Page 11 of Pucking the Team

For a moment they were all quiet, then Dylan spoke again. “Your phone is going nuts, you know. It’s been buzzing this entire time.”

“I know.” I nodded and left it sitting in my lap.

“An entire congregation wondering where you are, right?” Ben said.

“I suppose so.”

“Did you tell anyone you were leaving?” Theo asked. “Your parents?”

“My aunt, that’s enough…for now.” I opened my eyes and looked out of the window. The sun had come out, and the patchwork of fields we were trundling past glistened yellow and green. There were a few sheep dotted about.

“You should get some rest,” Eduardo said, “A stressful event is very tiring, no?”

I nodded and placed my forehead on the cool window. “I could do with closing my eyes.”

“Then take a moment,” Dylan said and very lightly set his fingers on my forearm. “And know that you are not alone.”

Much to my surprise, I slept on and off for the next few hours. I guessed a combination of being super busy on the lead-up to the wedding, a work trip to Paris combined with the kick to the guts I’d had completely wiped me out.

I woke as the coach was parking up beside a tall white hotel set against a bay bobbing with sailboats.

“Hey, Pippa,” Dylan said. “We’re here.”

“Here?”

“Cardiff. We’re at the hotel.”

I cleared my throat and glanced at my suitcase. “Hotel. Right.” I’d be able to get out of this goddamn dress now. Even if I just changed in the lobby restroom then headed off.

Didn’t Cardiff have an airport? I was sure it did, not that I’d ever been. In fact, I’d only ever been to Wales once before and that was North Wales to do a shoot with the mountains in the background.

The bus was suddenly a hive of activity. Hoodies being pulled on, rucksacks hoisted onto backs, and a rising hum of conversation.

“We’ve got company,” Theo said. He was standing in a stooped position so as not to bang his head. He gestured out of the window.

“Always good to see the fans,” Ben said. He waved at a couple holding a sign that read ‘Wales welcomes The Vipers’.

Vipers. That was it. Hockey team. It all came flooding back to my addled brain. “You’re over from America, right?” I said, purposely not looking at my phone screen. I didn’t want to know how many missed calls and messages I had.

“Oui,” Eduardo said, reaching for my case. “We have been on a six-week tour of Europe, playing hard and winning easy.” He laughed. “And this is our last stop then back to Florida.”

“Florida. The Sunshine State. Nice.” I nodded.

“It is.” He gestured to the case. “You okay with me carrying this for you or will it be against the damsel rules?”

“That would be great, thanks.” I smiled. I felt a little guilty for snapping at him earlier, but hey, I was having a shit day.

He winked and hoisted it up like it weighed nothing.

“So what you gonna do now?” Dylan asked, gesturing for me to walk ahead of him.

“First things first, I need to get out of this bloody dress.”

“Mm.” He paused. “I’m no expert on bridal gowns but I’ve undone my fair share of dresses, and this one appears to be particularly complicated.”

“Yes. But I’ll cut the damn thing off if I have to.”

“No,” Gina said, suddenly popping up from where she’d been sitting halfway down the coach. “That would be a crime, that dress is worth thousands, tens of thousands.”