Page 59 of Bar Down

“Well, if that doesn’t work out, you have my number,” Juuse says with a wink.

I smile and shake my head. Shameless flirt, just like someone else I know.

TWENTY-SIX

ASH

I getto the arena early and take my time greeting some of the fans that are posted outside. There’s a dedicated line near the side of the building where we stop by and chat with people as we come in and out of the arena.

“Meyers, Meyers!”

I turn around and see a kid who looks to be about thirteen, waving a big sign with my name and number on it. I can’t help but smile as I make my way over.

“What’s up, my man?”

He looks up at me and freezes on the spot. My eyebrows shoot up and he shakes himself out of it. “Woah, you’re really tall,” he says.

I laugh and point over my shoulder at my teammate who is 6’8” and towers me by about five inches. “No, I’m average for a hockey player, he’s the tall one.”

The kid’s eyes go wide like saucers and just when I think he’s shell shocked, he says, “Could I take a picture with you both?”

“Sure thing. Hey Baz, get over here!” My teammate finishes up signing a jersey and comes over, slapping me on the back.

“What’s up?” he asks, looking down at the kid.

“Picture time,” I say and motion to the kid to get his phone out. He tries to take a selfie with us but can’t point it well enough to have us all fit in the frame. A woman nearby sees this and walks over to help him.

She snaps our picture and we sign his jersey and hat and the kid tells us he’s excited to watch the red and white game that’s coming up.

Once the kid leaves, Baz moves on to talk to other fans and I’m about to do the same when the woman steps back up to me.

She’s wearing a black one piece that kind of looks like a romper, except it has long leg pants that flare wide at the bottom. Her shoulders are exposed, with no straps and there’s a lanyard around her neck. Considering that everyone else is wearing a jersey, she looks out of place. My gaze runs down to read what’s on her lanyard but she must think I’m checking her out because she crosses her arms and her chest swells with the movement.

She smirks at me but my face goes stone cold when I read one word—media. I don’t have anything against reporters and journalists, I just prefer not to talk to them because every time I do, all they ask about is my father.

“I have a question for you Ashton,” she says and then pauses, waiting for me to take the bait.

I run my tongue over my teeth and say, “And what’s that?”

“Is the rumor true?”

My hands start to sweat and I ball them into fists. She can’t possibly know about me and Eli. Not that I would care if word gets out, but I know Eli does, and the last thing he wants is his personal business being scrutinized by strangers on the internet.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, forcing my body to stay cool and collected.

“Well you see, there’s this rumor that Rhodes Bonavich might be retiring from his position as Detroit’s GM.” Okay…what the hell does that have to do with me?

“And that your father, Nelson Meyers might have his eye set on us. Any comment on whether he’s leaving Boston for Detroit?”

There it is.The mention of my father. I keep my face completely blank but inside I’m panicking. My ears are ringing and I don’t even hear the rest of what she’s saying. My fatherwouldbe conniving enough to move here just to piss me off, especially after I embarrassed him this summer and cut him out of my life.

Would he actually do it just to mess with my career? Boston is one of the best teams in the NHL and they won the Stanley Cup last year, there’s no way he would ever give up on such a great team.

“I don’t know anything about this rumor,” I say and turn to leave.

“So it wasn’t discussed over family dinners this summer?”

“Nope,” I say and give her an ironic wave over my shoulder.

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