Page 45 of Offside Attraction

Nate pointed at the plate. “I don’t see any strings. Do you see strings? That’s how you know it’s not real cheese.”

Jordan rolled his eyes and reached for the pitcher of beer in the centre of the table. “You guys catch the Avs last night?”

Nate nodded. “Yeah, that was rough. Blew it in the third period.”

Steele shook his head. “Gantt’s gotta step up.”

Chubs waved him off. “He can’t do it all. The defence was a pile of steaming ass.”

“And where was Trembley?” Jordan took a drink from his glass.

“What, if you’re getting paid ten and a half mil, you’re expected to show up?”

Nate grunted and swallowed a mouthful of beer. “Did you hear about the new kid?”

Jordan shook his head. He didn’t want to admit how little attention he’d been paying to hockey news lately.

Chubs grinned. “This eighteen-year-old phenom out of Moose Jaw. He’s been tearing it up in the juniors.”

Nate shrugged. “He’s got some attitude problems, though.”

“Who doesn’t at eighteen?” Chubs chuckled.

“Hell, who doesn’t at thirty-four?” Steele fist-bumped Cam.

Cam nodded. “True. But from what I’ve heard, he’s been in a bit of trouble. Fights, skipping practices, that sort of thing.”

Chubs grinned. “Hey, if the kid’s got skills, they’ll overlook a lot.”

Nate took a swig of his beer. “Yeah, but at what point does the baggage outweigh the talent?”

And just like that, Jordan was back in his head. He was thirty-six, and it felt like all he had was baggage.

Cam nodded. "True, but you gotta admit, it's fun to watch these young guns come up and shake things up."

Steele grinned. "Especially when they piss off the old guard. Did you see that clip of him mouthing off to his coach?"

Jordan worked to keep up. How had he missed all of this?

Chubs laughed. "The kid's got balls, I'll give him that."

Jordan raised his glass. "Here's to the next generation of assholes." A worthy contribution to the conversation. He drank, then picked up his phone and rose from his chair, citing a needed washroom break. Once he was out of view of the booth, he stopped in the corner between the washrooms and the bar.

Friend #2

I think you’re holding out on us

Anne

I kind of don’t want him to tell us. I want more clues, so I can feel like I figured it out

Friend #2

What’s your favourite colour?

Anne

Ooh, what’s your sign?

---