Page 3 of Puck Shots
“I don’t want you to date him.”
“Then what do you want?”
“He’s a legacy at KOK.”
“Oh, umm, cool, so thanks for telling me, I guess.”
“I need you to look out for him.”
“Why? If he’s a legacy, he’s already pretty much got in.”
“Yeah, but he’s sort of…shy, and John was just worried the guys might not give him a fair go.”
“So you’re asking me to, what? Rig the vote?”
“No, no, nothing like that, just maybe, keep an eye on him, that’s all. Make sure no one messes with him.”
Luka is mouthing, “What vote?” and I roll my eyes.
“Sure, okay, whatever. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Thanks.”
“No worries. I got to go. We’re headed out.”
“Wait, you don’t know his name.”
“John’s brother isn’t his name?”
“It’s Eli Morely,” he replies, and I’m not even surprised that he’s ignoring my smart-ass remarks. That’s one thing Calvin and Tony got really good at. Ignoring me. They’ve been joined at the hip since birth. Fuck, before birth seeing as those fuckers grew in the womb together, identical twins, always there for each other, a built-in best friend. Where the fuck was my built-in best friend? I was the one they never expected. Hence the name. Cosmo. You know the whole, humans plan and the universe laughs quote, well that’s what my parents refer to my conception as being.
“Okay, Eli got it.”
“Thanks, bro. And it was really good seeing you the other week. You should totally come hang out more.”
“Sure,” I reply, knowing I probably won’t. It’s not that I don’t like my brothers, I love them, they’re family. But being in Savannah with two Banana Ball players is like trying to walk down the street with a neon sign above your head. Everyone stares, and they come up asking for photos, and guess who ends up being the guy holding the phone to take the pictures. Yep, me.
“Oh, and Ash says hi.”
I feel my smile spread across my face. Calvin’s boyfriend is a huge fan of hockey, and it was the second-best thing about my visit home. The first being Brent. My oldest brother moved across the pond to the UK years ago and hadn’t been home in three years. We talk all the time, and not just because he wants something.
“Tell him hi from me.”
“Cosmo says hi,” he says down the line, and then Ash’s voice comes over top.
“Hi, Cosmo.”
“Umm, Luka and Rover are waiting for me, so if that’s it…”
“Yeah. Umm, thanks, I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”
“Yeah. Sure. Bye.”
I hang up and shove the phone into my pocket.
“So what did B-One want?” Luka asks, and I love the way he refers to my brothers by the nicknames they hate. That’s a real best friend right there.
“A new pledge is a brother of a guy in his team. He wants me to keep an eye on him.”
