Page 40 of Penalty Shot

“The mapo tofu?” Geraldine asks. “That’s Elise and Lily’s favorite as well.”

My eyes are drawn to Lily who is expertly using her chopsticks with one hand and holding Naomi with another.

“What did you eat growing up?” Woody prompts, his armslung over Lily’s chair possessively when he catches me looking in her direction.

It’s the baby that’s caught my eye. Naomi is hilariously milk-drunk, head lolling and eyelids drooping.

I remember him now. Woody was the guy who tried to talk Gordon down when my teammate was arguing with Lily. What a caveman.

You made the girl beside you wear a shirt with your name on it, you hypocrite.Well, shit.

“Um, a lot of salmon I guess.” Too much, if my current aversion to fish is any indication.

“He grew up in a fishing village,” Elise explains to her friends.

Wow, she’s really stuck on that detail.

“Where?” Sienna follows up.

I go into the usual spiel about the location of Steveston Village, but since I haven’t carried my part in the conversation so far, I dig into trivia.

“You know the television showOnce Upon a Time?It’s a redo of fairy tale characters who end up in a town during present day. Well, they filmed it there.”

“Really?” Amber says. “That’s so charming!”

“You never told me that.” Elise nudges me with her elbow.

“Do you watch the show?” I nudge her back.

“No,” she says with a chuckle. “But I’ve seen snippets.”

“You look like the guy who played Prince Charming,” Hailee comments, pointing her chopsticks in my direction.

“Thanks, I guess?”

“Do you go home often, when you’re not playing hockey?” Geraldine asks and I hear something in her voice. Not cold, exactly, but assessing. Like she’s going through a checklist in her brain and my answers will tick the right boxes. Or they won’t.

“I, um, as much as I can.”

“Do you know what you’re wearing tomorrow night?” Elise asks her mom casually.

I feel her hand squeeze my leg. She could tell I didn’t want to say more about where I’m from. It isn’t shame or anger that makes me pause. Nothing that dramatic. But talking about the family I left behind makes me feel…small. I’m grateful for the change of subject.

“I showed you today,” her mother answers with a puzzled expression.

“Oh, right! I won’t wear my black dress; it looks too similar. I was thinking the red dress with the neckline?” Elise moves her hand in a sawing motion across her chest.

“Red looks good on you,” I blurt.

“Yeah?” she turns my way and I catch the flush of her cheeks.

“The off-the-shoulder one?” Sienna asks. “I love that one on you!”

“It’s gorgeous,” Lily gushes. I don’t doubt it for one second. “I’ll put your hair up.”

“Thanks, hon,” Elise says to Lily.

“What’s the occasion? It sounds formal.” Getting hair done is for formal parties, right?