Page 27 of My Wife
“Like a chicken? I have no fear!”
Her smile is delayed, but when it comes, she says, “Yeah. You’ve got this.”
With the tattered gown in my arms, I reach in for a one-armed hug. “Thank you for getting me out of this dress and not being mad that I didn’t invite you to the wedding that wasn’t.”
Her lips tip to one side. “At the next one, I insist on being your maid of honor.”
We exchange a laugh, but as I leave, gown in hand, I have my doubts that there will be a next time.
Lost both in thought and the maze of hallways in the depths of the Ice Palace, I get turned around trying to retrace my steps back to the lobby when my foot catches in the mess of fabric I’m carrying. I should just throw this thing out. Or burn it. Though, it seems like it’s going to cushion my fall as the floor gets closer.
Then I abruptly stop as a strong hand grips my arm.
“Watch where you’re going,” a low voice rumbles.
I straighten and meet a pair of fierce blue-gray eyes.
Sweaty from head to toe, the guy from the bakery chews on his mouth guard.
My positivity battery is running low, but I muster a bright smile. “Hello again and thank you. I hope you’ve had a wonderful day since we last saw each other this morning.”
He scowls. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just leaving.” No need to prolong this encounter or give him any personal information; you can never be too careful. It’s not that I’m scared of him, more like I won’t have a sweaty six-and-a-half-foot giant raining on my welcome home parade.
He points to the gown in my hands. “Why were you wearing that?”
“Are you the fun police?”
His eyebrows lift a micrometer, but he schools his expression.
“No, seriously, are you? It’s been a while since I’ve been in Cobbiton, do they have a new community ordinance?”
Rude and crude, he snorts before carrying on down the hallway.
It isn’t until after he turns the corner that a reply comes to mind. I’m always a minute slow, a day late, and a dollar short.
Sticking out my tongue at Mr. Meanie’s back, I low-key snarl, “I wore it because I wanted to.” Well, not this particular dress because as Cara noted, it’s not especially flattering. Sorsha insisted. I let her. If I’m brutally honest, she pushed me into the whole thing … even after I moved to Los Angeles and declared that my life choices were mine after nearly a lifetime of moving around in the foster care system—only to allow Sorsha to take charge.
I push those dismal thoughts away because today, er, tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully, the sun will come out, and I can begin again.
New (old) town! New job! Nothing can stop me now!
When I get back to Grandma Dolly’s, I flip the page in my bullet journal, and using my favorite assortment of colorful pens, I put my plans to paper … though my big dreams page remains a scribbled mess of ideas and inspiration. The Hollywood one didn’t quite work out as expected. Maybe I’ll get lucky like Cara and get my big break.
There’s nothing like hope … and Grandma Dolly’s cookies to keep me going.
9
LIAM
Tonight we’reon home ice at the Palace, matched up against the Carolina Storm.
Our forward and Duffton from the opposing team start strong, fast-paced with the puck coasting across the ice with perfect passes and assists. He scores a greasy goal on Robo in the office for Beau during the first period. Into the second, the Storm lags and loses steam, relying on brute force rather than strategy and skill.
I’m big and fast but my secret weapon is learning the strengths and weaknesses of all the other players on my team to compensate and on the others to dominate. Once you know where the kinks in the chain are, it’s easy to slide in and strengthen them or break them.
Eight minutes on the clock, Jack gets us our first goal against his old team. Another ten pass and it looks like Cole from Carolina is going to score, but Beau blocks it with a great butterfly save. We take possession and I keep the Storm running scared, giving Hayden a chance to score, gaining us a one-point lead.
