Page 84 of Dreams
“Nope, it’s me - in the flesh.” Her smile was small, but the fact that it was there was something.
He bumped his shoulder into hers. “It’s good to see you, Tay.”
“Shouldn’t you be on the ice?” she asked, gesturing to the team that was now standing in a circle around their coach.
“Nah,” he drew out the word. “I got banged up pretty bad in our last game, so Coach gave me a maintenance day.”
“So, basically you’re slacking.”
“Pretty much.” His resulting laugh was full and loud, just as it always had been.
Garret was Danny’s best friend, and the two were similar in a lot of ways. It felt good to be around him again. The silence that followed was comfortable as they watched the next drill take shape.
“What are you doing in Portland, Tay?” he asked after a few moments. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever see you back.”
“Running away from my issues.” She laughed weakly.
“I thought all your issues were here.”
“You know,” she paused to look around, “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to come back in here.”
“I get that,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. “I actually refused to set foot on that ice after it happened. For weeks, I didn’t skate. I’d stand outside the front doors, but couldn’t make myself open them.”
“What made you finally do it?”
“Your dad.” He laughed. “Training camp was starting, and he threatened me. Said that if I didn’t start acting like the captain and showing the guys it was still okay to play, he’d find a captain who would.”
“Sounds like Dad.”
“When Coach named me captain despite being one of the young guys on the team, Danny was so proud.” He looked down at his hands, his voice getting softer. “I couldn’t let him down.”
“He’ll be watching you in the AHL next year.” Taylor reached out and squeezed his hand.
“Yeah, just wishing he was the one scoring. ‘Get me the puck, Garret.’”
“I’m the one who knows what to do with it,” Taylor laughed as she tried to mimic Danny’s voice.
“It’s a good thing you have a girlfriend, because you can’t score on the ice.” Garret was laughing so hard there were tears in his eyes.
“Man, he was the worst trash-talker.” Taylor wiped at her own watery eyes as she laughed harder.
“And he never stopped doing it.”
Garret went from hysterical to serious in a matter of seconds. His ability to do that had always amazed her. It was one of the reasons he made such a good captain.
“These things you’re running away from,” he said. “If they brought you here, they must be big.”
“I don’t want to talk about this with you.”
“Why not?” he asked, slightly offended.
“You’re Danny’s best friend …” she stopped herself. “Were. You were Danny’s best friend.”
“I still am, Tay. I’ll always be his best friend, just like you’ll always be the girl he loved more than anything. Even hockey.” He looked to the ceiling. “Sorry, bro, spilled the beans.”
Taylor hit his arm, and he looked at her again. “If this has to do with Danny, it’s got to be that you finally moved on. Feeling guilty?”
“A bit.”
