“How do you know?”
“Because he called me and asked me to cancel it.” I start to protest, but Travis stops me. “Shush. He wanted to cancel it because he didn’t want to freak you out.”
“What is it?”
“He sent you a jersey. A Renegade jersey.” He waits for my reaction, but I’m stunned. “One with his name on it. Oh my gosh…what does it take to get a reaction from you?”
“Well, why would he cancel it?”
“I told you,” Travis mutters. “Listen to me. He’s trying to show you that he wants to be there for you. This is so weird that I’m coaching my little sister about my best friend, but I feel like I need to intervene some here. You need to understand that he’s showing you that he wants you to be around.”
“How do you know this?” I ask, tucking the phone under my chin as I work with Georgie to spread out the last tablecloth.
“Because I’m a guy and also because I know him. I’ve been his agent for a few years now, and I know how he acts when he’s dating someone, and it’s not like this. At all.” He chuckles in my ear. “He’s sent out jerseys before, but he’s never sent anyone he’s dated a jersey, much less one with his name on the back, and when you read the card he had the guy send with it, you’ll get it even more. But I want you to trust me when I say he’s head over heels.”
Hearing Travis say this makes my stomach lurch. What am I doing? It’s like I’ve been driving on a back road that’s thick-as-pea-soup foggy and suddenly my fog lights work and I can see the stinking route now. If I’m going to learn to trust him fully, if we are going to make this work, it also means I need to put myself out there, too. “I need to go, Travis.”
“Wait, I’m not done—” he says, but I interrupt him.
“No, like, I need to go home and see this note and I need to tell Mom I’m leaving. Yes,” I say, my voice starting to get louder. “Put that ticket on hold for me, but don’t tell him I’m coming, okay?”
“Okay,” Travis says. “I figure you’re driving up here, so I’ll text you where I’m staying so you can meet me. Just let me know when you leave, okay? Otherwise I’ll worry.”
Disconnecting the call, I look at Georgie, whose eyes are wide. “Are you going to River City?”
“I want to, but I have to tell my mom I’m not helping her out first.”
“I can fill in for you.” Georgie’s tone is matter-of-fact, like it’s already a done deal. I look at her and find her focused on the other side of the room where my mother stands laughing with Levi. “I don’t mind one bit, actually.”
“Really?” I pull her into a hug. “Thank you. I need to go tell her right now and then go home to pack.”
“Well, skedaddle, then,” Georgie says, flicking her hands in the air. “Just call me and fill me in on all the juicy bits as soon as you can.”
I mouth the words “thank you” as I sprint over to my mom. More people file into the hall, bringing chairs and a podium with them. I see her head swivel toward them so I race over to grab her before she’s pulled away.
“Hey,” I begin, a little breathless with excitement. “I’m outta here and it’s not because I don’t want to help.” I nod over to where Georgie stands alone. “Georgie’s going to fill in for me and be the extra pair of hands you need. I need to get on the road.”
Levi grins. “You gonna go get your man?”
“I hope so.” The words spill out of me with such confidence, even my mother does a double take.
“Honey, I give you permission to go and do what you need to, but I just have to ask you one thing: are you falling in love with this man?”
I don’t answer, I only kiss my mom on her cheek before I say goodbye to her, then flick a wave to Levi and Georgie, who’re standing with her, grinning. Hurrying, I grab my bag from where it was sitting in the corner of the room, and go.
There’s only one person I want to discuss this with, and he’s waiting for me in River City.
TWENTY-ONE
Jake
“Are you ready to do this, December?” Coach Masters shouts above the surrounding melee.
“Yes sir, Coach!” I shout back, staring at the rink and focusing on my role. Stepping onto the ice, the roar of the crowd washes over me, sending a shiver down my spine. A blast of frosty air bites at my cheeks, but I barely take notice as I skate out to center ice. The sound of my blades cutting into the ice is drowned out by the cacophony of cheers and chants.
We’ve had three periods of madness, punctuated by an overtime period that’s left us tied. It’s been a manic first game back considering we’re also playing against my old team, the Jersey City Blades. When I realized this was going to be my first game back with the Renegades, I honestly wasn’t sure how the crowd would go. The fans here are loyal to the Renegades, and they weren’t too happy with me when I left.
Standing here, scanning the crowd, I know now that I didn’t need to worry. I’ve seen signs floating around, saying things like “We’re back to December!” and “He’s here!” According to my teammates, they’ve never seen so many of my jerseys worn to the arena, with my coach telling us before the game that the merchcounter sold out of them the day prior. Unheard of for River City, but it’s a small welcome-back token that I appreciate more than anyone here will ever know.
