Page 42 of Next Season
“Not exactly. I’m thinking of opening my own restaurant,” I blurted. “But this is top secret. No one knows and I may not do anything at all, so…shh, okay?”
Riley pushed his sunglasses down his nose and eyed me over the rim of his cup as he made a zipped-lips motion. “You can trust me. What’s up?”
I shifted closer to him on the bench and lowered my voice on the off chance anyone could hear us, then filled him in on my career dilemma.
“Elmwood can’t support two high-end restaurants, and that’s okay. I don’t want to compete with Nolan, but I also can’t wait for something he might not ever be willing to give me.” I winced. “That sounds like a bad love affair.Amour non réciproque.That’s not it. But I have to think about my future. I know my worth and I’m selling myself for…being shorter—”
“Selling yourself short?” he suggested, pulling his glasses off.
“That’s it.” I set my hand on his thigh and left it there. “I’ve talked to Nolan about this and I wouldn’t do anything without talking some more, but I’m not getting younger. If I got hit by a bus next year, I want to leave a legacy along with a corpse, you know?”
Riley shoved my biceps. “Shut up. That’s an awful thing to say. The bus and the corpse part—but I know exactly what you mean about a legacy.”
“I know you do.” I caught his wrist and planted a quick kiss on his knuckles. “Maybe everyone feels that way to some degree. We don’t have to be superstars or Nobel Prize winners, but we want our version of success. I was a mediocre hockey player and maybe a mediocre human too. I’m forty now and I’m still growing up. I don’t want to settle for mediocre. The diner is special, and I had a hand in making it that way. I want recognition or the opportunity to do it again…on my terms.”
He was quiet for a long moment. “Yeah. I understand.”
We sipped our lattes in silence.
“When I was a kid, I thought adults had the answers. Turns out, they were scamming us all along. Adults are stupid. No one knows what they’re doing and if they tell you they do, don’t believe them. I think we’re all just trying to figure out a way to belong. A way to…make a mark, be seen for who we are and not what others want us to be. The louder voices and old regimes win by default when we’re too afraid to speak up or take chances. I think it’s time for me to take a chance again.”
“Then you should.”
“Yes.” I sighed heavily and in my most dramatic tone, added, “It can be difficult when you’re shy like me.”
Riley burst out laughing. “You don’t have a shy bone in your body.”
“My dick is a little shy right now.”
“That’s because it’s forty degrees out here,” he huffed, sliding his sunglasses on again.
“Forty degrees. You know I still have to compute that into Celsius,” I said, hoping to steer the conversation to lighter topics.
“That would be four degrees.”
“Show-off. Your dual citizenship pays off, eh?”
He waggled his brow. “Absolutely. Best of both worlds. Including holidays. I get to choose my favorites and sometimes, celebrate twice.”
“Like Thanksgiving. Does that mean you’re celebrating Thanksgiving with the natives this week?”
“Vinnie and Nolan invited me to Nolan’s mom’s house. I don’t think I’ll go, though.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
“Ehh, I don’t know. It sounds like a lot of people and lights and noise, and…things that bring on headaches. I don’t want any setbacks ’cause—”
“You’re afraid,” I intercepted. “I understand. But you’re on the mend. Your last MRI was better, your doctor likes your progress, and you’re on track to return to your team in less than a month. It’s time to test your powers.”
“How? By wearing sunglasses inside? It’s bad enough that I skate in the dark. I’ll look like an asshole.”
I scoffed. “Iaman asshole and they still invited me. They’re good people and good friends. It would be good for you to venture outside your cocoon.”
He inclined his head. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. I saw the highlights from the Bruins game last night. I can’t believe we watched the Slammers instead,” I teased.
Riley snorted. “Right? We don’t look good. We’ve lost the last five in a row. We need to fix those holes on defense. Carpenter’s timing is way off. One of my old coaches from college told us to…”