Page 123 of The Tape Job
“Invite a hot hockey mom as your date, Dan. Or ask Bettsy about his other sister.” I wink at him, but it’s clear that he doesn’t find it funny. “Look, I get it. I know how lonely it can be.”
I remember too well about the long and lonely times back in Toronto.
Danny gives a subtle nod and disappears into the small storage cupboard. He returns with a bucket of pucks and continues to gather everything we need for the session.
I grab my skates and head towards the bench to get ready. As I bend forward to lace them up, a familiar flash of blonde hair catches my eye from across the ice. Vicky is walking slowly, as if deep in conversation, with a guy about my height that I recognise straight away. He’s dressed overlyformal for the setting, and I don’t like the way his face looks from where I’m sitting.
They stop at the boards, leaning on the edge to look at the ice. He nudges Vicky, leans in as if he’s saying something directly into her ear, and she laughs. Her hair falls back over her shoulders as she tilts her head back in amusement. I find myself clenching my fists.
“Oh, my god. Is Vicky with Neil Jenkins?” Danny’s standing behind me, craning his neck.
“It looks like it, doesn’t it?” I say, standing up.
Danny quickly skates towards the glass where Vicky and Neil stand, comes to a stop and leans in. I can see his animated conversational style in full swing as he also laughs at something Neil says.
The kids have grouped behind me, and I can tell they’re waiting for instruction, so I grab my clipboard and flick through the sheets of paper that Ryan has prepped for me. But only half of my attention is on the lesson plan because I’m stealing glances to where Danny stands, still laughing. To add to my growing annoyance, a few of the kids pipe up and start pointing and jumping at the scene across the ice.
“Aww, do you think he’ll give me his autograph?” one kid says, bouncing up and down on his skates.
But then Danny turns and hurries back towards us, beaming like a tendy who’s just had a shutout.
“He said he’s going to get me tickets,” Danny says, holding his arm out in invitation for the kids to step onto the ice.
“Tickets?” I ask.
“Yeah, tickets. Rugby tickets. Maybe even Six Nations tickets if I pray hard enough.” He rubs his hands together with glee then reaches over to the bench to grab his gloves.
He talks and talks about what Neil has achieved during past seasons before switching to his career as an international rugby star. But I stop listening because I spot them walking away, and Neil’s hand definitelyhovers over Vicky’s lower back. If I had a stick in my hands, I’d be checking its flexibility right now. The jealousy I recall from ‘Meet the Players’ returns, making me reconsider taking that stupid quiz.
Watching them walk away, I feel possessive towards Vicky.
My heart ached in my chest when Vicky asked me to marry her because I was planning on asking her. It may seem completely ridiculous to everyone else, but we’re all or nothing. We can grow together and help each other overcome our torments as a team. Or at least that was my plan, anyway.
I slip my hands into my gloves and grab my stick, my eyes drifting across the fresh tape job that Vicky did this morning. Then I remember the actual sex tape that Vicky thinks she has in her wardrobe, and I know it’s time to take action.
Vicky
Liam’s sitting on the bench lacing his skates, and I can’t take my eyes off him. If I remembered he would be here today for the junior session, I’d never have suggested giving Neil a quick tour. Not that I didn’t want to introduce him to hockey, but I didn’t want Neil or Liam getting the wrong idea.
I’m doing a good job at faking my amusement to Neil—or at least, I think I am. He’s talking about a game he played last week, but my attention is still fixed on the bench where Danny is now standing next to Liam.
As soon as he spots Neil and me, he beams. I watch him skate over in a hurry, and he stops in front of the glass.
“This is Danny Owens. He’s on the team with Johnny. I think he’s helping with the junior session today,” I say to Neil.
I’ve already filled Neil in on the team, and even though he hasn’t officially met Johnny, he saw him when I first went to the rugby club to take photos.
“I love seeing the kids rising through the ranks,” he says. “How’s it going mate?” Neil greets Danny as best as he can through the gap in the glass, and they chat back and forth, laughing in intervals. I’m still fixed on Liam who’s flicking through a clipboard, pretending to concentrate.
Neil says something that makes Danny break out in a raucous laughter, so I join in—just in case I missed the world’s funniest joke.
“You’re doing well this season,” Danny shouts. “I need to come and watch soon. I haven’t been to the rugby in ages.”
“If you want tickets, I can sort you out with some,” Neil says to Danny. “I’ll put Vicky down for two. You can comewith her and keep her company until after the game.” He winks at Danny, who forces a laugh.
“Oh, you’re being serious?” Danny says. “I’d love to, I mean, that’d be great, cheers!”
Danny’s expression surprises me. At first, I think he’s going to cry, but when he smiles, I feel a bead of dread sitting low in my stomach. I guess I’m going with Danny to a rugby match.
