Page 43 of Can't Kiss the Chef

“I’m not sure if she told anyone before last night. I freaked out a little. May have thrown a chair at the garage wall.”

His eyes go wide with delight, “Dude, you got it bad.”

“I miss her,” I confess. “I just thought I’d have more time to remind her how good we are together.”

“Dalton will show his true colors eventually. I think you should let her figure it out on her own. He can only play the good version of himself for so long. Just be there for her when she realizes it.”

I nod in agreement. It makes sense.

“Do you remember when we duck taped all their pads together before we scrimmaged them sophomore year?”

The pranks we would pull on each other in high school weren’t ground breaking. There were frogs in the lobby and shaving cream in the gloves, but kids like Dalton had never faced any kind of adversity so these little pranks drove them wild.

“Remember when we played them junior year, and the starting lines fought before the puck was even dropped?”

That was the city championship game. We played our cross-town rival during our last regular season game a couple of weeks before. They dug up dirt on each of us, using it like grenades to blow up our game; jabs about Jalen’s race, jokes about our senior defenseman, Henry’s, scar from his cleft palate surgery that he had just before his first birthday.

“I’ll never forget what they said about me being raised by a single mom. That my dad was better off without us in his life.”

I talk just as much shit as the next guy, but bringing people’s families into it is a level I will never stoop to.

Luckily, nobody got thrown out of the game. I was really grateful because, around the end of the first period, I looked up from my spot on the bench and saw my dad in the crowd. Hewas mainly absent from my life, but I’d occasionally see him tucked into a dark corner of the arena. Sometimes, he’d sneak out before I got a chance to see him after the game. Other times, we’d get dinner together as a family of three. I remember how happy my mom was when we were all together. I thought that if he could just stick around, we would be a real family, but he would always leave, and Mom and I never knew when we would see him again.

“Byron, you know that’s not true.”

“Do you know that was the last time I saw my dad?” I blurt out. “Top right corner of the bleachers. It was just dark enough that if you didn’t know what my dad looked like, you would have never realized that it was him.”

Jalen actually noticed him first. When I spotted him midway through the first period, Jalen just looked at me and said,Doesn’t mean shit that he’s here. Just play your game.I did just that and had my fourth hat trick of the season blowing out Dalton and his asshole teammates.

My mom was sleeping on the couch when I got home. She used to hate that she had to work during my games. Days she couldn’t come she would stay up in our small living room waiting for a full recap of the game. I didn’t tell her dad was at this game. I’d watched him get her hopes up, only to rip her heart out time and time again. Once she realized he was never coming back, she tried to find love again. She hasn’t found her prince charming yet, but I am happy she is still putting herself back out there.

Jalen silently nods. The bedroom door flies open, hitting the wall behind it with a loud thud, before he can say anything. Ivy skips through before settling on Jalen’s lap.

“Hey, By! How are you?” Her cheery voice brings some levity to this otherwise dark conversation.

“Ivy!” I watch my best friend kiss his girlfriend on the cheek. She slides her hand into his and then looks back at the phone. “How’s school?”

“I love working with the animals, but it’s definitely a lot more work than I thought it was going to be. What were you two talking about?”

At the same time, I say, “Nothing.” Jalen says, “We are thinking of ways that Jalen can win Lola back.”

Ever since Jalen and Ivy broke up last year they tell each other everything. Jalen won’t risk being dishonest. They tell each other everything. I mean EVERYTHING.

Ivy’s eyes grow big. To my surprise, they shine with pure happiness.

“You go get our girl back, so we can finally go on those double dates.”

We all laugh. I only stop when I hear Mia scratching at the front door.

“I have to let Mia out.” I turn my head to see Mia sitting at the front door, impatiently waiting for me to clip on her leash and bring her out.

“I miss you guys. Come visit soon.”

“We’ll be up in a few weeks when Jalen plays in Buffalo. We are going to stop by and see what all that money you helped raise last year did for the shelter.”

“The whole team is planning on coming. I can’t believe I’m going to watch you play in an NHL arena.”

Our childhood dream.

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