Page 10 of The Lucky One
“This is a game you cannot fail.” I shrug. “Is something wrong?”
She looks away. “That is more complicated than you'd think. It will sound like yes. But actually no.”
“I’m not sure that answer makes sense,” I tell her. “But I’ll give you a point anyway.”
She swallows hard, and that’s when I notice that the delicate chain around her neck no longer holds a ring. My gaze drops to her hands, and they are free of jewelry.
My heart gives a kick. “Question two—did you lose your engagement ring?”
“Sort of.” One shoulder lifts half-heartedly. “In a manner of speaking. Actually, I gave it back last month.”
I suppose it would be rude to cheer and do somersaults. So I ask another question instead. “Number three—is that why you are sad?”
She winces. “I’m not very sad. Just kind of confused, pretty angry, and a whole lot embarrassed.”
“Question four—Do you want to take a walk with me and talk about it?”
She gives me a sly, teasing glance. “I don’t know. Will there really be cookies?”
“There could be. There is a package waiting for me at home, and I suspect it contains cookies.”
She pushes her stool back from the bar. “I would love to take a walk with you. But aren't you supposed to be celebrating with your teammates?”
“Nah,” I shrug. Then I use a couple of English phrases that show off my new capabilities. “I spend every waking moment with those psychos. They can party one night without me.”
“Listen to you! Your English has come a long way. But you still have a cute accent.”
Cute. Hmm. Puppies are cute. Hockey players not so much.
“…Okay, let me settle up here and visit the ladies room.”
“I will settle up with Pete. You go ahead,” I say.
I am just paying the bill when Heidi Jo comes through the door. “Hey, Ivo! Those idiots are playing darts without me, aren’t they?”
“Yes, they fear you.”
She gives me a hug. “What are you doing up here all alone?”
“I am not really alone, but I do have a question. If a woman says my accent iscute, is that a bad thing or a good thing?”
“Oh, that is definitely agoodthing.” She pats me on the shoulder, then takes her hand away as Chiara walks purposefully towards us. “I can see why you’re skipping the darts tonight.” She giggles. “Night, Ivo! See you at the Christmas Eve party tomorrow!”
FIVE
December
The storefrontson Hicks Street are decorated for the holidays. Even the tavern has little lights ringing the window. We are only fifteen paces away when I give in and ask the question I'm so desperate to ask. “So what happened with Stefano?”
“It's kind of a long story.”
“Well, I have all night.”
She smiles ruefully. “Okay, but brace yourself to hear how stupid I am.”
“You are not stupid,” I say immediately. “Not possible. You are the best woman I have met in New York.”
Her smile turns soft. Then she takes a deep breath. “When I was in high school, Stefano was twenty. I had a big crush on the older man.” She rolls her eyes. “It wasn’t just me, though. Everybody loves Stefano—except my aunt Teresa. But that's another story. Anyway—he’s charming. He's a party boy. He has a wicked sense of humor that I used to enjoy, until I realized his jokes were often at my expense. He seemed sosophisticatedto poor little me, with his girlfriends and his cigarettes. Oof. It was just a dumb teenage crush.”
