3. Zack
CHAPTER THREE
zack
“Wanna tell me what we’re doing here?” asks Nate Casco, star goalie for the Maine Meteors, before plopping onto a giant pine stump beside the old camping cabin. “We only have a few weeks of freedom left and this is how you’re choosing to spend it?”
“I told you, I’m volunteering. Giving back to the community?” It comes out more like a question, making him eye me suspiciously.
“I don’t remember volunteering for anything.”
“You volunteered to hang out with me, and I’m here, so in a way, you kinda did.
” A grin is plastered to my face as I grab a paintbrush from the nearby box of supplies.
Nate has a look that says he’s not buying what I’m selling.
He’s my closest friend here in Maine. We played for the same team in Canada when I was first called up to the league.
We were both right out of college, and both made the move from the US.
He was traded to the Meteors about five years ago, but we remained close.
He definitely smells my lie from a mile away.
“You missed our little project yesterday, so it’s about time you made up for it. ”
“This wouldn’t have something to do with a certain woman who works here? Maybe something to do with a certain commotion you caused yesterday?” His eyes narrow.
I wonder who gave me away? My bet’s on Brent. He tried talking to me while we were doing trail cleanup yesterday, but I was honestly still in shock and couldn’t come up with the words to explain anything.
I still can’t explain it. Evvy’s here in Maine.
I haven’t seen her in thirteen years, and now she’s here.
She wouldn’t even talk to me. I had hoped she’d still be at the visitor center after the team’s community service project was over, but she was nowhere to be found.
I did manage to find out she lives here on the property.
She started working here a few months back as a geologist and an interpretive park ranger.
It’s amazing what a college-aged parks volunteer, who’s a huge hockey fan, will tell you when you agree to pose for a picture.
“No clue what you’re talking about. I’m just doing a good deed. Pass me that paint can.”
He holds up the paint but pulls the gallon away just before I can grasp the handle. “Nope. You’ll get the paint when you’re honest with me.” Everything in me wants to be irritated with him for pushing me on this, but he offers me a disarming smile. “Zack, talk to me, man. Is it her?”
I’m not ready to get into this. Seeing her took the wind out of me. But I’m here now, and he’s bound to figure it out. “Yeah, it’s her.” With a sigh, I slump onto the cabin’s front step and bury my face in my hands.
Nate gives me a comforting pat on the back. “Hell, Zack. I’m so sorry. I think…I mean, were you happy to see her?” He studies me as I rub my forehead. “I guess you were since you decided to come here again today?”
“Would saying it’s complicated be enough?” Dragging my hands through my hair, I glance at my best friend.
“I think that’s probably the understatement of the century, but you tell me,” he says with an uneasy laugh.
Nate’s been there for me through my highs and lows.
Unfortunately I experienced my highest high and lowest low simultaneously.
Arriving in Canada without Evvy was tough, but never hearing from her again absolutely wrecked me.
I was brand new to the league and it should have been one of the happiest times in my life.
Instead, I played like crap for the first couple of months while I wallowed in self-pity.
I thought for sure they were going to kick me off the team.
Nate was new too, but he took me under his wing and got me through it.
He pushed me to train harder and dragged me out on our nights off.
He became family. It still hurt like hell to be missing my other half, but I slowly built a life again—as best I could anyway.
My game improved and hockey went back to being my entire life, just like it was before Evvy.
“I need to see her again. The look she gave me yesterday was…chilling. And she refused to talk to me.” It reopened an old wound, one that never completely healed. “I can’t just let this go. And if she’s here, this is where I’ll be too…at least until I get some answers, or she truly sends me away.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea? No offense, but she almost completely broke you last time. It was bad.” Nate’s eyes search my face for an answer I don’t have.
Blowing out a breath, I stand up and peer down at my friend. “I have to try. There’s no way I can just walk away now that I know she’s here.”
“Okay, so what’s the plan?” He reaches out his hand and I grab it, tugging him upright. It’s good to know he has my back, even if this is a stupid decision.
“How do you feel about running an errand for me?”