Page 4 of Now That We Don't Talk

Sophie came to visit her best friend Blair, who happens to be my teammate Cooper’s publicistandgirlfriend. When Sophie arrived in Tennessee, I immediately put on the charm I thought I possessed. I believed I’d have no problem with my witty personality and the magic of the Christmas season. Long story short, my attempts to impress her failed, and she instantly fell for my coach. Truthfully, Jake is one of the best guys I know, so it wasn’t a complete shock. And even I can admit I probably needed to be humbled some.

“What are your plans for the off season?” I ask Weston, distracting myself from Jake and Sophie embracing.

“Traveling, visiting family, watching TV,” he replies. “You?”

“I’m heading back to the Windy City for a while.”

“Is that where you’re from?”

I nod. “Just outside. Most of my family and some friends are still in the area. As much as this loss stings, I could use a break.” I admit.

I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud. Taking breaks isn’t something I do. I’m lucky to sit still for minutes at atime. If I’m not playing hockey, I’m skiing or running or studying the stock market. I enjoy the stuff that makes my heart rate skyrocket and my mother’s blood pressure soar. Don’t get me wrong, she’s always been supportive of my career, but she never fails to remind me how she spends every minute of my games on the edge of her seat. I guess being the mother of an athlete is stressful.

I always knew hockey was my calling—I still remember the first time I stood in a goal box. No other source of adrenaline could compare, and I still feel it every time I step on the ice. It never gets old, and I love every second of it, even after losing a playoff game like tonight.

Our season can last up to nine months of the year, so it’ll be good to spend some time with my parents and my best friend, Kyle. We became friends well before our voices changed. He has some stories about me that I hope will never see the light of day, and I have a few about him.

It’ll be different now that he’s in a serious relationship. I just hope she’s ready to share him for a few months. Of course Kyle told me they’re already making plans to introduce me to some if Addi’s single friends. I haven’t agreed to anything yet because I’m wondering if my well-deserved break should include a break from women too.

Whoa. Maybe this is what an early midlife crisis feels like. Is twenty-six too young to have one? I’m not sure what the reasonable timeline is.

I’ve dated a lot over the past year but nothing has lasted for an extended length of time. The last woman I dated was smart, gorgeous, and a successful veterinarian. Things seemed to be going well until they were goingtoowell. Yep, I panicked, and I’m not proud of it. Plus there were the cats. I like cats—but when she told me she could have four or more at her house at any given time, that was it for me. Myteammates are always on me about intentionally looking for things to be wrong when my relationships get serious, which isn’t true. Well except for when I dated Emma who was obsessed with theGilmore Girls.It was all she wanted to watch when we were together. She’d give me a very detailed rundown of all the characters as we watched, and honestly, I still don’t get the hype. We had a short-lived romance, even though she came from a family of hockey fans. A TV show might’ve been a dumb reason to end things but isn’t it important to enjoy each other’s interests? I couldn’t sit through any more episodes of the diner guy not telling Lorelai how he felt. Come on man, make a move.

So between the vet, theGilmore Girlsfan, and a few others, I need to clear my head.

I’m pulled out of my thoughts when I see my teammate, Cooper, and his girlfriend, Blair, join Jake and Sophie. Everyone is excitedly talking about the end of season party, except Cooper. He’s the only person I’ve ever met who hates parties and most social gatherings as well as hype, attention, and press. He’s here to play the sport, and he’s good at it. While I love playing, I enjoy the attention and adoration of the fans that comes with it.

“Don’t look so excited, Coop.” I say with a chuckle.

He makes a face.

“Come on, Blair, I thought you were making some progress with this guy,” I tease.

She laughs. “I have made progress.”

“It’s true. I’m going to the party, and I’ll stay the entire time,” Cooper adds.

“You’re a new man,” I exclaim, pretending to be shocked.

Cooper cracks a smirk.

“So what are your plans for the next few months, Evans?” Cooper asks. “A safari? Backpacking in Europe?”

“Neither of those,” I announce. “I’m going home to Chicago.”

“And?”

“And that’s it. I’m taking it easy.”

Jake and Cooper exchange a glance.

“I know what you’re thinking,” I say. “But I think I’m overdue for some downtime in my hometown.”

“That’s a great idea,” Sophie says with a warm smile. “Have fun.”

“Thanks.”

We all head toward the exit of the Wolves Den. Admittedly I feel like a fifth wheel in this moment, though I only have myself to blame. I’m the reason I don’t have an amazing woman by my side to celebrate our successful season.

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