Page 46 of Hockey Halloween
“Dude. I spotted her right away. She looked exactly the same, except for all the scars.”
“She was wearing a mask!” I protest.
Jared rolls his eyes. “The mask barely concealed anything. That’s such bullshit on TV shows when a character looks identical to the way they do every episode except for a flimsy little mask and everyone acts like they’re a total stranger. Seriously, how could anybody be that dumb?”
My silence is what tips him off.
“Holy. Shit. Are you that dumb? You didn’t know Val was sexy Chuckie?”
“Not until later that night, but that’s beside the point,” I tell him. “We decided it was a one-time thing, but that lasted less than a week. She stopped by yesterday, and one thing led to another. Basically, my attraction to her isn’t one-sided.”
“No shit,” my brother declares as our server sets down our food. Jared starts digging in, which means he’s quiet for once. I’m not sure he’ll be the most sympathetic listener, but I need advice, dammit, so Jared’s now my official relationship counselor.
“She came over for dinner last night and it was great. Reese adores, and I know Val feels the same. She just fits. Honestly, she hassince that first day. Even Kevin fits. We put Reese to bed, watched some sports highlights, and then went to bed ourselves. Together. Up in my room.”
“I know how sex works,” Jared says around a mouthful of fries. “And there are other places to do it besides a bed, just saying. I guess you already know that, though. Better places than a public bathroom stall, too.”
I give him the middle finger before taking a bite of my burger. “I could get really used to this, but it’s not just my heart on the line if Val leaves. And she’d have every right to leave. She‘s young, she’s great at her job. Who knows? She’s not tied to anything here. She could go wherever she wants to, and I want her to pursue her dreams, but where does that leave Reese and me?”
“She told you she’s looking for a new job in a new city? Was that before or after the sex?”
I give him another middle finger. “She didn’t say she was looking, but she could be. Someday.”
Jared narrows his eyes at me. “So, you’ve found a woman who’s perfect for you, who feels the same way about you, who loves your kid, yeah? And life is good. So why the hell are you worried about someday? Just enjoy today.”
That’s easy for my brother to say. It’s the way he’s always lived his life. But he doesn’t have a young daughter to raise. Reese used to ask about her mom all the time and it broke my heart. I’ve tried my best to fill both parental roles, and my family helps whenever they can, but I know it’s not the same.
“I know what you're thinking. You’re a dad, and that changes things. I disagree. The three of you are happy now, so embrace it. If you keep trying to map out every minute of the future, you’ll miss all the good shit happening right now.”
I take another bite of my burger and consider his words. My little brother has a point, but I’m not sure if it’s as easy as he makes it seem. When my phone buzzes with a text and I see Val’s name, it feels like a sign. But then I read her message, and my heart plummets.
Val:Tell me not to panic.
Val: I’m panicking anyway. I just got a call from the Dean. He wants an emergency meeting with me in half an hour.
Val:Have you gotten any messages?
Without a second thought, I grab my keys and rise from the booth. “I’ve got to go. I'll text you later.”
“Is everything okay?”
“It will be,” I answer as I head toward the door. “Thanks for lunch,” I call.
My jog back to campus turns into a run, and by the time I reach Dean Mercer’s office, I know I probably need a shower. What I need more, though, is to set the record straight.
Val
I’m not usually a nervous person. With a career in PR, it’s an absolute must to be calm under pressure. But when I received the summons from Dean Mercer’s office today, anxiety set in.
I don’t regret what happened with Josh yesterday, but I’ll admit the location was less than ideal. I’m not sure who saw us through the window of his office—the openings in the blinds are pretty narrow—but they must have ratted me out. There’s no other explanation and believe me, I’d know. I keep running possible scenarios through my head, but there’s literally no other reason for this impromptu meeting.
My mind is working overtime trying to figure out how this is going to go, but I keep coming to the same conclusion. I just started here, so there’s no reason for them to keep me. Plus, my job is literally to keep the campus’s image smudge-free. Having sex with another employee on school grounds during work hours is a smudge, at the very least.
If I were called in to handle something like this, I’d be shaking my head at the idiocy. I know better, and yet, the minute Josh’s lips touched mine, my brain turned to mush.
Sandra, Dean Mercer’s admin assistant, gives me a bright smile when I enter her office. Nothing in the air says doomsday, I guess, but what did I expect? She’s not going to call me out as soon as I walk in.
“Hi, Val. Frank’s in a meeting right now. Well, I guess it’s not really a meeting. Not a scheduled one, anyway. But I doubt it will take long. Just have a seat and I’ll let you know when he’s ready for you.”
