Page 109 of The Tape Job
I shake the complications of my relationship, or situationship, from my mind and finish getting ready. I make my way to the ice with Danny.
“Where did you disappear to after practice yesterday?” he says as we enter the tunnel towards the rink. “I thought you were coming to the driving range?”
“I just had to take care of something,” I lie, zooming off towards the net as soon as my skates touch the ice.
I want to tell Danny, I really do. Because the whole thing was hilarious. Vicky had texted me, asking me to meet her in the equipment storage room. I was half-way there when she came running towards me.
“Someone’s already in there!” she said, pulling my arm towards the direction of the exit. But when I asked her who, she turned red. “I’d rather not say,” she said, looking like she was about to burst into tears but she’d given the game away.
“Johnny?”
“Yes!” she squeaked. “And I know he wasn’t on his own.”
We didn’t get a chance to hang around and see who else came out of the room because Ryan was calling me asking why I wasn’t at the driving range.
“I’m not dumb, you know,” Danny says. “I know about you and Vicky.”
“Well, shit.” I flick a puck towards the net.
“Yeah. And Johnny doesn’t know?”
“Not officially. Well, Vicky’s waiting for him to be in a better mental state, and I agree with her. I guess we’ll see how it goes—wait, who the fuck is that?” I’m staring directly at a beefy guy leaning on the boards next to the benches. He’s got this tight-fitting V-neck t-shirt on, and he looks like he’s been punched in the nose recently. I’d still wager that he doesn’t have a hard time getting a date. He’s got a big square jaw covered in stubble, and his hair is short as if he’s just had a fresh cut.
Ryan skates over and comes to a stop next to me, then his eyes follow mine.
“Who the fuck is that?” he echos.
“Hell knows. Ask him what he wants. Maybe he’s lost,” I say, but the puck Ryan’s playing with has captured his attention, and he’s not listening.
“Hey!” The guy is waving in our direction, and Danny lets out a gasp.
“Oh my God. It can’t be—”
“What?” I say.
“I know who that is! That’s Neil Jenkins!” Danny says.
“Who?”
“Neil Jenkins, he plays rugbyfor—”
“What does he want?” I cut in, but Danny skates towards the bench. I edge closer slightly so I can listen.
“Alright, mate? It is you, isn’t it?” Danny asks, and the warmth coming from his cheeks is enough to melt the ice.
“I’m looking for Victoria Koenig,” Neil ‘whatshisface’ says with a grin.
My heart stops.
“Vicky? She’s not here right now, but I can pass on a message,” Danny says in an ever-so-helpful tone.
But before I can hear a reply, Johnny is standing right next to me, nudging my arm and saying my name.
“What?” I say, not taking my eyes off Neil and Danny. He better not be taking a message to pass on.
Johnny looks over towards the bench. “Oh, it’s—”
“Not you as well.”
