Page 46 of The Fake Husband Play
You might as well deal with it and start adding that into your long-term plan. And if you need a place to crash when the roommate banging goes awry, you can stay with me, thought honestly a few of my friends from the catering gig might be a better fit. If I’d known you were open to having a roommate, I would have set you up with one of them!
That way, you could have kept things with the roommate more casual until you were ready to move in together and make romance full-time.
Elly: You are a silly, silly woman, and I have to go. I have jobs to apply for, and then I have to run by the store before I pick Mimi up from school so I can cook dinner for my new friend who is totally just a friend.
Makena: And I’m the most famous chef in New Orleans and will soon have my own show on the Food Network.
Elly: Congrats! I always knew good things would happen for you. You’re so talented.
Makena: Argh. I hate you. But I also love you, so I’ll wait to pester you until Sunday. Meet you in the northeast corner of the square at eight?
Elly: Better make it seven. I promised Mimi we’d get to the brioche while it was still warm.
Makena: God, I love that girl. Any child willing to get up early on a weekend for a fresh pastry is my kind of people. See you both bright and early Sunday morning. Then, we’ll take Mimi to the playground to frolic off her sugar rush so I can interrogate you in private.
Elly: I’ll be looking forward to it.
Makena: Me too!!! LOL.
Chapter
Thirteen
GRAMMERCY
Thursday Night…
This is it.
Opening night, what we’ve been working our asses off for since the day a bunch of strangers met at training camp a few weeks ago and formed a brand new team.
The Voodoo locker room thrums with the kind of nervous energy that accompanies a group of pro-athletes about to make history—or prove everyone who thought an NHL team in the Deep South was a dumbass idea right.
Season ticket sales aren’t looking great, but the arena will be full tonight. It’s like my brother said on the phone during our season-opener pep talk—we just have to go out there and prove to New Orleans that an NHL game is way more fun than the NFL shit they go crazy in the streets for.
The good times roll hard and fast on the ice. We show the crowd that good time tonight, and we’ll have them jonesing for more.
“Have you seen my lucky socks?” Parker asks on his way past my stall, nerves and excitement mixing on his face. “I swear to God, some fucker moved them again.” He raises his voice as he adds, “Which isn’t fucking funny. Touch my fucking lucky socks again and Iwillfind you and make you very, very sorry.”
“We’re already sorry,” someone calls out from across the room. “The smell makes us sorry every damned day.”
Laughter ripples through the team, making Parker’s eyes narrow.
Before he can double down on this fight, I say, “Last shower stall. Check the ledge of the small window. If you hurry, you can get them in the dryer in time.”
He slaps my hand, muttering, “Thanks, brother.” As he jogs away to retrieve his good luck totem, he shouts again, “You can all suck my balls. Those socks are the reason we’re going to win tonight! You’re welcome!”
“Ne nous porte pas la poise,” Jean-Louis, our French-Canadian transplant calls back from the stall next to mine. Turning to me, he adds, “Americans. Always inviting bad luck. What’s wrong with you?”
I lift a hand in the air “Pas moi, non, mon ami. Moi, je connais bien quand fermer ma gueule, ça c’est sûr.”
“Yeah, youdoknow when to keep your mouth shut. That’s one of the things I like about you, Grammercy.” He adds with a mocking grin, “That, and your cowboy swamp French. Awww…c’est trop mims.”
“That’s right, I am fucking cute.” I match his grin and friendly, ball-busting energy. “Glad you finally noticed.”
He laughs as he motions to the ceiling. “But not as cute as this shit.Oh la vache, what were they thinking? This is a locker room, not a children’s birthday party.”
He has a point. It looks like a purple and green paint factory exploded in here. Vivid purple and green Voodoo mascot banners hang from the ceiling, posters celebrating the team launch paper the walls, even the Gatorade bottles are coordinated to match.
