Page 33 of Face Off
Red?
Cool. I’ll just go fuck myself then!!!
My entire body hurts.
Muscles I didn’t know existed ache, and I’m embarrassed by the whimper that escapes my chest when I try to prop myself up on an elbow to read my book.
A sharp sting up my thighs triggers a groan after two pages, and I use a wrinkled grocery receipt as a makeshift bookmark. I press my thumbs into my calves and the balls of my feet. My eyes roll to the back of my head when I rub, the pressure so glorious, I might cry in relief.
“Are you okay?” Piper’s voice slides under my door. “You sound like a dying cat.”
“That’s an insult to cats everywhere.” I groan again. “You can come in, but only if you promise to massage my legs.”
“That’s all it takes?” The door swings open, and she shuffles across the carpet. “Gosh, you’re easy.”
“What’s that smell?” I sniff and try to place the scent. “Are you baking?”
“I am.” Piper grins and jumps on my mattress. She wiggles her way up next to me and puts her head on my shoulder. “I made a marble loaf cake. I figured we needed a little something to celebrate your first two weeks with the Stars.”
“Are two weeks worth celebrating?”
“Everything is worth celebrating,” she tells me, sounding like the perfect one-liner for a motivational poster in the locker room. “I even added chocolate chips.”
“Oh, hell.” My mouth waters, and I realize the last thing I ate was my breakfast after practice this morning. The one day off between games slipped away from me, and the setting sun tells me it must be close to dinnertime. “You spoil me.”
“And I do it gladly.” She loops her arm through mine and taps the back of my hand. “How are you feeling? You’ve been a total badass on the ice. Press has been positive, ratings and viewership of Stars games are up, and even people like Simon-freaking-Buttecker are talking about what you bring to the team.”
“I’m…” I shrug, hesitant to use words likegood.It feels like a curse to say it. Like I’ll break this rare bubble of happiness I’m in if I give it a name. “Three games in five days. Two were on the road, and I’ve never been so sore or tired in my life. But…”
“But?” Piper waits, knowing I have more to add.
“But things are going well.”
“They are, aren’t they? And I’m so proud of you.” She pinches my cheek, and I smile. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Not moving more than a foot to my left or my right. Wishing I had a little robot that could bring me water and food so I could live in this bed and never leave. Coach is sadistic—what kind of person schedules a full practice between games?”
“A guy who might finally be on the brink of a winning season,” she says matter of factly. “Do you think you could throw on some jeans and a sweater?”
“For what? It’s almost six, Piper. My social window is closing.”
“Dinner with me, Maven and Lexi. We’re going to this restaurant around the corner. Their food is to die for, and I promise we won’t stay long. A drink and a burger, then we cancome home so you can get some good sleep before the game tomorrow night.”
I open my mouth to say no like I usually do, but the word doesn’t surface.
It gets stuck somewhere in my throat, and for the first time in months, I want to spend the evening with the people I’m still getting to know. A night out with my new friends sounds like fun.
“Okay,” I say. “I’d like that.”
“Yes!” Piper squeals and throws her body on me. I laugh when she hugs me tight. “Make sure to wear a jacket. It’s chilly tonight. Damn winter is just around the corner.”
“What are the vibes of this place? Heels? Sneakers?”
“Casual for sure. There’s a jukebox in the corner, and we try to go weekly when we don’t have a road game.”
I wonder what it would be like to stick around somewhere long enough to have a routine. To have the guy at the bagel cart recognize you when you come by on Sunday morning and the barista at the coffee shop up the road know your order by heart.
“It sounds perfect,” I say.
