Page 17 of Fair Play
Thirteen seasons in the NHL, and I don’t have anyone I would call a good friend. Someone from past teams who’d say they were bummed when I left. I play the lone wolf really well because I am one, and it’s all my own doing.
The one thing I’m good at is pushing people away.
Every time I’m traded to a new team I promise myself I’ll be better—do better—but it doesn’t happen. I guess it’s simply who I am. Friends and family just aren’t a thing for me.
“Rome, you sure you want to do this car thing? Billie’s never had a car before.” Bodi asks me as we head toward the family lounge.
“She has her license, right?” I ask.
“Yeah, I made sure she knows how to drive. She just doesn’t do it very often.”
“How come?”
“Well, I’m not going to let her drive my brand-new fifty-thousand-dollar SUV.”
“Why not?” I glance at him curiously.
“First of all, it’s the most expensive thing I’ve ever owned. Second, I don’t know how good of a driver she is. She was fine when I taught her but it’s been years since she got her license.”
“Did she drive whatever you drove before you bought this expensive new vehicle?”
He hesitates. “Yeah. On occasion.”
“So you were fine with her driving your old piece of junk, but not your shiny new toy?”
“Would you be?”
“I’m about to hand her the keys to a like-new Mercedes, so yeah. I’m fine with it.” We turn the corner and the first thing I see is Billie.
In tight jeans, her brother’s jersey, and that same sparkly pink lipstick she wore the night we met.
God dammit, why does that make me want to kiss her? Am I turning into a pervert?
No, that’s not who I am. I’m a lot of shitty things but not that.
She’s an adult.
Just because Bodi treats her like a child doesn’t mean she is one. She’s an adult in every sense of the word. And a beautiful one.
Who’s chatting with my sister like they’ve been friends for years.
Fuck.
My sister doesn’t need any excuses to stick her nose in my business so the last thing I want is for her to befriend Billie. Looks like it’s too late, though.
“Hey.” I walk over and join them.
“Mom isn’t feeling well,” my sister Athena says. “I think she’s just being a drama queen over the car thing. You know how she gets.”
I sigh. “Is she that upset?”
She shakes her head. “No. She just wants your attention, and while you certainly don’t visit her enough, don’t play into this. We’ve finally got her living her life again, so don’t let her regress.”
“Christ.” It’s always something with my family, especially my mother.
“I drove the Mercedes to the game,” Athena says. “And Billie will drive me home after, okay?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” I’m a little hesitant now, after talking to Bodi, and Billie picks up on it.
