Page 78 of Wilder Puck
Andrew nods in agreement.
“So Andrew,” Colton starts, twirling spaghetti around his fork, “I heard you've been logging some extra ice time with your physical therapist. Anything you want to share with the class?”
Andrew nearly chokes on a meatball, his face turning an impressive shade of red. “You’re getting nothing from me, man. We just ran some drills together, that's all. She's been helping me work on my bad knee.”
Colton snorts into his beer. “Right. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
“Like you're one to talk, Mr. Walks-of-Shame every other weekend.”
“Hey, Ryan can’t be the only one getting all the action.”
Ryan starts coughing and laughing at the same time.
“But I always make sure to call an Uber for my guests the next morning like the good guy that I am.”
Ryan barks out a laugh. “Oh man, remember that time we ordered you an Uber XL and the driver thought he was supposed to pick up six drunk chicks from your place? I thought he was gonna have a stroke when you stumbled out alone with your shirt on backward.”
The whole table dissolves into laughter as Colton flips Ryan off good-naturedly. I remember that story from a few months ago.
“Hey, Andrew, I think it’s off-limits to be crushing on the PT though,” Colton says, and it’s obvious he doesn’t like the attention on him.
“Fuck off, Colton,” Andrew says, which makes Colton laugh. “We're friends. Can't a guy and a girl just be friends without everyone making it weird?”
The rest of the guys all turn to look at me and Ryan with varying degrees of pointed amusement. I feel my cheeks heat even as I laugh.
“Hey, leave us out of this,” I protest weakly. “We're not the best example.”
“Uh huh,” Chase says skeptically. “You two are the perfect example.”
Ryan shrugs. “We’ve been in love this entire time, so it’s a special case.”
“You both lived in denial for years?” Colton asks, amused. He turns his head to Andrew. “It’s funny how that works, isn’t it?”
“It’s a work relationship. There’s nothing going on.”
“Yeah. Mhm,” Colton teases and I can see he’s getting on Andrew’s nerves.
“Okay,” I interrupt, seeing that Chase just took the last bite on his plate. “Grab seconds if you’d like, but who wants to take home a plate?”
The guys all claim a plate, grinning at me sweetly. I stand to grab some takeout containers as they make a second plate.
“I think I could do this all the time,” Andrew says, spearing another meatball. “Thanks for the invite and for cooking for us, Addie.”
I smile at his appreciation. Chase and Colton jump on it too.
It strikes me suddenly how lucky I am to have this - not just Ryan, but what comes with him. Yes, we were always best friends, but I rarely ever hung out with his friends or the team so intimately like this. I’m excited to get to know the team better, and now I’m wishing they had girlfriends to bring with them. A few months ago, I never could've imagined myself here, comfortable and happy in the midst of a group of professional athletes.
“We should definitely plan to do this more often.”
Under the table, Ryan's hand finds mine and gives it a squeeze, like he can sense my thoughts. I glance over at him, and he smiles, soft and private, just for me.
Yeah. I'm a lucky girl alright.
The chatter continues to flow as freely as the wine, the guys trading inside jokes and stories that leave me clutching my stomach with laughter. Every so often, one of them will turn to me for backup or to get my take, making sure to include me in any way that they can.
It's nice. More than nice. It feels like family.
And when Ryan’s arm slides around my shoulder, that feels pretty damn nice too.
