Page 22

"You have to wear my jersey. "

Beth Bowen

I first had an inkling after our dinner at Monsieur Leon, and I’m sure of it now: James is not well, and it’s deeply troubling to see him so down.

He’s usually full of life, goofy and fun, but I haven’t really heard him laugh in days.

The last time he cracked a joke was a week ago.

It doesn’t help that a couple of nights ago was Miles’ birthday, and they video chatted.

The team and their girls were all getting ready to go out to dinner since it was a night off.

And even if James said he was fine, I can see that the light in his eyes has dimmed.

He may be taking it easy physically, but his mental health is suffering, I can tell.

I know it’s technically not my fault that he’s in this situation. But at the same time, it kind of is, and I really hate what it’s done to him.

He’s now sitting at the kitchen counter, eating the muffins I just brought back from work in an attempt to cheer him up. But so far, it’s not working.

“Excited for the guys to come back tomorrow?” I ask between bites. “Are you going to the game?”

He shrugs. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s weird enough to watch them on TV, and it would probably be even weirder in real life. I might just sit this one out.”

My heart aches because I know how much hockey means to him, but clearly, it’s starting to weigh on his mental well-being. “Oh. I guess it’s a bad time to ask you for a favor then?” I venture, suddenly feeling inspired.

He frowns in confusion, his curiosity piqued. “What is it?”

“Well, my dad’s birthday is coming up, and I wanted to surprise him with tickets, but maybe I can just ask—”

“Your dad’s a Raptors fan?”

I nod. “Yep. Always has been.” Which is why I suspect he never liked Lucas, or made a real effort to get to know him.

A small spark lights up James’ eyes, and it warms my chest. “Well, that changes things. We should definitely go to the game and show him a good time. I could take him behind the scenes, and he can meet the guys. We’ll grab seats in the VIP suite. That’s always fun.”

“Really?” I lean forward, happy my idea is working. It’s great that he’s been taking it easy this past week, but all the down time messes with his mood. We have to find a balance. “Isn’t that too much?”

He finishes his muffin and shrugs. “Piece of cake. Will your mom come too?”

“If she can, yeah. That’d be great.”

“Awesome. I’ll text Jenna, our PR manager,” he says as he gets up to rinse his plate. He turns to me with an intense glint in his eyes. “There’s just one condition.”

I cock my head to the side, a grin tugging at my lips. “And what’s that?”

He flashes a bright smile. “You have to wear my jersey.”

I press my lips, struggling to contain my own smile. “Fine. It’s a deal.”

As soon as he turns back to the sink, an elated smile stretches across my face. I must say, I’m proud of myself for crafting this plan. But most of all, I’m glad that James Adler is back.

The next day, James wakes up early. He even sings in the shower again. Seeing him back to his old self eases my worry a little. He told me he’ll take care of everything today, including getting me my own Number 8 jersey.

When I reach the coffee shop and tell Marissa about it, however, she immediately eyes me with suspicion.

“Why did you ask him? You know I could have gotten you the same deal.”

“I know, but it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and he was there. Don’t read too much into it.” I sigh. “Besides, he needed it. It’s been hard on him, being away from the game and the guys.”

“Oh,” she says with a frown. “I didn’t realize that. I don’t think the guys have either. He looked fine when Aaron chatted with him on the video call.” Marissa traveled with the team for a few games to be there on Aaron’s birthday.

“Please don’t say anything,” I beg. “I don’t think he wants the guys to know, but yeah, it’s been rough. Talking about surprising my dad seemed to he lp, though. He’s excited for it.”

“Good,” she says quietly, probably worrying over James. “I won’t tell Aaron, I promise, but I’m glad he’ll be back for a while. Looks like his friend needs him.”

“Thanks.”

Her face brightens slightly as she asks, “So, does your dad know yet?”

“Nope.” I smile. “We’re going full surprise mode on him. We’re meeting my parents at a restaurant not far from the arena. He thinks we’re eating there.”

“Ohh, nice. They’re going to love James, I’m sure. They’re goofy like him.”

I can’t fight my grin. “Yeah. That’s what I thought too.”

“What about you?” She arches an eyebrow.

I give her a pointed look. “Nothing has changed. We’re still friends, and I like it that way. Honestly, he’s the perfect roommate. And I love cooking in his kitchen, so it’s a win-win.”

I return to my batch of brownies, happy she’s not pressing the issue further. Frankly, I haven’t given our relationship much thought lately. With James being so down, it wasn’t really on my mind. Not to mention I still have trust issues to overcome before I can even think about dating anyone else.