Page 122 of The Tape Job
“I’m going to call Coach and tell him I’ve got the flu. I really can’t face it today.” He pulls a blanket over himself and buries his head in a cushion. Who even is this guy?
“This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to go the barn, you’re going to suit up, you’re going to tell Bettsy you’re in love with his sister … and then this evening, you’re going to win your game.”
I wander into his kitchen and grab and a trash bag, skimming around his apartment with it and grabbing all the empties I can find. Luckily, there’s no alcohol, but there is Red Bull.
“Christ, it’s no wonder why you can’t sleep.” I shake an empty can at him. “Take a shower. I’ll clean up and then I’ll drive you. Enough is enough.”
Tough love works with Johnny. He peels himself off the sofa and does what he’s told. And by the time we’re in the car, he at least looks like Johnny again.
“How’s your diet?” I ask.
“Crap,” he says, and I make a mental note to get Ryan to triple up on his batch cooking to help Johnny.
As we come to a stop in the players’ parking lot, Johnny turns towards me before getting out.
“Thanks for putting up with all my crap, Vic. I know I’ve been a nightmare. Evasive. I borrowed money to pay your rent so you wouldn’t have to move in with me and I could keep sneaking around with Kelly. What kind of brother does that make me?”
“Would it help if I told you I understand? I mean, Liam and I—”
“I know. Finally, I understand. And I know you need to do whatever the hell you need to do.”
“I asked him to marry me, you know,” I say.
“Yeah, I rem—”
“Again. At Christmas. He told me to park it. I don’t even know if we’re officially back together,” I say.
Johnny turns to me and looks me right in the eye. “I don’t think you were ever truly apart, Vic. Thanks for the ride.”
Chapter 31
Liam
Lugging the junior’s gear from the storage room to the dressing room usually takes at least three trips when you’re on your own, which is why I roped Danny in to help me. He’s also going to help me with the training session except he doesn’t know it yet. In fact, the entire afternoon was a last-minute bribe. I promised to take him through the drive-thru on the way home. Ryan and Jen have an appointment with their lawyer about the house they’re buying, and I know Danny has a shit-tonne of free time now he’s officially single.
“You never know,” I tell him as we dump the bags down. “You may get lucky with a hot hockey mom.”
Danny rolls his eyes. “You’re as bad as Bettsy. Maybe you should have asked him to help. Give him a chance.”
Ever since Bettsy found out about Johnny and his sister, he’s been complaining about everyone coupling up. He said he needs to up his game.
The whole conversation was odd. We all knew how Bettsy would react, but Johnny was a mess.
“Rather you than me,” Bettsy said.
“Rather you than me?” Hutch interjected.
“What I mean is, she’s annoying as hell, and I wouldn’t want to share a bed with her.”
“She’s your sister!”
“Which is why she’s annoying, and I don’t want to share a bed with her!”
After that, defensive pairing one was reunited. It was as if nothing had happened—at least that’s what they’ve led us to believe. Johnny has insisted that Danny stay as captain for the time being, though—just for a few more weeks.
“I get where Bettsy is coming from. It seems like everyone is pairing up,” Danny says. “And I’m dreading the party because I know Becca will be there.”
I wondered how long it would take him to bring up the party that Ryan and Jen are having. It’s a wedding celebration party in the coming weeks, and they’ve invited everyone, including Danny’s ex who’s also an old friend of Jen’s.
