Page 79 of Offside Attraction

He tried to double-stack them, especially on weeks when he had tournaments and had to be gone all weekend. This weekend, they were driving down to Lethbridge for an eight-bracket round robin. They'd play some of Alberta's favorites, but there were at least four teams from British Columbia as well.

It was a perfect way to get tuned up before the Christmas invitational. He was about to take his lunch when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, and when he saw Rhonda's name on the display, he paused before swiping up.

He wasn’t sure he was ready to see it, but his curiosity got the better of him.

Rhonda

Hey. How's your day going?

Jordan pursed his lips and drew a deep breath.

“Wheatfill, stop slacking.” Gertie came around the corner, giving his phone the whole eyeball. Jordan turned the screen to her.

"Gertie, what am I supposed to say to this?"

She scoffed. "That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether you like her."

Jordan grinned. He was about to ask her how she knew it was a woman until he realized that Rhonda's name was at the top of the text thread. "I was about to take my lunch, by the way."

Gertie waved him off, reaching for the stack of Post-its.

"What would you say if I did like her?" he asked.

"That's easy. You tell her it would be better if she were here."

Jordan laughed. "I can't say that yet."

"Why not? What are you waiting for?"

Jordan pondered this for a moment. If Rhonda was his drug, it wouldn’t be long until he was desperate for another hit. “I don't know. To know if it's safe."

Gertie scoffed. "Safe? Love is never safe. If it was, it wouldn't be so good."

Jordan's grin widened. "You've been married for thirty years.”

Gertie turned to look at him with her eyebrows raised. "You don't think it's terrifying every single damn day? Love is never safe. After a week, after a month, after a year, after thirty years. You have to keep offering up your beating heart and hope that the person you hand it to is gonna wake up wanting it in the morning.” She turned back to the desk and hunched over. “So I'll ask this one more time, asshat. What are you waiting for?"

She finished writing her Post-it note and stuck it to the edge of the desk.No pudding. Room 278.

Jordan didn't even want to ask. "And what if she doesn’t want it?" He folded his arms over his chest.

Gertie blew out a breath. "Oh, honey. Heartbreak is so much easier than love. Because you don't get a choice in the matter. You just have to endure it.” She took a step closer. “You're standing here, aren't you? Means you already know how to survive that. You either choose love or it chooses for you." She patted him on the arm. "That cheesecake wasn’t great, by the way." She stalked past him. “How was the small talk?”

Jordan snorted. "I didn't even stay for dessert."

Gertie laughed out loud, grabbed her clipboard, and walked back down the hall.

Jordan turned his phone over and started to type.

It would be better if you were here.

Rhonda

See, you said no sex, but then you send something like that.

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