CHAPTER 2 #3
“I think they were petrified. I was like red with rage. And no one ratted me out because then they would have to explain why I hit him. His glasses gave me a good scar though.” She pointed her elbow in my face after she pulled her arm out of her coat.
I let my finger linger on the thick white line she had on her elbow. I was touching her again. I didn't even know this woman and my fingers were grazing her skin. I could feel a tingle where the little hairs on her arms were. I was getting turned on by arm hair.
“Stitches?” I croaked.
“Five. I was scared shitless my dad would be mad. But, after the hospital he took me to get ice cream and told me he had never been more proud.” Her voice caught in her throat again and I could see her eyes get glassy.
“I'm sure he is.” I whispered.
“Was.”
She tilted her head to the side and I got it. He must be gone.
“Well, I'm sure you're no stranger to stitches.” She quickly changed the subject.
“Occupational hazard. But I still have all my teeth.” I smiled at her to show.
“Lovely. I'm surprised you're not skating, sick of it are you?” She took a long drag on the hot chocolate, steam fogging her glasses.
I rolled my eyes and threw a thumb towards the ice. “I'm here with my sister for some quality time.” I squeezed the air.
“There are those air quotes again.” She laughed.
“But she ditched me for her friends. That's when I saw you bite it and here we are.” I cringed when I said it. Making fun of how a girl skates doesn't usually go over well.
“Yeah, I'm not good on the ice. I've always wanted to go fast, but my heart won't allow it anymore.”
Her words sat in my chest for a minute.
“Too bad, you would have been a great enforcer.” I laughed.
She barked out a laugh so loud that it echoed off the ice and somehow shot me straight in the heart.
The night darkened as Lucy and I stole glances and told stories under the fluorescent light and in the shadow of the Christmas tree.
The touch of my fingers on the bare skin of her elbow still lingered, still gave me icy butterflies I couldn't rub from my stomach.
Even the hot chocolate couldn't melt it away.
We stayed and talked. Just talked. And I couldn't remember how nice it felt just to sit with someone, or even the last time I had done it.
It was always flights and practice and nutrition and the gym, interviews and stats and pushing, pushing, pushing.
It was never a beautiful woman who laughed and rolled her eyes and made me feel like there was more than hockey out here beneath the stars. Even with the ice so close.
Paulie fell asleep after doing all he could to impress me. His warm little body curled into her lap and snored. Her hands constantly rubbing up and down his back until they made an announcement they were closing up the rink.
“Can we go now?” A sharp and annoyed voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It wasn't what my little sister said, it was the way she said it. Like I was her whipping boy and she loved to prance me around in front of her friends.
“Jesus, Erica. Can't you see I'm talking to someone?” I gave her a look.
“Oh, really? Since when do you talk?” She laughed and looked at Lucy. “Oh, I see. Nice to meet you.” Erica held out her hand and Lucy took off her gloves and shook it.
“Nice to meet you Erica, I'm Lucy.”
“Hi.” She gave a short smile but I knew it was just public pleasantries and it would be short lived.
But we were interrupted by the inevitable. I had been spotted and now, one by one, skaters were coming over for autographs. “It's the Sarge!” was screamed and I cringed. My blissful moment of anonymity was gone.
“Oh, great.” Erica huffed and walked away, avoiding the public at all costs.
“Sorry.” I turned to Lucy.
“For what? Being admired? For your skills being noticed? Enjoy it.” She whispered and a knot hitched in my throat.
I signed autographs and took pictures for what seemed like an hour.
The crowd seemed to swallow me up so after every signature I took a step away from where Paulie still slept on Lucy.
The crowd was loud and he was so tired. It was as if we were two ships in the night and the ocean seemed to pull me further and further away from her.
Occasionally I would look over to Lucy and she would smile, like a beacon.
But just as I got the courage up to tell the crown I was done, to get back to Lucy and ask for her number, she was gone. She was just gone, without a word.
My heart sunk into my stomach. Disappointment making the ice seem so much colder.
The people slowly dispersed and I found Erica by the car. “Did you see where Lucy went?
“Do I look like your secretary?”
“Could you be a little nicer?” I scoffed, pissed at myself for not getting Lucy's number when I had the chance.
“You actually liked that girl?”
“What do you care? Let's go home.” I slammed the door shut.
“You do, don't you?” She laughed like I was a fool.
“Give it a rest, Erica.”
I drove off into the night pissed at my sister, but mostly pissed at myself for letting Lucifer out of my sight.