“We’re no louder than your rugrats,” Kitty shot back.
“Sydney,” Jeanine warned, turning to talk to us. “Has work been busy for you?”
Kitty and I both nodded. “And Jessie’s boss sucks,” Kitty added.
“Poor Jessie,” Sydney said, flicking her hair over her shoulder but not turning to face us.
Jeanine mouthed a “sorry.” Fortunately, Mikey and Romelski were just taking off up the ice in a breakaway against Columbus’s goalie. Romelski’s wife reached for my hand as we both got loud. Mikey knocked the puck to him as the goalie prepared for Mikey to shoot, and Romelski effortlessly popped it to the upper part of the goal. His wife and I high-fived and clinked our glasses as cheers erupted in the room. For that moment, I felt good. Included. Part of something bigger.
Then it all came crashing down.
I pulled out my phone to text Mikey a congrats for his goal. I knew he wouldn’t read it till after the game but he’d told me how much he liked it. At the same time, Sydney scooted her chair back as the game went to a TV time out, knocking into me. Red wine splashed down the front of my jersey and into her hair. She gasped. “Look what you did!”
I started to apologize, but Kitty tapped my arm to stop me. “It was just an accident, Sydney. And you scooted your chair!”
Jeanine appeared next to me with two wads of paper towels extended, rushing to the drinks table for some club soda.
Sydney patted the paper towels over her hair. “What are you even doing here, anyway? You know he’s not going to marry you, right? He’s just doing this to look better in the press.”
My stomach sank. Was that true?
“Can it, Sydney,” Kitty hissed.
“Everybody knows that Mikey doesn’t do girlfriends. He gets bored too quickly. He’d have a new pussy every day if he could.He probably still does,” Sydney said, stepping closer to me.
“Sydney, there are kids here!” Romelski’s wife cried. God bless that woman. I could safely add her to my allies list.
“Does he still cry when he comes? He did when he shot it down my throat. Said I was the best he ever had. That’s why it doesn’t make sense that he’s with you.”
“That’s enough, Sydney,” Jeanine said definitively.
Sydney lowered her voice. “Did your man fail to mention that I was first? You thought you were special, didn’t you? You shouldn’t even be here. You’re still fucking around with your little Hollywood job, but look around. This takes dedication. And he knows you don’t have what it takes.”
My jaw was clamped shut so tight it hurt. I could not cry in front of this monster. No matter if what she said was true, it was too much. Just the fact that she was trying to get under my skin hurt.
“You need to leave,” Jeanine said, rounding up Sydney’s diaper bag and pouring out her drink.
“It’s fine. I’ll go,” I said.
“The hell is wrong with you,” Kitty spat at Sydney, following me to the door.
“You can stay,” I called over my shoulder.
“No, I’m with you,” Kitty caught up to me. “Are you okay?”
We made it outside and I turned to her, tears blurring my vision. “Is it true? Was she really with him?”
Kitty’s eyes were round and sad. “I don’t know. We’ve only been here a few months more than you. It would make sense as to why he and Leroy hate each other so much. But hey.” She put her hand on my shoulder and leaned so I had to look at her. “Mikey loves you. Even if she did sleep with him, it doesn’t matter. He’s obsessed with you, Jess.”
“He’s never said he loves me,” I said, trying not to go into complete hysterics.
“Yeah, well, he will. He’s in it because he likes you. Don’t listento her shit.”
I swiped at the tears on my cheeks. “I don’t like being blindsided. He should have told me.”
“He probably didn’t tell you because it wasn’t important to him. But you’ll have to take that up with him. Why don’t we go get some takeout and we can finish the game at your house?”
* * *
