Page 27 of Just Friends
He scratched the back of his head.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “I mean, I’d have to ask the team if they’d be cool with me bringing a complete stranger, of course.”
“Would you? Please?”
“Yeah, yeah. Sure.”
“You’re the best, Jax.” I ran up, threw my arms around his neck, and gave him a big ol’ kiss on the cheek. “Thank yousomuch.”
“Hey, anything for you, Pipes.”
Before he could squeeze me back, I jumped out of his arms and ran back to my laptop. Because I had work to do.
“Can we do our first live-stream today?” I asked, barely able to contain my excitement.
“Yeah, sure. I’m skating with the boys this afternoon, but we can do it once I get back.”
“Yessss!” I pumped my fist and immediately started typing up an announcement for Twitter.
Soulmate was going to be a success because of Jax,and I’d never have to worry about money or how to take care of my family again.
8
Jax
Later that day.
Dane had the puck on his stick.
Like yesterday, I gave him room on the outside. But today had a very different result. Dane turned on the jets, challenging me with his speed. Once he gained a step on me, he cut back into the middle of the ice with a power move, keeping his body between me and the puck.
All I could do was harass Dane from behind, hacking and slashing at him with my stick, and hope our goalie would make the save. But the determined captain cut across the crease, making the goalie open his legs, and tucked the puck through the gaping five-hole.
“Wooo!” Dane howled, pumping his fist in the air.
I coasted to the bench with my head hung low. My d-partner, Mikey Vedros, and I took our seats on the bench.
“Welp,” Mikey said between winded breaths, “that’s another minus-one for us.”
With just two years in the league under his belt, Mikey’s still got a lot to learn. Part of the reason the Devils wanted me is to be Mikey’s mentor—show him the ropes and all that—but today,he’splaying like the more experienced defenseman.
“It was my bad,” I grumbled. “Not your fault.”
“Either Dane’s fast today, or you’re slow, ’cause he keeps turning you inside-out with that wide cut he’s doing.”
“It’s both.”
“I bet I know why.” Grinning, he nudged my side. “She kept you up late, eh? That girl you took home last night?”
I looked off to the side so he wouldn’t see my eyes rolling up into my head.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I snarled.
The kid shrank away. “Oh. Alright.”
Hell,I’d made my partner feel bad. I felt rotten. I stewed in silent misery for a moment or two.
“Hey, sorry I’m being an asshole, Mikey,” I said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I’m just in a shit mood for some reason, and I keep getting fuckingtorchedout there.”
