Chapter Twenty-One - Summer
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Summer
The cafe has been busy today, considering the tourist season is slowing down and the weather wasn’t great, intermittent rain creating a moody atmosphere on top of the cliff.
Lennon was a huge help, she was meant to get off at 3 but we were so busy she offered to stay until close and I owe her my life because I never would’ve been able to do this by myself.
“Boss, I got to head to that hockey game. You good if I get going?” Lennon asks. She was meant to leave earlier to meet her friends to go and watch the game at some place in the city, apparently it’s the first of the season and it’s a big deal, but she’s going to Gray’s pub instead.
“Yes, thank you Lennon, I can finish up. I owe you one!” I say as she takes her apron off, shoving it in her tote bag that she’d just grabbed off the hook. It’s a Calgary Coyotes tote, which I’m guessing is the team thats playing tonight if she’s so invested.
“Great, I should just be able to catch the start! Bye, love you!” she calls as she rushes out the door, nearly knocking over a chair with her purse in the process. I shake my head at her with a smile on my face. She’s been saying ‘love you’ to me recently when she leaves and it’s cute, I feel like she’s turning into my little sister.
It’s been nearly 3 weeks since the cafe’s been open and it’s been tough, but I’ve enjoyed it. The town is still so supportive and Lennon has been so helpful.
For a while, I never thought anything like this would be possible for me, but here I am; my own business, new friends, new family, a guy that I shouldn’t get involved with but I want to none the less.
It takes another hour having to close down the kitchen and the front of house but I finish clearing up knowing I would rather do it now than wake up even earlier in the morning to finish it.
I want nothing more than to go upstairs and pass out but Alex called me while I was shutting down the espresso machine, asking if I wanted to meet them at the pub to watch the game. And even though I’m way too tired, I said yes. For the last week, all people have been asking me about recently, is whether I’m going to be watching the game and my answer was always no, but right now, after the busy day I’ve had, a drink is definitely needed and I’d rather do that with my friends than by myself in my apartment.
And who knows, maybe after I watch my first game, I’ll become a fan.
It took me 30 minutes to get changed, have a shower and get to the pub, Alex had been texting me the whole time with updates because I’m late. Apparently we’re winning and I make a mental note to clarify what team ‘we’ is.
The place is busy, a bunch of different jersey wearing fans scattered around the place, some of them sporting jerseys with the name Freeman on the back, and I vaguely remember them talking about a player with that name on the TV that time at Brooks’. I feel kind of left out in my white tee and jeans combo, maybe if I enjoy the game I’ll invest in one of my own.
I see Alex sat at the bar, Gray leaning over the top of it and they’re talking between themselves as if no one else is around them and I kind of don’t want to interrupt.
I head to the bar, a little further down from them and grab the attention of the bartender, just grabbing a bottle of beer hoping that it doesn’t stimulate me too much so that when it’s time to go home, I can just pass right out.
“Hey, sweetheart.” It’s Fred, “Excited for the game?” he asks.
“It’s my first one, I don’t know what to expect,” I reply.
He’s got a Freeman jersey on too; it looks as though he’s the favorite around here.
I grab my drink and Fred pays the bartender. “It’s on me.”
A give him a smile in thanks and take a swig. “I’m going back to the screen, don’t want to miss a thing,” he says and walks away to a table in the back of the pub, joining a table of older guys.
I glance over at Alex and see Grayson’s been pulled away and I take the chance to head over to Alex. Alex doesn’t drink, opting for soft drinks, and she’s mid sip when she sees me, nearly choking on it in her haste to wave me down.
“Summer, hey!” She pats the seat next to her. Her hair is in two space buns either side of her head and I have to admit, it looks cool with the half yellow, half red hair.
I take a seat and she asks me, “I bet you’re excited, eh? Your first game!” She’s excited, that much is clear and the atmosphere is palpable. This must be a big hockey town.
“Yeah, a little.” Though it’s not a lie, I’m not exactly excited. “Who’s our team?” I ask, pointing to the screen right in front of us, one of the many in here, not paying any attention to what they’re talking about.
Alex gives me an incredulous look, as if she can’t believe I’ve just asked her that.
“The coyotes?” She says it as if I’m dumb, as if I should have known. Assuming because majority of people in here are wearing their jerseys so I guess it kind of was a stupid question.
“Right,” I nod, taking a sip of my beer and gesturing to the people around us. “Freeman’s a popular player, huh?” I ask. Grayson has joined us by this point and Alex gives him a side eye.
“Yeah…” They look between me and each other, their faces unreadable. They do this a lot, it’s like they have their own language. It’d be cute, if I knew they weren’t talking about me right now.
“What?” I ask, just as a few people in the crowd cheer.
Everyone turns their attention to the screen, and I’m already lost, so I ask Alex and Gray to clarify.
“We’ve just finished the first period, we had an intermission and now we’re heading back in to play,” Grayson says, eyes fixated on the screen.
The commentators are talking about the Coyotes and how they’re winning after the first period.
“They’re doing good! We didn’t think we’d see this so early into the season with Freeman being out for a couple months.”
“I agree Bill, without Freeman as the center I don’t think they’d have been ready right about now. ”
They show some shots from what I assume is earlier in the game and all the players are moving around the ice so quickly its hard to tell who is who or even where the puck is. It’s actually quite impressive, and I can only imagine in person it’s probably a whole lot better.
“Hey Boss.” Lennon slides up next to me, drinking a non alcoholic beer, very responsible of her. “How stoked are you, eh? I bet you’re more excited than half the people in here.” I’m not sure why people keep asking me that, I’m sure I don’t seem to come off as a hockey fan but I guess it must just be a big game.
“I’m… stoked… I guess.” It comes out more like a question. “Are you excited?” I ask, back.
Lennon nods enthusiastically, her eyes still attached to the screen, providing nothing else.
I look over at Grayson and Alex and they’re both paying attention to the screen too, so I take that as my cue to do so as well.
They’re showing a photo on the screen, it’s blurry but I can just make out two people sat in a booth, and… making out? I think. “Despite Freeman just coming back from his injuries, you can say he’s had a hell of a good few weeks.” One of them jokes.
“Yeah, I’m glad he’s back on the ice because if I saw this photo and he wasn’t starting this season, I’d be pissed as hell. Maybe hold off on the girls and actually get healing, you know?” They both start laughing and the screen changes to a player skating around with Freeman written on his back, helmet on.
This is exactly why I’d never go back to a guy like that. My ex didn’t play hockey, but he was famous within his industry, ask anyone in the finance field and they’d know who he was. The ego, the womanizing, not what I initially signed up for, and not something I’m willing to sign up for again.
I look around to see what everyone else seems to be thinking about their seemingly beloved player and notice Alex, Gray and Lennon already looking my way.
I raise my eyebrows in question and they all look between each other and not for the first time tonight do I feel like I’m out of the loop.
I finish my beer and Gray hands me another before turning away, back to the screen.
“How are you doing?” Alex says in my ear just loud enough for me to hear her over the noise in the pub but not so loud for anyone else to hear.
Before I can answer, a voice in the crowd shouts, “There’s our boy!”
All attention turns towards the screen, just in time to show Freeman sitting down on a bench and taking off his helmet. Even though, it’s only been one period, his hair is wet with sweat, his face flushed.
“Looking at Brooks Freeman right now, you’d never think he had a near career ending injury for the last couple months. It’s a miracle he’s even here today.”
My heart stops.
Brooks Freeman. Brooks. Freeman. Brooks fucking Freeman. My Brooks?
The camera pans closer to the player and that’s when I see his face. That is my Brooks.
No. Not my Brooks. Just Brooks.
My Brooks wouldn’t hide that from me, not after what we’ve spoken about.
I sit, dumbfounded, my beer halfway to my mouth, my hearing muffles and my eyes don’t leave the screen, like I’m caught in a trance.
My brain is still trying to piece together that the guy I’m seeing on the screen is the guy thats been in my living room, helped me build my cafe, the guy that I speak to every night. Trying to piece together that the guy that I just saw making out with a girl in a booth at a bar is the same guy that took me to dinner, came all the way here from Calgary just to support me on opening day and then fly back the same night.
It doesn’t make sense.
I look around and no one seems to be surprised at this turn of events. They all knew. Obviously they knew! Thats why it’s like a Freeman mother fucking shrine in here. That’s why Alex asked me how I was doing after they showed that picture of Brooks, because she knows how I feel about him and knew that seeing that would crush me.
Holy shit.
Lennon looks my way, noticing my shock. “Summer, you okay?” she asks, concern lacing her voice.
It catches the attention of Alex and Grayson, “You look pale, do you need some water?” Equally as worried.
Grayson places a glass of water down and I look at him, not wanting to face the two girls just yet. He sees the look on my face and his features harden as if he knows what I’ve just found out. “Summer—” he starts but I don’t give him time to finish.
“You all knew.” I say, still looking at Grayson. Out of the three of them right now, he’s the one I’m least mad at. I don’t spend everyday with him like I do with Lennon, he’s not my best friend like Alex is. He has a loyalty to his brother, I get it.
“Knew what?” Lennon’s voice is soft, confused.
“That Brooks plays hockey.” Grayson finishes .
There’s a pregnant pause, then, “You didn’t know.” It’s not a question but a statement from Alex, her voice disappointed.
By this point, the next period has started, cheers and boos fill the room every time the team takes possession of the puck or loses it.
I feel like my body’s gone numb, the only thing it can do right now is look at Grayson and breathe.
“No, I didn’t.” My voice is quiet but stern and my heart feels like it’s in my throat, choking me.
“What the hell! Why would he not tell her?” That’s Lennon, talking to Grayson. All he does is shake his head, his expression unchanged.
“Why would you all not tell me?” My voice hasn’t sounded like this for over a year, it doesn’t even sound like me, it’s emotionless, cold, everything I didn’t want it to be here.
“Summer,” Alex tries to placate, placing a hand on my arm. I don’t even try to shake it off. “We all assumed you knew, but Summer, it’s not our place to tell you. Brooks likes to keep things private, away from the public eye, we don’t really mention it to anyone from outside of town.”
Her excuse just makes it worse. I don’t even think I’m angry, or disappointed, just numb.
Loud yells and cheering sound in the pub and everyone turns their attention to the screen, the Coyotes just scored. The camera follows a player around and as it zooms in, Brooks beaming face can be seen through the helmet.
I feel sick. My body feels hot, my heart still feels like its in my throat and the last thing I need is to be here.
I take this moment of distraction to slip out of the pub unnoticed, leaving my car and walking home. The cool breeze blowing off the ocean cools my skin and it feels like I can actually get a breath in for the first time in what feels like days even though it’s only been a couple minutes.
Logically, I know that my friends are being loyal to Brooks, they should, he was here way before me and he’ll definitely be here way after me too, and they’re his family. It doesn’t stop the feeling of betrayal coursing through my veins though.
I also know that I should be angry at Brooks the most out of everyone, he lied to me, carried on with the flirting, the banter, knowing that he was keeping this from me.
I never even questioned what he did for work, I just knew he worked away. It was selfish of me to not even question it, but I didn’t want to know. I didn’t want to know the job that would take him away from town when I had just started to get to know him.
This is why the clean break was necessary, we should have stopped what was happening between us when he left, but I was stupid, and messaged him that night.
I’m angry at myself, at him, my friends, the situation.
All of it.