Page 92 of Friendzone Hockey
“Then you should go with Syd. We can have the marathon another time,” Stacey says.
We can, but it won’t be the same. It won’t beus-us, it’ll be “new us”, and I want my last movie marathon as us.
“No. He’s the one who barged in. He’s not ruining our plans, Stace.”
“Dash—”
But I’m already climbing out of the truck, beelining it for poor, unsuspecting Syd. “What are you doing here?” I accuse.
He flinches. Syd’s the ruggedly handsome business type. There’s silver peppered through his dark hair. He’s got a strongjawline and firm shoulders. He’s always a force. But I just made the guy flinch with a look. Fuck. I’m an asshole.
“Today was the day with the Newland’s appointment, wasn’t it? I busted my ass to get back here for it. I wanted to surprise you.”
“You, ah, you missed it.” I swallow down the choking sensation in my throat. What am I doing? I got caught up in … in what? A weird-ass possessiveness thing I have with my best friend? This is my man. The guy who moved to Kelowna just to be with me. The guy who looks like he’s been up since dawn trying to get here for our wedding appointment. Tiredness pinches the minor wrinkling around his eyes.
I’m a fucking monster.
And I get it now. What Stacey was saying. This man’s gonna be my husband and a certain amount of loyalty goes with that, above and beyond friendships.
Even one like mine and Stacey’s.
“Did I interrupt something?”
I look around for Stacey, thinking of reintroducing them again. They’ve met before, briefly. But Stacey’s … gone. He could have gone around the back and entered the house that way, but I know he hasn’t.
He left.
It’s over. We’re over. It’s done.
“No. Nothing at all. I’m glad you’re here.” I race into Syd’s arms and let him hold me. They’re good arms. Comfort-filled arms. Arms I love.
But they’re wrong.
I take his hand. “I kinda sorta might have chosen our wedding venue. And put a massive deposit on it. Don’t kill me.”
“I already told you, Dash, pick whatever you want. I’ll be happy enough getting to say I do to the most beautiful man on Earth.”
Maybe. Or maybe when he hears what I have to tell him, he’ll never want to speak to me again.
Chapter
Nineteen
THEN
Off-Season Four - End of June
Stacey
Well, that’s one way to start the off-season. Jack thought Rhett was going to propose to him, but instead they broke up. Can’t say I didn’t see that coming, but I’m still devastated on his behalf while simultaneously glad it happened. Rhett’s fine, but he wasn’t for Jack. I guess I can’t be counted as an expert on the love topic seeing as I’ve pined for Dash for four fucking hockey seasons now. But experiencing Jack’s utter heartbreak is a reflection of my own.
Jack’s hockey hair’s a mess, his lucky hat sits lonely on the coffee table. Casey’s where he’s been for the past few days—beside him—and I’m trying to come up with something we can do to ease the world-ending devastation.
Dirk and Dash are at the pub, but they’re due home any minute.
“It’s just, I thought we were it, y’know?” Jack says. “He called me sunshine—is anyone gonna call me sunshine ever again?”
Casey puts an arm around him, pulling Jack into his side and kissing the top of his head. “I’ll call you sunshine, bud. Know what we should do? Let’s go on a sex bender. We’ll bang so many dudes during the off-season, bro.”
