3. Craig #2
She lowers her head as she laughs. “I sewed a piece of fabric into the inseams.”
“Ah. Sounds like my suit pants got to have all the fun.” I don’t have to look to know that the guys are watching us.
I know they aren’t going to chirp at me for talking to a girl instead of having one drink with them.
They’ll do that when we’re in the locker room or a group chat.
They’re assholes, but they aren’t rude to women.
“You getting a drink?” she asks.
“No, I’m not staying.”
“Was it something I said?” She smirks. “I was about to leave too, actually.”
“Was it something I didn’t say?”
She tilts her head, studying me as she slides off the stool. “You really don’t say much, do you?”
“Don’t I? There’s a lot going on in my head all the time. Some of it makes it out, most of it doesn’t.”
She nods slightly, still reading my face. It’s like she’s always measuring me. “Yeah. I get that.” We both start to head toward the exit, but I feel her hand on my arm and hang back. “Oh, do you… Should we… I mean…” She looks embarrassed.
“What? Did you drive here?”
“No, I’ll get an Uber.”
“I can drop you off somewhere,” I say.
“I’m just going home—it’s fine.”
“I insist.”
“Okay, thanks,” she says. “It’s just…I mean, I know we aren’t leaving together, but…should you maybe go outside first and I’ll use the restroom quickly and then meet you on the sidewalk?”
Interesting. She’s discreet. I usually hook up with tourists when I’m here. In New York it’s easier to slip out the back of a bar unnoticed, but most women want to be seen leaving with me. I like this.
She notes my hesitation and says, “Never mind. It doesn’t—”
“No, no, yeah. It’s your town. I’ll be out front.”
She smiles. “Okay, I’ll just be two minutes.”
I don’t bother saying goodbye to the guys, because my phone has been vibrating nonstop.
When I’m on the sidewalk, half a block from the bar, I pull out my phone.
There are already forty-seven text messages in my group chat with some of the Icebreakers.
I scan them, but there’s really no need to.
This entire chat could be summed up in a few emojis.
COREY: Seriouskly dude You havent has one drink with us ans ur chatting up a girl
COREY: Thats brisket cross. She doesnt dare haockey players
DAVE: For fuck sake moron check your spelling before you hit send
COREY: Use punctiuations sixkhead!!!!!
ADAM: This chat should be for game-related sharing of information only.
COREY:
DAVE:
DAVE: I’m sorry, Bowie, but my wife will literally kill me if I don’t tell her about this. Everyone knows Bridget Cross isn’t into hockey guys. If she goes home with you that’s like winning the Stanley Cup.
DAVE: Or the opposite of the Stanley Cup if she’s not into hockey, I guess.
DAVE: It’s like winning the Nobel Prize for hooking up.
COREY: Wait what just happened? Did she just blow you off?
WINSLOW: Everybody shut the fuck up. It’s my birthday. My phone keeps vibrating and I check it because I think it’s someone wishing me a happy birthday. But it’s you guys being shitheads.
ME: I was just saying hi to my tailor. Everyone settle down, wish Winnie a happy birthday, and
By the time I’ve slipped my phone back into my pocket, Bridget’s stepping through the door and looking around.
She’s wearing those same skinny jeans with high-heel sandals, and I like watching her walk.
Shoving my hands into the pockets of my sweats I take a few steps toward her as she approaches, her arms crossed in front of her chest. She grins at me, like we’re both in on something. I like it.
“Hi.” She shrugs. “Small towns, you know?”
“Yeah. I’m right here.” I lead her to where I parked my SUV. She still smells like a sexy shower, but like the shower is in a fancy spa.
“So you come back to Kenton every summer?” she asks.
“Yeah. I love it here.”
“Yeah?” She wrinkles her nose, grinning, all impish, but it’s so cute. “It’s not for superstitious reasons?”
“Now, why would you say that?”
She waves her hand in front of her face, giggling. “I may have listened to an old episode of The Net Zeroes podcast this afternoon where they listed every known superstitious behavior you’re said to have practiced.”
“Those guys are assholes.”
“They really are, but it was fascinating—they have a lot of respect for you.”
“I doubt even twenty percent of the things they listed were accurate.”
“Is it true you talk to goalposts? I mean, I know it is because I watched a video someone edited on YouTube. What do you say?”
“That’s between me and the goalposts.”
“Fair.”
We reach my car, and I rest my forearm on the roof, above the passenger door. She naturally leans back against the door panel, her arms still wrapped around herself. I’m not crowding her, but I do feel like I should guard her from the street.
“I really hope it’s true that you have a special relationship with one of the stray cats that lives in the Detroit arena.”
“Well, if I did have a special relationship with Phyllis, I wouldn’t tell anyone, because I am discreet.
However, she is not a stray so much as a resident cat who’s allowed free run of the building when it’s closed, and she enjoys a particular brand of high-quality sardines from Spain that you can only get in the US at a mercado in Brooklyn.
They always keep a few cans for me in stock. ”
“Awww!” She touches her hand to her chest and sways a little as she smiles up at me.
She wants me.
It’s on.
“You live with your parents?”
“No. God, no. I work with them all day; I need my own space at night. Where do you live when you’re in town?”
“I rent the same house every year. It’s awesome. You should come over.”
“Now?”
I unlock the car and open the passenger door for her. It requires me stepping away to give her room, but it’s kind of a tight squeeze because of the car that’s parked next to me. I’ve never been so hyperaware of my body and how I take up space around a woman before.
“I’m five minutes from here. I’m gonna go home and watch Jaws.”
“Are you kidding me? I was watching it when my friend called me tonight. I fucking love that movie!”
“Me too. I watch it every summer.”
“Oh, yeah? But not because you’re superstitious, huh?” she teases as she climbs into the seat.
Before carefully closing the door, I say, “Well, Bridget. We’ll just have to see if it brings us luck.”