Page 56 of Snowballed

“She’s my auction date,” I confess.

“Ohhh.” He grins. “I heard Meysy got lucky with his auction date.”

“Well, that won’t be happening tonight.” Is saying this is a violation of my dating contract? I really don’t care. Since we sat down, Helen has spent more time telling everyone we’re on a date than talking to me.

Pooker nods. “I guess a guy like you gets to pick and choose.”

A guy like me. I don’t bother correcting him. Whatever Pooker might think, I’ve never had a one-night stand, and I’ve probably dated fewer women than he has. Besides, hockey comes first for me, and most women don’t appreciate that.

“So, what would you like to eat?” I ask Helen. The sooner we eat, the sooner this date will be over. Maybe I can even get home in time to interrupt Zoe’s date.

We look over the menu. The chicken wings are the best bet here, but they’re not filling enough for dinner. I decide on a burger and salad. Lucky Martin is probably digging into Zoe’s pork roast, potatoes, and sautéed cabbage right now.

Helen decides on a fancy salad and a local cider. Ciders are a big drink out here.

“I thought hockey players ate bigger meals,” I say. My sister demolishes salads as an appetizer before a steak or fish course.

“I don’t want a food baby later.” She pats her tummy. I hope this isn’t for my benefit. I have no plans to see any part of Helen’s anatomy.

When the waitress comes, we order our meals.

“Aren’t you drinking?” Helen asks me.

“No, I have to drive back to Shelburne,” I say.

She leans over and coos in my ear, “No, you don’t.”

“I have lots of rules about first dates,” I warn her, which sounds prissy even as I say it. But Helen has paid zero attention to my negative signals since we’ve met. Instead she becomes more obvious, as if our only issue is my failure to understand her overtures.

“Noah, you need to relax more. You take life so seriously.” Helen rubs my shoulders but that only makes me tense up. I’ve argued with my sister about the fact that men need body autonomy as much as women. Chi calls me a ridiculous baby, but if a guy touches her in the wrong place, she gets to twist his arm behind his back and curse him out. I’ve seen it.

“Why do you look so grim?” Helen asks. “You should be happy. You guys won both your games.”

“And you split your games?” Zoe already told me how the women’s team did.

“Yeah, and I only played on Friday. Is it true that you’re coaching Zoe privately? She’s playing better. Can you help me too?”

Well, making Helen better would defeat the purpose of helping Zoe.

“I’m sorry. My schedule is pretty jammed between hockey and farm work.”

She sips her drink. “I don’t know why you do all that crazy farm stuff. It’s gross.”

“I like it.” And to my surprise, I find that I do. I don’t love the farm like Zoe does, but I enjoy the fresh air, the quiet of the Meyers property, and nature. I’ve seen the leaves turn brilliant colors and then fall. Last week, I woke up to the first snowfall. At night, I’m amazed at all the stars in the sky. And I like the satisfaction of seeing my work. Like when we turned over the garden bed, leaving rows of soil that looked like chocolate cake.

Helen shakes her head. “I’m from Philadelphia, and I’m a city girl all the way.”

“How did you end up out here?” I ask.

“Oh, it was a combination of things. The right program and a chance to play hockey. Plus when I saw the campus here, I thought it was straight out of a movie.” She’s right about that: Moo U is very picturesque. I like Helen better when we talk about normal things.

Our dinners come, so we start eating. The food is good, but somewhere in Shelburne, someone is eating a better dinner.

Helen orders another cider. “At least with you, I don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.”

Wrong again. Helen begins talking about travel, which is mildly interesting, except when she makes it all about the high-end places she’s stayed. While I hate to admit that my father is right about something, maybe money is something I’ve taken for granted, and that’s why pretension bothers me so much now.

I drive Helen home and then walk her up to her apartment.

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