Page 45 of The New Guy
Trevi snickers. “You should have seen Castro’s face when New Guy aced him.Hilarious.”
Henry moves around the table and repositions my knee, blocking my view of Gavin. “It was a good time,” I say. “You should have been there.”
I relax onto the table and think of ping-pong, and the quality of Gavin’s smile. I’d like to play him at ping-pong again.
I’d like a lot of things.
“Hi, guys.” We all turn to see Dustin Hart in the doorway. He’s a player I don’t know very well. But his arm is in a sling. Poor fucker.
“Hey!” Henry says. “Have a seat. What’s the news?”
“Broken,” the guy says with a grimace. “Hairline fracture. I brought the films.” He’s clutching a folder in his good hand.
“Let’s see,” Gavin says, taking it from him. He holds it up to the light. “That is a bummer—but I’ve seen much worse. You’re going to be okay. You’ll come back from this stronger than ever.”
“I hope so,” Hart mumbles.
“Iknowso,” Gavin says. “We’ll give you a regimen that keeps the rest of your body strong while that bone heals. Just think of all the extra time you’re going to spend with Henry and me! You lucky man.”
The guy grins probably for the first time all day.
* * *
“Hudson!” Jordyn yells my name as I lock my apartment door. “We’re going to watch your game tonight! And we’re having pizza.”
I turn around, and the first thing I see is Gavin’s easy-going smile. I feel it like a warm hand on my chest. “Hey, guys.” I drop my gaze to the little girl. Aww. She’s wearing the Bombshells hat that I bought her. “Pizza, huh? I sort of remember pizza. It’s square, right?”
“No!” she shrieks. “Round! You could have pizza with us.”
“Sorry, girly. I have to go to the stadium already.”
“Is Colorado good?” she asks. “You can win it, right?”
I clear my throat, trying to decide what to say about my least favorite team in the league. “They’re coming off a really good season. But we’re having a good season, too. I think I can take ’em.”Or at least not embarrass myself.
And it must be written all over my face. “Is it weird?” Gavin asks. “Playing them?”
“It’s all right. I don’t know that many players on the team anymore.” Except for my old roommate. And Kapski, the star forward, who I used to idolize. And their new head coach, who I used to trust.
The truth is that I dread this game. But a hockey player never admits that.
And Jordyn doesn’t notice. “Will you score a goal on them?”
“Well I’lltry. Jeez, kid. Way to set the bar high.”
“Do it! And then you can come over for dinner tomorrow. Daddy is making ramen! It’s like soup with noodles and chicken. Not as good as pizza, because vegetables. But still good.”
Gavin chuckles. “That’s a nice offer, baby, but Hudson doesn’t eat noodles.”
“I eat noodles sometimes,” I hear myself say.
“YAY!” Jordyn shouts. “You can come for dinner and show me hockey tricks. I have a stick and everything.”
“You do? Cool.” I think I just took advantage of a starstruck seven-year-old in order to see Gavin outside of work.
But it’s worth it. He’s leaning against the wall with an amused smile on his handsome face. “I’ll set out an extra bowl, then. Text me if you want to come.”
“Oh, I’m coming,” I say, but then I want to kick myself, because he raises his eyebrows suggestively.
