Page 136 of The New Guy
She sets her drink down and folds her arms, to make it easier to stare at me, I guess. “And there’s no chance that your special someone would move here to Colorado?”
“Uh, probably not.” I swallow. “It was kind of new, and awfully complicated. I fucked it up pretty good anyway.”
“Oh honey,” she says.
I attempt a casual shrug, but I feel like I’m sitting here bleeding.
The doorbell rings again, and Bess raises her eyebrows. “Are you expecting company?”
“Nope.” I get up. “This is already more visitors than I’ve ever had in this house.”
This time when I open the door, I see my teammate, Davey Stoneman, standing there. He’s lost his jacket and tie, but he’s still wearing his suit pants and button down shirt. His hair is flopped too close to his eyes, and he’s wearing a big grin. “Hey! You ran out before I could invite you out for beers.”
“Oh, uh…Sorry. I’m not much of a partier these days. Not like before.” Five years ago he and I were rookies together for Colorado, and briefly roommates. Now he’s an alternate captain for the team, but still the least serious person I have ever met.
My quick disappearance tonight was intentional, of course. I wasn’t in the mood for Stoney’s antics.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be in the mood.
“That’s cool,” he says with a shrug. “I just brought the beers over here. You still drink beer?” He holds up an Igloo cooler in his hand.
“Sometimes?”
“Awesome.” He gives me a grin and pushes past me into the house. “Hey! It’s Bess Beringer, agent to the stars!” Stoneman—or Stoney, as the guys call him—is one of those people who knows everybody’s name.
“Nice to meet you,” Bess says, rising to shake his hand.
“You want a beer? I also brought chips and dip.” He puts the cooler on the table and starts removing things from it.
“I’m always good for chips,” Bess says.
“Awesome. Newgate—get us a bowl and some napkins?”
“Sure. Make yourself at home,” I grumble, heading for the kitchen. I grab a few things and head back to the living room.
“Aww, Newgate is grumpy,” Stoney says with a grin. “That’s why I came over here. To see why you’re such a shut-in. The guys think you hate ’em. And I’m like—no, Newgate is cool. Give him a chance.”
“Uh-oh.” Bess raises her gaze to mine and grins. “Got a rep already?”
I groan and throw myself onto the sofa. “Is it illegal to be grumpy?”
“Not if you got a good reason,” Stoney says. “So let’s hear it.”
Bess crosses her arms and waits, probably wondering what I’ll say.
“Getting traded is rough,” I complain. “I had a life in Brooklyn. For six whole months, I had a life.”
Stoneman fishes an opener out of his pocket and uncaps several beers, one of which he pushes toward me. “See, I knew there was something wrong. Five years ago you were kind of a gregarious guy, you know? Chatting us up in the dressing room. Good for a party as long as your dad wasn’t breathing down your neck. So this is all about a bad breakup?”
“Basically,” I mutter. I grab the beer and take a gulp.
“Want me to set you up?” he flips his hair off his face. “Maybe you just need a little fun in your life to forget about your broken heart.”
My neck heats. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
“Oh, man.” He manages to guzzle his beer and shake his head at the same time. “This is bad. Amazing that it hasn’t wrecked your game, right?”
“I guess? The game is the only thing I got right now. For years I’ve beenallabout hockey. And I thought it was working for me. But this is the first time ever that I’m just not really sure what I’m doing, you know? If I have to choose between hockey and my life…”
