Page 12 of Unlovable Player

“I know-”

“Why did you wanna talk? Has something happened?”

“No, I told you, nothing’s happened I just… I miss talking to you, that’s all.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t have to say anything, I know you’ve got a lot going on, I’m not trying to...shit.”

“It’s fine. Honest. I miss talking to you too.”

“Yeah?”

That same confused, conflicted bubble in the pit of my stomach rears its head, but I force myself not to back out on her, again. “Yeah.”

She sighs. “Maybe next time you’re home we could hang out? That is, if Lisa doesn’t mind sharing.”

I bark a laugh. “I think Ma loves you more than she loves me.”

That word –love.Fuck, it feels heavy.

Alyssa laughs. “She’s really proud of you Austin.”

My face gets hot at the praise and I scramble to change the subject. “She said you’re graduating next year.”

“Yep.”

“So you’re gonna go work in some fancy office or what?”

She laughs. “Yeah, hopefully.”

I nod. “Good.” There’s cheers inside the bar.

The pull of Alyssa’s familiar voice has gotten weaker over the past year. Now this is home. Those idiots in there are my family. But they’ll never be my real family. Real family doesn’t bail the second NHL scouts come sniffing round.

“I gotta go back in, the guys are drinking and-”

“Don’t say another word Captain, go make sure they don’t besmirch the school’s good name.”

I hang up and stay outside for a few minutes. Just as I’m about to go back inside, the door swings open and Huntington walks out, lighting a cigarette.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I snatch it out of his mouth before I even have a chance to think.

“What?”

“What? We don’t smoke.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re athletes for fuck’s sake.”

He shrugs, the expensive-looking khaki quilted coat pushing up on his shoulders. I throw the unlit cigarette into the gutter and he follows it with his eyes.

“Do you know how expensive cigarettes are these days?”

“I’m sure ‘Daddy’s’ credit card’ll survive.”

I brush past him on my way inside and he grabs my arm and pulls me back. My nostrils flaring as I stare him down.

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