Page 29 of Just Friends
Until he finally connected with one that counted, square on the chin, his fist like a sledgehammer.
My legs buckled and my feet were suddenly swept out from beneath me. I reached for the ground but it wasn’t there.
The world started to spin—bright lights above and a white sheet of ice below—until it all melded together into one dim and fading light …
9
Jax
Five years ago.
The Colorado Blizzard were crammed elbow-to-elbow in the visitor’s dressing room at Madison Square Garden, but we didn’t care. Our spirits couldn’t be flying any higher.
“Nothing like a victory on the road, eh, boys?” Beau Bradford said, earning a chorus ofhell yeahs.
We’d sucked the lifeout of that building with a comeback 3–2 win, and now we were excited to enjoy our reward—a night in NYC without the cloud of defeat lingering over us.
Eager to enjoy the big city night life, we threw on our best suits and shoes, which we’d packed specifically for this road trip. Excitement was in the air as the boys collaborated on the night’s agenda: where to eat, where to drink, and where to see some naked girls.
But I had my own plans. I spritzed cologne on my wrist and dabbed it on my neck, a permanent smile on my face.
Vinny, dressing in the stall next to me, tapped my shoulder. “Hey, rookie, can I get some of that? I wanna smell nice for the honeys at the titty bar, too.”
“Sure.” I passed him the bottle. “ButI’m not going out with you guys tonight.”
“What?! Why not?”
“I’m meeting up with a girl,” I said.
That caught the attention of the whole room.
“Cameron’s blowing us off for a chick?!”
“Ouch! Pigeon-tossed by a rookie!”
“Well, go on, Cammer, who is she?”
“Piper,” I said.
“Who the fuck is Piper?” Vinny asked.
“The girl I was talking to at the club last night,” I said.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Vinny said. “You’re talking about that chick you were trying to wheel last night? The same girl you literally put tosleepbecause your game is so fucking bad?”
The boys doubled over with gut-busting laughter. They love to tease me about being bad with women, but that has more to do with me being a rookie than it does reality. We’re all pro athletes, for God’s sake—none of ushaveto be especially charming or witty around girls. We just have toexist,and that’s usually enough to seal the deal.
“Go ahead, boys. Laugh all you want,” I said smugly. “Butshetexted me out of the blue today. So I guess my game can’t bethatbad, eh?”
The boys went,
“Oooh shit!”
“She texted you?!”
“You aresoin!”
“Rookie’s getting laid to~night!”
