“Damn,” I hear from beside me, seeing Brady from Toronto standing there still in his gear. The only thing off is his skates. The opponent’s locker room is right next to where I’m standing.
“Who’s the chick?” He crosses his arms over his chest.
“Fuck off, Brady.” I motion with my head toward his changing room. Brady all but laughs in my face and claps his hands.
“If she was yours, would you even have to tell me to fuck off?” He pokes the bear with a stick. I stand, going toe-to-toe with him, but because I still have my skates on, I’m taller than him.
“Let me put this in words that you are going to understand,” I say between clenched teeth. A couple of people from Toronto have stuck their heads out of the room. “If you even go next to her, I’m going to make sure you are eating from a straw for the next four months.”
He chuckles and is about to say something when the captain of the team comes out and grabs Brady by his shirt. “Go get changed,” he tells Brady.
I stare into his eyes. “Is that clear enough for you?” Brady takes one more look at me before he turns and heads back to the room. The minute he walks away from me, another thing hits me, shocking me even more—my uncle Matthew has been right about everything.
sofia
I flush the toilet and walk out to wash my hands at the same time Addison rushes back into the bathroom. I put my hand under the soap dispenser and I’m about to wash my hands when I see her face. “I think we should go,” she urges, looking over her shoulder and I’m afraid something happened to her.
I put my hands under the stream of water to rinse off the soap. “Is everything okay?” I ask before walking over and snatching some brown paper from the dispenser and drying my hands.
“We shouldn’t go out there,” she says and looks over at the doorway.
“Why?” I ask.
“You know your guy?” she asks, her voice going low as she wrings her hands in front of her.
“He’s not my guy,” I correct her, and she just rolls her eyes at me.
“Okay, well, the guy who wants you and you want him,” she states. “He literally threatened a guy who was asking about you.”
“Why?” I gasp, shocked. “What?”
“He’s going to be eating from a straw.” My mouth opens to say something but nothing comes out. She fans herself now. “I haven’t been with anyone since my daughter was conceived, but if you weren’t interested in him…” She winks at me, making me glare.
“This is crazy,” I huff before I kick her in the shin for even thinking about Matthew that way.
I walk out and see he’s waiting with his hands on his hips. He looks up when he hears me coming. “Good, you’re here,” he says. “I have to go and talk to the press.” He points with his thumb behind him. “But do you want to go and eat?”
Yes! my head shouts out, but my mouth says, “I have to work tomorrow.” I turn to Addison. “And I have to get Addison home.”
“Fine,” he grumbles, looking around, “then give me ten minutes, and I’ll walk you out.” The look on his face is one I don’t think I’ve seen before.
“I don’t need you to walk me out,” I assure him, and he just stares at me, his teeth grinding down.
“Fine, then I’ll leave with you now.” He bends to start untying his skates. “Then be fined for not talking to the press.” He looks up once he’s got one of his skates untied.
“Oh my God, you are such a dick,” I say out loud.
“Is that a yes?” he asks, his mouth going from a side smirk to a smile. His hair is still dripping wet from the game.
“It’s an I have no choice.” I throw my hands up and I see some of the players walk out of the room. One of them lingers looking at me, and Addison nudges me with her elbow.
“Good enough. I’m going to go change and meet the press.”
“And shower,” I stick in there, “you stink like molded cheese and feet.” I fan my nose.
“Okay, how about you drop off Addison?” He motions to Addison. “Nice to meet you.”
“Thank you,” Addison says, “for the tickets to the game. I had so much fun.”
“Anytime,” he replies, “as long as you bring this one.” He points at me.
“I’m standing right here,” I tell him, waving my hand in front of his face, and he laughs. “I’m going to drive Addison home, and then I don’t know, I guess you can text me.”