Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
“We’re good now, yeah. But I made a lot of mistakes Rix had to pay for. I should have helped her more when she needed it, and I should have considered how my actions off the ice affected her, and my best friend. Anyway, that’s for my therapist to deal with, not you.” He smiles wryly. “I’m going to ice this ankle and elevate it so I can get back on the ice and do my job as soon as possible.”
“Want help?”
He starts to shake his head but stops. “You know what? Yeah. Please. There’s a soft gel pack in the freezer.”
“You want me to bring over any snacks while I’m at it?”
“You gonna get on me for eating crap while I feel like crap?” he asks.
“You get a pass for a couple of days,” I reply.
“An ice cream sandwich would be awesome. There’s a box beside the gel pack. And maybe a bag of buffalo-wing chips. They’re in the cupboard to the right of the fridge, first shelf.”
“On it.”
He stuffs a box of candy-coated black licorice into his pocket and crutches to the couch while I gather the requested items. I find it interesting that his cupboards and freezer are stocked with the same stuff I buy: mostly the generic brands. I feel like I’ve learned a lot about Flip in a few short minutes.
I set everything on the coffee table. “You need anything else?”
“Nope. I’m all good here. Going to eat my feelings and watch something other than hockey. Thanks for stopping by, Coach. I appreciate it. I know you’ve been trying this season, and I’m sorry it took this long to get to the bottom of things, but I think we were mostly embarrassed. Or at least I was. Still am, to be honest. Owning my stupidity and jealousy is something I’m clearly still working on, and I wish I could have done it earlier in the season. The team needed someone like you. You've got all the best parts of the other coaches and a side of empathy that gives you an edge. We all see it.” He gives me a chagrined smile. “And it wasn’t your fault I got hurt. It’s on me and Grace. I know you’re probably getting heat on the hockey sites. It’s just noise. You gotta block it out.”
“Thanks, Flip, I appreciate it.” More than he knows. It’s validating. Affirming when I need it the most, but it also shines a light on the things I’m not doing right. Like what happened at Christmas with Roman.
I leave him to his emotional eating and let myself out. I’m on my way to the elevators when I run into Dred.
“Hey! Were you visiting the broken hockey boy?” She pulls me in for a hug. “You know that’s not on you, right? He was acting like he suddenly played defense and isn’t a center.”
“Were you at the game?”
“No. I was at work. I was secretly watching it on my phone behind the desk.” She tilts her head. “You want to come in for a minute?” She does a full-body shimmy. “You look like you’ve got a lot going on.”
I check the time. Fee is with friends today, and Callie has hockey until six. “Are you sure you’re not busy?”
“Not at all. Come on.” Dred slides her arm through mine and leads me back down the hall.
Once we’re inside, she drops her purse and kicks off her shoes. She motions to her khaki pants, burgundy turtleneck, and cream-colored sweater. “Give me a minute. I need to change out of this.”
“Sure.”
She disappears down the hall. Her apartment is modestly furnished, with shelves lining one wall. Most are filled with books, though one contains all manner of board games. A couch and two chairs take up most of the small living room. There’s no dining table, but the small kitchen island has two stools.
Dred reappears a minute later in a pair of black jogging pants and a Badass Babe Brigade shirt. “Can I offer you something to drink?” She wrinkles her nose. “Flip left two beers behind the other day. Otherwise I have pomegranate juice and ginger ale.”
“Ginger ale works for me.”
“Flip told me you finally know what happened between him and Connor.” She pulls two glasses from the cupboard.
“Gotta say, it wasn’t what I expected, but it does explain a lot.”
“Yeah. I think Flip was more frustrated about the waste of food than he was the actual sandwich defilement, but it’s hard to tell with him sometimes. Anyway, now that they’ve aired their grievances, maybe they can start to move past them.”
“I’m hopeful, too.” I don’t know if I should ask, but I do anyway. “Have you and Flip ever…? Because I know you’re best friends. I could understand the appeal.”
Horror crosses her face. “Never. Gross.” I swear she starts to gag. “Friends. Only friends from now until forever. Like a brother if I had one.”