Page 11 of Keeper
“It’s not your fault, kid,” the veteran backup said. “You did everything you could. The boys don’t have their legs tonight.”
But it didn’t matter if it was my fault or not. My job was to stop pucks. And I wasn’t getting my job done. Bottom line.
“Good luck out there, Coops,” I said.
I took my seat at the end of the bench, trading my goaltender mask for a baseball cap. The puck was dropped and the action resumed. But I stared off into the distance, my mind elsewhere.
Two months now without a win. I was on one hell of a cold streak.
5
Ainsley
Dallas greeted me with its city skyline, its buildings lit and sparkling in the night. One of the biggest towerslooked like a luminescent golf ball, with points of light glowing in its dimples.
Driving in a new city for the first time, I followed Marta’s directions deeper into the heart of downtown. The buildings grew taller and the architecture more impressive as I neared her high-rise. Home at last, I parked in her building’s garage.
She was right—just based on the lobby, her buildingwasincredible. I couldn’t even imagine how much her rent cost.
I took an elevator up to her floor. The second I knocked, I heard the excitedclompof heels running to answer the door.
Marta yanked the door open and threw her arms around me. “Ainsley!”
“Marta!” I hugged her back. “So good to see you!”
“Look at you!” She took a step back, eyeing me from head-to-toe. “You lookuh-mazing.”
“Me?” I laughed. I wasn’t sure how amazing I could look in a sweater and jeans, after a six hour drive, no less. “I probably look like a bum—I definitely feel like one—but jeez, look atyou!”
Marta was dressed to kill in a sleeveless red dress with a neckline that plunged past her belly-button. (Yes,past.)
“Really? Do I look okay?” she asked, and I reassured her she looked great. “I know it’s a lot of boob, but hey, I wanted to look hot. I figured since you were coming, wehadto go out tonight. You are down to go out tonight, right?”
“Sure,” I said, but then I gestured at my outfit. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t exactly planning on a fun vacation when I left home. I only brought basics.”
“Not a problem. I’ll have something for you.” Suddenly, her brow grew heavy. “Wait. You did bring your camera, didn’t you?”
“Of course. It’s in here.” I slid my backpack off my shoulder and patted it.
“Oh, perfect. Because we should totally take some pictures while you’re here.”
“Definitely,” I said.
I took a moment to look around her apartment. The place looked so pristine and crisp—the wood floors were golden and seemingly without a single scratch, the walls so white they gleamed, and the ceilings sky-high.
I always thought the modest little turn-of-the-century home I rented in Kansas was cute—but after being here, I started to feel like I actually lived in a ratty hovel.
“Your place is amazing, Marta.”
“Isn’t it great? It’s a new building. I was one of the first tenants to buy.”
“Youboughtit?” I asked, my jaw dropping. I could not even begin to fathom how much an apartment like this would cost.
“Sure did. Would you like the tour?”
“Please.”
She made moving around in six-inch heels look easy as she gave me a quick tour of her apartment—even if Iwasafraid that her ample breasts would spill out every time she suddenly spun around around to point out some other internet-connected feature in her modern apartment.
