I don’t know if he’s being purposely vague, so I ask point-blank. “Tell me who and how we can help them.”
“We, as in you and me?” he asks for clarification. And I understand what he’s doing. He wants to know if this stays right here and won’t get back to Keller because he’s not building a good rapport with the men.
“Just you and me,” I affirm.
The woman hands me my tea, and I slide on a cardboard holder so I don’t burn my hand. Since the lobby has cleared out, I head over to a pair of chairs in a corner where we can talk. After sitting down, I remove the cup lid and set the tea on the table to cool.
Gage opens his potato chips and starts munching. “First, Coen is a mess.”
I nod in agreement. He’s been a dick in most of the practices, and his play hasn’t been consistent. That’s totally explainable, though, since he’s got a whole new team at his back.
“When we go out, he’s drinking heavily and sometimes acting inappropriately.”
“Like how?” My level of concern increases.
Gage looks around the lobby as if trying to figure out how to phrase it. “You know how he was supposedly the fun-loving, outgoing, and super confident star? Loves the ladies, loves partying, and is a little cocky?”
“Yup. Lots of players like that.”
“Well, now he gets mean when he drinks, and he’s not all that fun to hang with. He still hits on the ladies, and they respond, but he doesn’t even try to be charming about it. I overheard him one night approach a woman who was with her boyfriend and asked her if she wanted to fuck. We had to step in to avert a fight. And he’s no longer cocky in that acceptable way. He’s arrogant and alienating. In fact, he didn’t get invited to go out with the guys tonight, and I saw him taking off on his own.”
Shit… this is not good. Now I’m torn because this could lead to some serious behavior problems, and Keller has a right to know. But I’ve promised Gage I wouldn’t say anything.
“I’ll find a time to talk to him,” I finally offer.
“Good.” Gage pulls a chip out of the bag. “Because Coen can’t stand Keller. That would be like throwing a match onto gas if he tries to handle the situation.”
“Just great,” I mutter, rubbing at my worsening headache. I really should get to bed.
But right then, Stone Dumelin walks by, hands tucked in his pockets, shoulders hunched. He makes his way to the elevator, keeping his gaze down so he’s not forced to talk to anyone. He’s been very standoffish since the new team was formed. Reminds me so much of Riggs, and one thing I learned in that situation, some ugly stuff was brewing in Riggs’s personal life that caused it.
Given Stone’s brother was on that plane, if anyone has the right to have fucked-up feelings, it’s him.
“What’s the deal with Stone?” I ask as we watch him disappear into the elevator.
“Completely dissociating from the team. He goes out on the ice, does his job, and then he’s done. To my knowledge, he’s not developed any personal relationships, although lord knows, I’ve tried.”
“It’s got to be tough. Losing his brother in the crash and then being called up to join the team.”
Gage leans toward me and lowers his voice. “I don’t know this personally, but word is that he really didn’t have a relationship with his brother. I think there was some bad blood between them when Stone got sent down to the minors.”
“That was just bad luck, though.” His trajectory got sidetracked by an injury that landed him bouncing between the minors and the professional league while Brooks’s star continued to rise higher and higher.
Stone has been playing to near perfection since being called up. Maybe he’s trying to prove something to his brother’s ghost.
Maybe he can’t handle that Brooks is dead if there were hard feelings between them.
Going back to my experience with Riggs, there’s probably a bunch of shit brewing with him, and he’s got no outlet for it. He’s on a new team with people he doesn’t know.
“Maybe I should reach out to him.”
“I would suggest something small,” Gage says with a stoic expression. “Maybe a gathering of just a few players for dinner or something.”
“That’s a good idea. You up to help play Papa Bear with me?” I ask.
“Sure thing,” he says.
I stand from the chair, picking up my peppermint tea, which is still too hot to sip. “I’ll get with Sophie and we’ll figure out a good night soon. But for now, I need to take these meds and go to bed so this crud will go away.”
Gage stands too, and we walk to the elevator. “How’s it going with Sophie?”
It’s no secret to the team who Sophie is. I’ve mentioned her enough to other players, especially after we stayed behind in Phoenix to give our victim impact statements. They knew I flew with her, and I’m sure conclusions have been drawn.
But this is the first time one of the players has asked me point-blank the status of my relationship with her, and I find myself happy to tell someone the truth.
“She’s amazing,” I say as Gage presses the elevator button. “I still can’t understand how something so awful happened, and yet it led me to one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”
Gage’s smile curves deep. “So it’s that way between you two, huh?”
“Yeah,” I reply as we step in. “It’s that way and more.”
“I’m happy for you, man.” Gage reaches forward and hits the button for the third floor. Same floor as me.
“What about you? Anyone special?”
Gage shakes his head. “Nah. Right one hasn’t come along, I guess.”
“It will happen when you least expect it,” I assure him. “Trust me on that.”
♦
After Gage and I part ways, I go about trying to cure myself of this crud. I can feel it settling into my chest, so I drink some of the peppermint tea while I run a hot shower. Before stepping in, I down some Tylenol and Mucinex without bothering to see if they can be taken together, but I’m too tired to bother looking.
The shower makes me feel better, and I’m exhausted by the time I crawl into bed. The last thing I do before sleep is send Sophie a message.
I know you’re asleep, but I can’t wait to see you in a few days.
I want to add the words I love you, but that’s not something you should say for the first time via text message. It has to be done in person, preferably in a romantic setting. Maybe after we make love? Or over morning coffee—in a spontaneous declaration she won’t see coming.
Yeah, something like that.
Catch her off guard, although I trust Sophie enough… I’m confident she’ll say it back no matter when I decide to tell her.
CHAPTER 26
Baden
My phone alarm brings me out of a dead sleep, and I slap at it with extreme precision, managing to shut it off without pressing snooze.
I’m not a snooze kind of guy. When it’s time to get up, it’s time to get up.
Of course, I hesitantly open one eye and take stock of how I feel.