Page 86 of The Last Guy On Earth
At the bar, Stoney makes a big show of ordering a frame for his vision board, which is looking more tattered every game. “Double-thick Plexiglass,” he says. “We can take it everywhere we go.”
Jethro nudges him. “But won’t that mess with the magnetism?”
“It doesn’t work that way!” Stoney says. “Nice try, though. Just for that, you owe me another photo.”
After dropping about a thousand dollars on drinks for the team, I retreat to my hotel room at one in the morning. I’m still buzzing inside, my head full of strategies and petty anxieties.
We could win the Cup. But in order to do that, everything has to goexactlyright.
Even though it’s late, my phone lights up with an incoming call. Naturally my brain leaps to Jethro. I can’t think of anyone else who’d call me at this hour.
Oops. Or maybe I can. It’s Kaitlyn’s face who appears on the screen. And it’s her voice yelling in my ear after I answer the phone. “OMIGOD CLAZY! THIS IS AMAZING! WHEE!”
“Kaitlyn, ouch. I wouldn’t think a doctor would be so callous with my hearing.”
“Where is the love?” she demands. “I stayed up late to congratulate you.”
There’s a two-hour time difference in her favor, but I don’t point that out. “Thank you. Now I just need another dozen miracles before I can wrap my entire body around the Cup.”
“We’re going to have thebestparty when you guys win. Even Dad will have to say proud things about you because some of his doctor friends are hockey fans.”
I snort. “I don’t want to win this thing for Dad, Kaity. I want it for me.” It’s been years since I worried about what he thinks.
“I know,” she agrees. “But I’ll enjoy it anyway. I’m petty like that. What else is going on with you? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”
“That’s because nothing else is going on with me. Hockey is all I think about.”
Well, hockey and Jethro. But it’s almost the same thing.
“How are things with Jethro Hale?” she asks, exhibiting the same freaky intuition she’s had her entire life.
“Pretty good. We’ve reached an understanding.”
“Whoa. Whatkindof understanding?”
“The kind where we’re friendly with each other and things aren’t as tense anymore.”
“Wow,” she muses. “And how did that come to pass? Was there yelling involved?”
“There was some yelling,” I say carefully. “But then I explained to him that our breakup had affected me more than it ever did him, and I apologized for acting badly when he turned up in Colorado.”
She whistles. “That’s…wow. Very mature of you.”
“I’m actually good at this coach thing, Kait. Give me a little credit.”
“What did hesay, though? What does he think happened all those years ago?”
I laugh. “You’re just loving this, aren’t you? My drama is so entertaining. Better than TV.”
“Don’t judge. And don’t cliffhanger me. What did Jethro say when you admitted your feelings for him?”
I sigh. “At first, not a lot. But later he was really nice about it. He said he regrets the way it ended. And that if he’d been older and wiser, we might still be together.”
There’s a silence at the end of the phone.
“Kait? Did I lose you?”
“I’m here,” she says. “Just trying to process this. He…he told you he might be in love with you, too?”
