Page 13 of Dump and Chase

“Well, get to work.”

“What is all this?” I asked, taking a seat.

“Your dad didn’t like to throw anything away,” Mom said. “Not even the old stuff, so the lawyer suggested we go through it all and make sure there’s nothing important here. I made a list of what we keep and what goes to the shredder.”

I scanned the list and got started. The work was tedious, and Dad sure liked to keep a lot of crap. Unnecessary financial statements for the last ten years were there, but Ava also stumbled on some important old information on stocks and bonds, stuff Mom hadn’t known about. By the time lunch rolled around, I was starving, so Ava suggested we go pick up takeout. I should have known what she was up to, but it wasn’t until we were in the car that I became painfully aware.

“What happened with you and Tangi? You disappeared and never came back. Mom and I had to do all the entertaining.”

She’d made sure to drive so that I was stuck until this inquisition was over. Maybe I could open the door and jump out, but that would likely end my hockey career. “Nothing. We talked. We went for burgers, and that was it. We’re both moving on.” Just saying it was a stab to the heart.

“Then you told her about your engagement.”

“Yup.”

Ava pursed her lips. “Having to keep that a secret for months was a shitty thing to make me do. You should have let me tell her a long time ago.”

“I know. I was trying to find the right way to tell her.”

“How did she take it?”

There was no use lying to my sister; she’d know right away that I was full of shit. “Not well.”

Ava shook her head and grunted. “How did you think she’d take it?”

“I figured it would be bad. She told me she didn’t want me in her life anymore.”

Ava huffed. “Yeah, well, that’s the answer I expected she’d give you. You know what that means? This is finally over. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think she was pining away for you. She’d been seeing guys, but now I hope she finds someone decent. Who will treat her right.”

Meaning, not me.

We didn’t say much else. We picked up lunch, then got back to work. I could barely keep my eyes open by the time we called it for the day. We’d managed to get through half the papers with a plan to finish them the next day. I offered to stay with Mom for a bit, but she told me she was tired and wanted to get some rest. I think that was code for “I want to be alone for a good cry.”

I got back to my place and tried not to think about Tangi. Damn, what was I going to tell Brandi when she checked in? She said she’d call every couple of days, and I was due for a call. She mentioned that cell service was sketchy in some parts and not to bother trying her. So what would I say? That I’d reminisced with my ex, and we accidentally had sex a few times? No, that wouldn’t go over well. For now, I’d say nothing. She never needed to find out.

I didn’t want to stick around by myself feeling like shit, so I texted Craig and asked him if he wanted to go out for drinks. I needed someone to hang out with who wouldn’t make me feel like shit.

Sure. Sam’s at 7? It’s wing night.

Craig loved his wings.

Yup. See you then.

* * *

A lot of people around St. Paul and Minneapolis recognized me as one of their homegrown hockey stars, but for the most part, other than the occasional autograph and adoring kid, no one bothered me. In some cases, it protected me from insults, which was kind of cool. In return, I was always good to the fans, and especially for the kids. I couldn’t imagine disappointing a kid.

When I got to Sam’s and made my way over to the booth Craig was in, I got a few stares and nods. I smiled back and when I took my seat, Craig gave me side-eye.

“I barely talked to you at your dad’s funeral, then I see you leaving with Tangi. What shit did you get yourself mixed up in?”

I sighed as a server came around and slapped down two beers. I’d known Craig long enough that he ordered my favorite beer if he arrived somewhere first. I took a gulp of it and set it back down. Craig’s washed-out blue eyes were watching me, waiting for an answer.

“We talked. We reminisced.”

“And then you slept with her.”

How the hell did he do that? “Look, we were talking. Things just happened.”

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