Page 64 of Rookie Recovery

“I … I’m—” he began.

But at that moment Aaron got right up into our faces and shouted, “Come on guys, we’re gonna do karaoke!”

“I’m not drunk enough for karaoke,” I whispered to Jamie.

We were swept along with the swell of people, out of The Lounge, into the cool September night. Jamie never left my side. Or was it the other way around?

The crisp chill in the air wicked away the sheen of bar-sweat from my skin and filled my lungs with a freshness I had forgotten existed.

Katie sidled up next to us. “Hey.”

“I’m living in the moment!” Jamie randomly slurted. A cross between blurted and slurred.

“Well done! You can expect your certificate in the mail within five to seven business days,” Katie said. She turned to me. “How’re you coping there, Archie?”

I nodded, waited for the response to come to me. How was I coping?

I was missing out on training camp, and preseason, worrying that my team would forget about me while they were off on their jollies, and I was certain the man I’d been obsessing over was going to call off whatever mess of a thing we had as soon as he’d sobered up. Or perhaps he’d wait until after my recovery.

Despite all of this, I found myself feeling … hopeful. About hockey, about the Bobcats, about Dr Sullivan.

So I flashed Katie a smile and gave her the most British answer I could conjure. “Can’t complain.”

“Thank you for looking after him,” she said, as though Jamie was a puppy and I was his doggy-day care manager. “Coming to karaoke?”

I looked around at the other guys. They were so far gone, there was no way they’d remember if I tapped out early. Zac and Aaron were already marching down the street, arms slung over one another shout-singing what I’d hazard a guess at “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd. JJ and Rainey were still arguing hockey, and Rowan was finally relieving his bladder against the exterior wall of The Lounge. The same wall I’d painted with pizza and beer and one-million-proof rum all those weeks ago. Poor wall. It’d been through a lot.

“Make sure he gets home okay,” Katie said, reading my silence as her answer. “I texted you his address.”

“Are you going to the karaoke bar?” I asked her.

“Of course. Gotye’s not going to sing itself.”

“That’s weird, that’s Jamie’s karaoke song, too.” According to his TopTier profile, anyway.

“What a strange coincidence,” she said, smiling. “Come on, guys.” Katie looped her arms through Rainer’s and JJ’s, and together the three of them walked off into the night. Leaving Jamie and me alone on the street with only strangers.

He gave me a big, dopey smile.

“Thank you,” I said. “For what you did tonight.” He slipped a little on the curb. “You’re probably not gonna remember me saying this, so I’ll just have to think up some other way to show you my gratitude. I’m gonna call an Uber for you now.”

“Wait … Where’d everyone go?” Jamie’s eyes darted about the almost empty street, looking up at the windows of the buildings as though the guys were playing a practical joke on him and someone was going to shout Boo from one of them.

Oh, my God, drunk Jamie was adorable.

“Kitty, you’re very drunk. You’re gonna go home. Pass out. Maybe puke. We’re not going with them, okay?”

He pushed me by my good shoulder. “Psshh, I’m not drunk.” He stabilised me and gazed into my eyes. My breath caught in my throat. “If I was drunk, would I do this?”

Jamie lifted his hand from my shoulder and cupped it around my nape, angling my face up. Then he brought his lips down onto mine. Soft, so soft and gentle, like he was frightened he might break me. I hesitated for a second before kissing him back, letting him know he could be firmer. Rougher. His boozy breath mixed with mine, creating a heady cocktail. But in a hot, delicious way. My heart threw itself against my ribs, and my fingers gripped his shoulders. I needed to feel him. Needed to ground myself against his enormity. Because if I didn’t, I’d likely float off into the night sky.

But he was drunk. And really, I was taking advantage.

He wouldn’t be kissing me if he were sober.

I pulled away. Eased an inch of space between our mouths.

“I should have kissed you in the cart place. I’m sorry. I should have kissed you in my office on Monday. I’ve blown everything.” Jamie renewed his grip in my hair, closed the gap between our lips again, pushed his tongue into my mouth.

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