. It's a win-win for everyone.”
I know she’s kidding, so I shake my head and grin, picking up another fry. Tessa picks up her sandwich and takes a bite of her sandwich.
We both chew for a second and then she starts back up.
“Ok, so let's recap to ensure I have all the details. Slade screwed up royally in college, is now back after serving penance for his crimes against you, has apologized profusely for what happened, has now taken up a second form of stringent practice to make you happy, and you two have been running around Seattle boinking like bunny rabbits. Did I miss anything?” she asks, pulling her sandwich back up to her face to take another bite.
“There’s someone else,” I blurt out. “The guy I’ve been talking to online.”
I’ve mentioned Win as my pen pal buddy before, but I never really explained that I have feelings for him.
She pauses mid-bite and puts her sandwich back down.
“The tutoring guy that just came back from the dead and started emailing you again randomly? That guy?” she asks as if I must be joking.
“That’s the one. And he didn’t come back from the dead. He told me he was leaving and wouldn’t be able to email back and forth anymore. He gave me a heads up, at least.”
I know I’m making an excuse for him, but it’s true. He didn’t ghost me… he gave me notice. Though I never thought he’d resurface.
“Have you two met in person yet?” she asks, but I can already see the sharp downturn of her brow.
She is skeptical, and I get it.
