Page 10 of Playoffs & Promises

"I'm innocent," I tell her.

"Oh you are many things Lou, but I doubt that."

"I swear on my Granny's cornbread I've done nothing to deserve it."

"No need to get that serious. I'm not calling you evil Lou. I'm not even intentionally trying to bring up our past, but you do hurt people even when you don't think you are."

It's on the tip of my tongue to ask her why. Why did she end things when I'd had the worst game of my career? That game came dangerously close to ending my hockey career and apparently succeeded in ending the best relationship I'd ever had. Shifting in my chair I refuse to let the conversation go down the path of the worst few days of my life. I want nothing to do with revisiting why our relationship ended even if she just confirmed my worst fear that she ended our relationship because of me.

Giving up hockey wasn't an option then, and it isn't an option now, so there is no point in revisiting that night and dredging up old pain. Steering the conversation back to the reason I got here, I get back to the point.

"The lemon bars."

"I'll try to get you the lemon bars Lou, but I make no promises where the baker's heart is concerned."

I get up out of the chair as if it's on fire. "Just put a lemon bar on the order."

All through practice I wonder if I second-guessed myself and if I should have asked her why she ended things. My head is stuck on that day, the pieces I can remember, and all the questions I have about all the parts that I can't. Did I follow my routine, did I have the lemons I needed? Did I see the hit coming? If I had would I have hit the ice like I had? Or would I have turned so I wouldn't end up with a torn ACL and concussion? The guy that hit me was suspended for ten games. In part due to the hit, and the rest due to the fight that broke out.

With tomorrow being game day I need to take it easy so I'll have plenty of energy. I consider stopping by Maria's bakery on my way home to see if I can get a lemon bar, but don't want to push my luck. I need to let her calm down after pushing her on the cookies in her apartment. Thinking of those makes me wish I could have tried one. All I could see were balls of powdered sugar, and I had no doubt they were delicious, but no, she had to say they were for book club.

A smirk forms on my lips as I remember the devious thought that had formed, and I decide to make a detour on my way home. I'd planned on watching TV or playing video games, but a book sounds just as swell. Fifteen minutes later I'm parked outside The Book Garden and strolling through its doors.

The far wall is covered in construction plastic with warning signs saying not to cross. I pay it no mind as I look for the owner of the store, I have a book club to join. I wind my way through the mystery and fantasy sections before spotting a store clerk in the YA section. The clerk looks like she's in her early twenties, and she has a cart full of books she's putting on the shelves.

"Hey, do you know where I can find Sofie?" I ask her.

She pulls an earbud out, and then asks me, "What?"

"I'm looking for Sofie."

"Oh, she's still out for lunch. Should be back in twenty."

"I'll wait."

"Can I help you find something?" She asks.

I smile. "Any chance you know what her book club is reading?"

Her brown eyes go wide and she nods. "I can show you the book. It's a romance, are you okay with that?"

My smile grows bigger. "I love romance."

"Okay, yeah, um. It's right over here." She abandons her cart, and leads me over to what is easily the largest section of books in the store. There are three full rows of bookcases dedicated to romances. We pass books with shirtless men, books with men in suits, men in cowboy hats, men in kilts, books with ladies in ball gowns, and finally land in front of books with couples on them staring adoringly at each other.

She pulls off a book with a firefighter on the cover, and blushes as she hands it to me. "It's a really good book."

"Thank you. Do you happen to know any of the other book club books?"

"Sofie's married." She blurts out.

I stare at her in confusion. "Okay."

"I just didn't want you to bother with the book club thing to get cozy with her. She's really, really in love with her husband."

"I would hope so." I'm not about to tell her my only goal is to get cookies. "Do you know if this book comes in audio?"

Reassured that I'm not up to anything nefarious with Sofie, she tells me a few more details about the book in my hands as well as the book club. I need Sofie's okay to get the meet-up details, but she should be back soon enough for that. I let the clerk get back to shelving books while I browse. In addition to the firefighter novel, I also get one with a hockey player on the front looking all brooding. It'll look great in Nate's locker, and it'll be hilarious to see him blame Dan. I text Gavin for recommendations on books about dog training, and spot a recipe book with one for lemon bars.

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