Page 21 of Pucked Up (Punk as Puck #2)

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

HUGO

I’d been dozing off in my armchair when my phone started going off.

For a moment, I felt a rush of panic until I realized that it wasn’t some kind of alarm.

Fumbling for the damn thing on the side table, I squinted at the screen and saw three emails, then four texts from a number I didn’t recognize.

Unknown: Hey. How about lunch?

Unknown: I realized you have no idea who this is.

Unknown: Sorry hit send too early.

Unknown: Again. This is Ben—I’m the coach for the Fury. Journey and I were going to grab a bite and he suggested we invite you to chat about the upcoming trip with Micah.

I sent a quick text in reply, letting him know I was free. I’d been meaning to call, and I liked Journey alright. He was a little odd, but that wasn’t unusual in this sport. And frankly, going on a little lunch outing was a lot better than rotting in my armchair.

When that was done, I opened the first email, and my heart immediately leapt into my throat.

It was from the GM of the Gators. My eyes scanned the text twice because the first time, I’d skimmed until the words “make an offer” popped up.

Then, “attached you’ll see…” I was too much of a fucking coward to open it, and frankly, it was for Boden to see. Not me.

The second email was the same. Portland loved him and wanted to be aggressive. Boden deserved it—the salary, the position, teams fighting for him. This should have happened years ago.

The third was the email I’d wanted to see most.

Hugo- just typing a quick note to say that I’ve watched the tape and have shown it around.

We have a very strong offer and I’d like to make it soon.

I’d prefer to do it in person, however. Do you think he’d be open to meeting with me?

Pass along my number, and thanks again for this.

You always did have a keen eye. Heard you were coming to the benefit after all.

Call me? I really want to grab lunch. -Vin

That was something I could work with. Boston was two hours away. Even if Boden and I never became anything more than two ships passing in the night, at least I’d catch a glimpse of him sometimes. It wouldn’t be enough, but at least it would be something.

A harness gave a little jingle under the table, startling me. I’d almost forgotten the animal was there. Ben reached beneath and gave his guide dog a little scritch as Journey drummed his fingers on the table. There had been silence for a while now, and it was starting to get awkward.

It would have been easier if I’d known these men well, but I didn’t. Ben was the coach for the Fury, and Journey was my team’s co-owner. We’d spoken a handful of times, but nothing more than a few sentences.

This was a whole lunch, and it was painful. And reminded me how damn lonely I was.

I didn’t have friends here. I had acquaintances, and almost all of them were related to either the community leagues or the PPHL. It was a world I thought I’d escaped once, but the longer I lived, the more obvious it became that I was trapped.

Ben turned his gaze toward me. I had no idea how much he could see behind his very thick lenses, but I knew better than to ask. “So.”

“Can I take your order? ”

All three of us jumped at the sound of the server’s voice, and then Journey burst into laughter and clapped his hands before rubbing them together. “I don’t even think we glanced at the menu. We’re having the world’s most awkward business lunch.”

Ben sighed. “Don’t be a dick, man.”

Journey held up his hands. “Promise, sweetheart. I’m not trying to.”

“Add in misogyny for spice,” Ben said and smiled up at the server, who looked like she wanted to bolt. “How about that artichoke dip y’all have for an appetizer while I wrangle these dipshits into something like men with manners.”

I flushed. I wasn’t normally like this. Apart from being dragged into accepting the invite to Reid’s benefit dinner, everything in my life was normal. Mostly. Well, there was Boden, but that wasn’t throwing me off.

It couldn’t be.

That was…different.

“I’m sorry,” I said after the woman walked off.

Journey lifted a brow at me as Ben grinned and said, “You can unclench. We’re not here to give you shit.”

That hadn’t been on my list of considerations, but maybe it should have been. “I appreciate that.”

Journey laughed again. “Why don’t we just put it all out on the table.”

“Don’t,” Ben warned.

“The both of us got a call from…” Journey frowned. “What’s that fucker’s name? Edwin? ”

My face paled. “Ah.”

Ben’s expression said he was resigned to his fate.

“He seemed a little concerned you were going to back out at the last minute. To be quite frank, neither of us really understands why he’s so insistent you show up, of all people.

I mean, it’s not that the community league members are any less worthy of recognition, but?—”

I sometimes forgot how few people knew about my marriage. Half the people at Reid’s funeral thought we were best friends and roommates. It had been funny, even when it really wasn’t.

“Reid Martin is my husband,” I said, then cleared my throat. “Former husband, I suppose. I never know the right way to describe what he is— was —to me.”

The silence was pointed. Journey looked like he wanted to bolt, and Ben looked like he wanted to cry.

I had no idea what to say to either of them.

“I didn’t know,” Ben finally said. “Is…was it a secret, or…?”

“When he was in the NHL, no major players had come out yet,” I told them. I’d repeated this story about three thousand times already. What was once more? “After his injury, he didn’t want the attention.”

“So you never got to be with your husband in public?” Journey looked so horrified that I couldn’t help a laugh.

I felt terrible about it, but the idea he must have had about us—sneaking around like he was some Victorian lord, and I was his trustworthy valet? “We went out plenty. We let people assume whatever they wanted to assume.”

Both of them relaxed a fraction. Then Ben said, “I understand why Edwin wants you there. Is he going to dedicate something to you? Does he want you to give a speech?”

“God help me if it’s either of those things,” I muttered in French.

They both looked confused. “I think he doesn’t want to deal with the backlash if I don’t show up.

There are people in the organization who do know.

Powerful people who gave him his job. They might ask questions if I wasn’t invited on an anniversary like this. ”

“But you don’t want to go,” Journey said, tipping his glass at me before gulping down half his tea.

“No. If I could avoid it, I would. I didn’t even want to take this job, but it was better than rotting in my flat. That’s definitely not what Reid would have wanted for me.”

There was always a pointed silence when I talked about him.

No one ever knew what to say. And it sounded callous of me to tell them that it was fine, he’d been dead for years.

Which was true—I was fine, and he was dead.

It wasn’t complicated. But most people didn’t understand the way grief worked when it came to losing a spouse, and I rarely felt like educating them on it.

“So…we’re cool,” Ben said. He took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, almost like he was nervous.

“Did you think I’d be angry? ”

“We didn’t want you to think we invited you to lunch to do the dark overlord’s bidding,” Journey cut in, winking. “I’m not even part of the organization. I lent my brother money to start this team, and apparently, this has become my life now.”

“I wasn’t going to assume anyone would ever do what Edwin wanted,” I told them with a shrug. “Not willingly.”

Ben burst into laughter. “It’s weird that you get it, but I’m so glad you do. That man is a fucking thorn in my shoe.” He grabbed his menu and held it very close to his face before sighing and setting it back down. “Their font sucks. Someone pick out a burger for me.”

Journey hurried to do as he asked, and I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe there wasn’t a little something going on there. It made me think of Boden. And my office.

I felt the small flicker of hope sparking to life in my gut that I would be seeing him soon.

Lunch was less awkward after, as the two Americans put it, all the cards were on the table. No one asked me any more questions about Reid, and I let Ben vent about Edwin for a little while.

“Is he forcing you to take Micah?” Ben finally asked after swallowing a mouthful of onion ring .

I blinked at him. “Well, he can’t force me to do anything. It was something I meant to speak with you about, but it wasn’t urgent.”

Ben grimaced, and Journey reached over, giving his back a pat.

“Is there…something I’m missing?” I couldn’t help but ask.

Journey’s gaze shot up to mine. “Let’s just say, don’t shit where you eat. Do you know that phrase in France?”

“We know the phrase.” It was a good rule, I think, anywhere you lived. It translated well to metaphorical and literal. And it was a rule I couldn’t help but break. I did my best not to let that show on my face though.

“We’re just saying this from experience,” Ben said.

Journey snorted. “Their breakup was ugly.”

“It wasn’t a breakup,” Ben snapped, then pulled away from Journey’s hand. Okay, maybe there wasn’t something happening. “I made a mistake with Micah. A couple of times,” he added with pink cheeks. “Micah is…well. You’ll understand when you meet him.” He paused and frowned. “Have you met him?”

“I’ve met his brother.”

“Christ,” Journey said. “That one’s the good one, though I swear their mom fucked a gremlin or something when she got pregnant with them.”

I frowned. I had no idea what he was saying. Jonah had been a bit mouthy but otherwise perfectly polite. “Alright?”

“Just…don’t take his flirting seriously,” Ben said. He grabbed his iced tea and took a long drink. “He will fuck you if you show any interest in him. Then you’ll feel things, and he won’t. It ends ugly.”