Page 55 of Pucking the Team

“An Aston Martin DB Twelve. I had it shipped from the United Kingdom.” He paused and sniffed. “It’s still got that new smell, right?”

“Yes, definitely.”

He started the engine, a gentle purr that promised a roar if he hit the gas.

Soon we were driving onto the freeway and toward The Vipers’ home rink. “Tell me about your family, Eduardo. Are they proud of your hockey achievements?”

“My parents are divorced,” he said.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be.” He wafted his hand in the air, a silver thumb ring sparkling in the sunshine streaming through the windscreen. “It happened when I was a young kid, they both remarried, and I like my stepparents. I am lucky, I have four parents now.”

“That’s a nice way to view it.”

“It’s the only way. Got to make the best of a bad situation, that’s what I think.”

“I like your positive attitude.”

He reached over and squeezed my leg. “And I like yours, you’re handling this whole breakup very well, or at least you seem to be.”

I enjoyed his touch and set my hand over his. “I’m not very good at hiding emotions, at least not around friends, so what you see is the truth. I am handling it…” I paused.

He retook the steering wheel to negotiate a maneuver. “You are handling it…and…?”

“And I suppose I feel like I’ve had a lucky escape. I can’t imagine being married to a man who doesn’t love me, and having a best friend who can lie so slickly. I’m well rid of them both.”

“But it must hurt a bit.”

“It hurts a lot.” I paused, swallowed, and willed tears not to form. “But it’s happened now, there’s no going back. I guess I’ll take out little bits at a time to pick apart.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve pondered on it a few times, looking back, when they must have been together. My career keeps me busy, I trustedSteven totally, never gave it a second thought if I didn’t see him for a week or two but…but I remember him being very vague a few months ago about where he was for a long weekend, and Cheryl was out of contact, too.” I shrugged. “I’m guessing they were together while I was in Dubai on a shoot. I was busy, it was hot, I brushed off any suspicions before they even settled on me.”

“Deception is a dagger to the heart,” he said. “In France, if we take another lover, we always tell our husband or wife, not that we don’t do it discreetly but we maintain the trust. It stops the soul being crushed.”

“Really?”

“Oui, really, monogamy is not so popular in France as it is in other countries. The flesh has desires, the body has needs; some can’t be denied, don’t you agree?”

“Yes, I do agree.” I looked at his arms as he held the steering wheel. His tendons danced beneath the surface of his smooth skin, and his biceps bulged around his red t-shirt. “Do you think you will ever get married, Eduardo?”

“What?” He laughed. “Why do you want to know?”

“I…I guess I’m wondering if you would take another lover, if you had a wife.”

“If you were my wife?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“If, after many years of marriage the urge took me, I would speak to her about it. If she was okay, if she had a lover, too, then yes. If she didn’t want it, then I would do whatever made her happy. A wife is a wife, a lover is a lover, they are two separate things.”

We turned into the parking lot of the rink, and he killed the engine.

“You will be cold, a fleece is not enough,” he said. “I have a jacket in the trunk, I will get it for you.”

A few minutes later, I was heading through the back door of the rink. The cool air instantly surrounded me, and I shrugged into the huge Vipers puffer jacket Eduardo had given me. I’d really have to get something that fitted me better if I was going to start frequenting hockey games.