Page 41 of Slew Foot
“Hey, do you think there are any apartments available in this building?” he asked when it occurred to him that he didn’t need to find one just like this if this was actually an option. Why hadn’t he thought about that sooner?
“I dunno,” Tanner said. “Why?”
“I was thinking maybe I could find a place here. It would be super convenient to the rink and hanging out with you guys.”
“Dope!” Tanner said, glancing up from his phone. “Yeah, that would be totally sick.”
“Not to discourage you, Rafe,” Mickey said. “You should ask about availability, but I know Ben asked about it after he got called up and he didn’t have any luck.”
“Ben?” Tanner asked blankly.
“Estrada?” Mickey said. “The guy they brought up from Concord to fill in Tucker’s place after the trade.”
“Oh! Strads, yeah,” Tanner said, his attention back on his screen.
Mickey rolled his eyes and Rafe felt like he was in on another little joke with him.
“Well, it was a thought,” Rafe said, shrugging.
Tanner looked up again. “You could move in with us?”
“What?” Rafe and Mickey said in unison.
Tanner looked between them. “I mean, why not? We’ve got a third bedroom.”
“Isn’t it like … for guests?” Rafe asked doubtfully.
“Yeah, I thought you were going to have your family stay there when they visited,” Mickey said.
“Uhh yeah, well, when I said that to my mom, she fuckin’ laughed in my face and said she was only stepping into my apartment with a hazmat suit on.”
“Harsh,” Rafe said.
“I know, right? I mean, just because my last place was pretty bad. I mean, I havematured,” Tanner said.
Mickey burst out laughing. “Matured. Right. You’d still be living in a pig barn if it wasn’t for me.”
“I know how to do the laundry now!” Tanner protested.
Mickey sighed. “Something even a ten-year-old can do. Yes, very impressive, Clay.”
They started squabbling and Rafe tuned them out for a moment as he thought about the offer.
It would be nice. The room was kinda small, but the bed was plenty big enough for him, which was all that mattered. He didn’t own a ton of shit, and he was gone on road trips a lot anyway.
Honestly, it would be kindaperfect. Close to the rink and way better than living alone. Staying at the hotel totally sucked.
He could ride with the guys to practice, and they hung out all the time anyway …
“What do you think, Mouse?” he asked, interrupting their argument. “Are you okay with it?”
Mickey turned and looked at him, mouth opening and closing without ever saying a word. He cleared his throat and shot Rafe a look he couldn’t read before he said, “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I dunno.” Rafe shrugged. “It’s your place too. I just wanted to be sure you were cool with it.”
“I can’t think of a reason to tell you I wouldn’t be.”
Rafe frowned because that sounded sort of … weird, but maybe it was some language thing or something.
