Page 59 of The Alternate Captain
I’ve only sat down for a moment before a pen and napkin are thrust under my nose.
“You stayed out of sight last night.” I scan the QR code to look at the menu. “I was wondering what crap you’d be asking us.”
She shrugs, and as soon as I notice her complete avoidance of any eye contact, I decide to play the game.
“At least you did nothing to annoy Liam,” I say.
“I didn’t come here to talk about Liam,” she says.
“I know Liam. I can tell when he’s pissed. He wasn’t himself during the opening game, nor at the bar last week, and he’s been snappy ever since he got here. He’s been fighting for Christ’s sake. We’re talking about Liam. What’s going on with you two? Please enlighten me, Victoria.” I can’t quite believe I threw out her full name, but it flows so well.
“What’s it got to do with you?” she asks.
I can feel my cheeks turning pink, and I suck in a breath through my teeth. “It’s frustrating when my best face-off guy is constantly in the penalty box and not taking any face-offs.”
“Fine. We briefly spoke last week. I told him I wanted him to keep away, and he obviously didn’t take it very well.”
“Oh. Well, I’m not surprised. I understand you two are no longer a thing, and I’ve told you before, it’s probably for the best, but you need to remain professional, Vic. What the fuck are you playing at?” It comes out a little harsher than it should have, but once it’s out, I decide to ride with it.
“Nothing. I tried to keep away last night. I—”
I cut in. “When is this going to stop? When will you stop throwing your toys out of your crib and get your fucking act together?” She busies herself with the menu on her phone and I know I’ve hit a spot. “Someday, Vic, he’ll move on for good and you’ll have to cope.”
“He can do what he wants. He’s a single guy.”
But the way her face changes tells me that’s the complete opposite of what she wants him to do.
“Could you bear the thought of him properly moving on?” But her silence says it all. “Thought so,” I mutter.
“None of this is easy, Johnny,” she says.
But that’s when I question everything. Because there’s no way in hell that anyone can go from being madly in lovewith someone to the point of getting married to complete disconnection.
“I don’t get it. You were going to marry the guy and then suddenly, poof. Nothing. Not to mention that stunt you pulled before Lois passed away.”
She fumbles in her purse and pulls out a small tin of lip balm. “If you must know, I didn’t want to end up like Mom and Dad. Or Mr and Mrs Preston.”
My heart lurches at those names.
Deep down, I knew Mom and Dad would never work out with their different life paths and whatever, but Mr and Mrs Preston were end game and it devastated everyone, and it probably got Vicky more than I appreciated, given her admission.
“Fuck,” I say, “I didn’t realise that hit you so hard, Sis.”
“You can’t tell Liam. Promise me?” She points her finger at me.
“Why not?” I ask.
“He’ll want to be the hero and try to fix it, but he can’t. It is what it is. He can’t fix it.”
The server sets a mug of coffee in front of Vicky before returning with my brunch.
“Aren’t you eating?” I ask.
“Not hungry.”
“Well, God knows I can’t force you to eat,” I say. Because she’s the second most stubborn person I’ve met, after Liam.
Vicky looks like she’s deep in thought, so I leave her to it while I eat. Then she snaps back to reality, asking me what I’d do if I didn’t play hockey.
