Page 15 of Cross Checks

“Anna! Wow, it has been ages. How in the world are you?”

Mixed emotions rolled around in my head while I listened to her comments. “I’m good, very good. I saw you on TV last week in a game against the Thunderhawks. You looked amazing.”

I blushed slightly, like always, when called out with praise in public. “Thanks. This year’s been a crazy season already. Anything particularly new that makes things good?”

She talked about a new job in marketing, and her enthusiasm shone with every word. We stood in line amid the morning rush, catching up on the last eighteen months by sharing sweeping generalizations.

As we talked, my mind drifted back to Hank. I was talking to an ex-girlfriend from barely two years back, and what had happened over the weekend made that past part of me feel distant and foreign.

Back then, I was confident of my straight identity, and playing around with guys was just mindless experimentation. Now, I wasn’t quite as sure who I was.

Anna pulled me back to the present again. “You seem a little distant, Chase. Is everything okay?”

I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately. You know how it can be.”

Tilting her head to the side, she gave me a knowing look. “Life can be complicated sometimes,” she said.

As we gathered our breakfasts and parted ways, with the usual promises not to let years pass before the next catch-up, I felt a twinge of something. What was it? Nostalgia? Regret? I couldn’t quite place it.

Our reconnection left me in a reflective mood as I returned to my car. I was right about life being more complicated with Hank entering it, but his presence held the promise to make it richer than anything I ever expected.

While I sat on the bench at the Portland arena, lacing up my skates, thoughts about Hank made it hard to focus. Jensen joined me, and he immediately picked up on the change in my mood.

“Hey, daydreamer, are you planning your next vacation already?” He nudged me lightly with his elbow.

I shook my head. “Just didn’t sleep well last night. Careful, you might be poking the bear.”

“Hmm…has someone caught your eye? Is that the distraction and root of the sleeplessness? You sort of have that lovesick puppy look going on.”

I laughed. He was closer to accurate than he knew, but I wouldn’t let him in on my secret just yet. “In your dreams, bud. I’m just thinking about the next game.”

“Sure, sure, got it. Remember, I’m here if you need to spill it about that secret crush.”

I climbed to my feet and then skated off onto the ice to join the rest of the team. Jensen’s needling did lighten my mood, but the relationship with Hank was too new and fragile. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how Jensen would react to it.

After practice, as we packed up, he came back to my locker. This time, he had a serious expression on his face. “Hey, Taylor, can we talk? Privately?”

“Are you headed back to Cold Pines?” I asked.

“Yeah, going straight back. Why do you ask?”

“Why don’t we grab a beer at Lou’s. It’s a good place to talk.”

Jensen clapped me on the back. “It’s a deal. Maybe I’ll even spring for some wings. See you there in about half an hour.”

By the time I reached Lou’s, I was very curious about what he had in mind. I found him at a booth and settled in on the opposite side of the table. His face appeared slightly pinched like he was wrestling with something big.

“It’s not a big thing, honest,” he said. “I don’t know why I’m making it sound like that.”

“Just go ahead and tell me what it is.”

“Okay, well, you remember Beth, right? The teacher I told you I met last month?"

"Yeah, the one you wouldn't shut up about for like three days,” I teased.

"That's the one," Jensen said as a grin spread across his face. "I think it's getting a little serious. I mean, I really like her, more than I ever expected.”

He was sincerely troubled. I could see it in his eyes. "That's great. She must be exceptional, but there’s something wrong?”

---