Chapter 14 #2
“There’s no greater gift than the gift of hockey,” Erik Parker says into the camera before they cut to commercial.
“You’d be easy to scam,” I tell Ivy.
“What now, Liv? Are you going to put yourself through another failed attempt to ruin the Parkers or can we all finally move
on?” Tori asks.
“I’m done sabotaging,” I say. Both Tori and Ivy let out a sigh of relief. “But I’m not done with Brody. Not until he’s done
with me,” I add.
Tori glances to Ivy out of the corner of her hazel eye. The two share a stifled giggle.
“You like Brody Parker.” Tori takes great pleasure in announcing the findings of her research. “Olivia loves a Parker,” she
says, dragging out every word for maximum enjoyment.
I worry she’s about to stand up and start chanting it. Olivia likes Brody Parker! Over and over until everyone in here joins in. It doesn’t matter how old you get; your sibling finding out about your crush
is always humiliating.
“I do not love a Parker,” I quickly shut her down. “I do however have a unique bond with Brody and a suspicion that he’s hiding something.
He just needs the right person to confide in.”
“Like he secretly communicates with the dead?” Ivy’s eyes light up.
I glare over at Ivy with confusion. “Like he’s hiding a big family secret.”
No longer interested, she sits back in her chair, plopping cheese curds into her mouth.
“This has gone too far,” Tori says.
“Which is exactly why I can’t bail yet. I need to take things to the next level with Brody. Once our relationship is serious,
he will tell me the seriously disturbing secrets his family is hiding.” I rub my hands together in anticipation.
“I don’t know, Liv. Seems like a lot to balance with everything else you’ve got going on,” Tori says, using her serious voice
on me. By now, she should know it only makes me want to do something more.
I don’t expect Tori to understand what I’m going through. She has everything: a cool apartment, an interesting girlfriend,
her dream job. Dad’s death didn’t alter any of her life plans. She kept on going so seamlessly it made me feel as if we had
experienced two different events. Because me on the other hand—I’ve lost everything, including my way.
The idea I had of myself—of my future—died with him. No one is going to get it back for me. Just like no one was going to
help my dad after his injury. I can’t let this go because I can’t end up like him.
“I could try convincing Brody to join a controversial cult, but he would likely end up making it a trend. At this point, sabotaging
the family is pointless, but getting inside the mess is how I’m going to put this to rest,” I say. Tori listens with a lifeless
expression. “Don’t worry about me, I can manage it all. I’ll make sure I let Brody down easy. A couple good months together
as a couple and then a gentle breakup when the time comes. He’s a hockey player. Those boys cycle girls faster than they cycle
pucks.”
“You need to worry less about revenge and more about rent,” Tori says under her breath. She pours herself a refill, finishing
off the pitcher’s remaining Diet Pepsi.
“Why don’t you go enjoy your last night of being single and talk to the guy who’s been staring at you since you sat down?
” Ivy tilts her head toward the bar. A defenseman from the other team is sitting at the end of the bar, peering over his shoulder at me.
We lock eyes and he smiles before looking away.
“Him?” I ask, pointing. “I absolutely embarrassed him tonight in the second period with a toe drag.”
“Unless you’re already in love with Brody.” Tori smirks from behind the lip of her cup. Her and Ivy giggle.
“What? No! Shut up.” I get up from the table, shaking my leaded legs out while I gather a bit of courage to put up with small
talk. “You know if you two want some alone time together, just say so.”
“We have been!” they shout in unison as I walk away.
I can’t deny that the thought of getting closer to Brody is exhilarating. Not having to sabotage him is as relieving as the
reluctant plans you made in a moment of gregariousness getting canceled last minute. I can finally settle more into myself
and his company. If I’m at ease, so will he be.
I know firsthand the devastating secrets that can fester within families. There’s more to Brody’s life than the picture-perfect
photos of him as a kid with his family standing next to the Stanley Cup. His smile after scoring a goal is infectious, but
I’ve never seen that same smile captured in a Parker family photo. He wants to talk, and whatever he says might be the thing
that brings the family legacy crumbling down. I know the feeling of holding your tongue. Being so full of words but sewing
your own mouth shut. It’s time to remove the stitches.
I slide into the empty seat at the end of the bar.
“Nice goal tonight,” the defenseman says. His sandy-blond hair is still wet from his postgame shower. His cheeks are red-hot,
but I don’t know if he’s blushing or fatigued from the game.
“Which one?” I drum my fingers against the bar top. I force the conversation along, knowing Ivy and Tori are watching from across the room.
He laughs. “The toe drag past me by the hash marks immediately comes to mind.”
“Shouldn’t have been sitting so far back.” I look over at him, batting my eyelashes like a pathetic peacock fanning its feathers.
“I saw your face and got mesmerized. Can you blame me?”
“I think that’s how Ovechkin scored so many goals too.”
“Don’t get cocky. You’re not as cute as him,” he says, and I laugh sincerely. “Trevor,” he adds, extending his hand.
“Olivia,” I say, shaking it. “Do you always hit on your opponents?” I try to flirt.
He smiles. I’m out of my element. Even worse, I feel like I’m cheating on a test. I look around the room to make sure no one
is watching us. They’re not; why would they be. We’re in a crowded sports bar—everyone is watching the game on the TV screens.
The Freeze are in Seattle to take on the Rainiers. I glance up and see Brody skating up to a face-off against Jaylen Jones.
The guilt intensifies. I want to hide under a table in case he sees me. Instead, Brody loses the draw.
“Can you believe that guy? Needs to stop with all the modeling and reading and focus on scoring. We so overpaid for him.”
Trevor’s lip curls as he shakes his head in disgust at the TV.
Seems like my sabotage wasn’t totally in vain.
I look at Trevor. He’s got Brody’s old signature haircut, except he doesn’t pull it off like Brody did.
It’s wearing him. It makes Trevor look like he has sunglasses on indoors.
He’s sporting a Freeze sweatshirt he would likely ask Brody to sign had he been present.
He has ice packs on his legs like he needs to get the swelling down in time for his shift at whatever pro shop he manages by tomorrow morning.
He doesn’t hate Brody; he’s jealous of him—which is so much worse.
“Let me get your number, and I don’t mean jersey,” he says.
His lines feel cheesy now. It’s forced like everything else about him. I look back at Tori. She and Ivy are watching me, whispering
between each other. I begrudgingly hand over my phone and let him create a new contact, knowing full well I’m going to delete
his number on the drive home.