As I make my way down the sidewalk, my stomach is rumbling in protest at leaving that lasagna behind. The weather is ominous, dark clouds hiding the sun and a blustery wind has started. I wonder where Mac is. That coat she had on seemed warm, but it was also ripped. I regret not buying her a hotel room somewhere, but I bet she’d have accused me of wanting bad things from her if I did it. Or she’d worry I was going to call the police on her. I really hope she meets me tomorrow.
I pull my phone out and text Luc like Devin suggested to see if he’s free for dinner. He texts back almost right away and says he and Rose are just sitting down to order dinner at a pub a few blocks away. He tells me to come meet them and includes the address. Fifteen minutes later, half a block from the pub, the rain starts. I move faster, ducking under awnings and make it into the restaurant without getting too drenched. I spot Luc and Rose at a table near the back and wave as I make my way over.
We have two days off without games, which Luc explains Rose has packed with wedding planning. I’m almost jealous of him because at least he has something to do. Other than the fund-raiser in the Hamptons for Daphne’s House tomorrow night and a practice Sunday afternoon, I’ve got nothing planned. I figure I’ll busy myself buying new furniture for my new place, but that will probably take all of twenty minutes and a few clicks on some websites.
“I thought you were having dinner with Callie and Devin. She was making her famous lasagna,” Rose says as the waiter brings our drink orders over.
I nod and then concentrate on taking the paper off my straw to buy myself some time. I don’t think I can tell her Callie is in the middle of a pregnancy scare so I need the time to figure out a lie. “She thinks she still has the flu, so we postponed. I can’t get sick.”
“Why not? At least then the coach would have a legitimate reason to bench you,” Luc quips and gives me a sympathetic smile. “He’s being a dick, for the record.”
“Thanks,” I say, smiling.
“So since we have time off, you should have a housewarming this weekend and invite us all over,” Rose announces and I almost choke on my diet Sprite. Luc shakes his head at her. She tries to look innocent. “What? He has to have a housewarming sometime. It might as well be now.”
“I do?” I question and shrug. “I’ve never had one before.”
“Well that’s simply unacceptable,” Rose says. “Every house needs a party to break it in, make it feel loved.”
“She’s a crazy person,” Luc informs me with a grin that says he wouldn’t have it any other way. “But if you don’t plan one, she’ll plan it for you.”
“I’ll have one, but I can’t this weekend,” I explain. “I’m attending a fund-raiser tomorrow and besides, I don’t have any furniture other than a bed. I could still have a party with just that, but it’s not a party I’d invite old married people like you to.”
Luc laughs. Rose turns pink and shakes her head. “You single hockey players are the worst.”
“What’s your fund-raiser for?” Luc asks as the waiter comes back over with our meals. I try not to stare too longingly at the cheeseburger Rose got. I got a Greek grilled chicken wrap with a spinach salad, which are probably delicious but don’t look as appealing. Luc must agree because he leans over Rose’s plate and inhales deeply with his eyes closed before picking up a fork and diving into his grilled salmon.
“A thing for kids,” I mutter vaguely even though Callie told me Rose would love Daphne’s House. I reach into the pocket of my coat on the bench beside me and pull out the pamphlet about the place I have for Mac and slide it across the tabletop.
Rose pops a sweet potato fry into her mouth, wipes her fingers on her napkin and the takes the pamphlet. Her chewing gets slower and slower as she reads, her eyes narrowing with focus. She looks at Luc, excited. “It’s like Hope House that you did a fund-raiser for back home!”
Luc, who was reading along with her nods and swallows down a hunk of salmon. “Seems similar, yeah. You were looking to volunteer at a place like that. This could be perfect.”
She nods so vigorously. Luc looks over at me. “How’d you find this place?”
“I was looking for a place to volunteer.” I shrug and give him a cheeky grin. “Court-ordered community service.”
He laughs. Rose ignores the joke and leans forward. “Where do I get tickets to the fund-raiser? Why are you just telling us about this now?”
“It’s all the way out in the Hamptons,” I explain.
“Oh no. A night at the beach. How horrible,” she exclaims, every word dripping with sarcasm.
I turn to Luc and smile. “I can totally tell she’s related to Callie right now.”
He chuffs out a laugh. “And just like Jessie when she gets set on something, there is no talking her out of it. So you should tell us where to buy tickets.”
I tap the bottom of the brochure. “If there are any left, you can order them from the website. If they say sold out, text me and I’ll try to pull strings. But no promises. The director kind of hates me.”
“Why would he hate you?” Rose asks innocently.
I move my gaze from her to Luc. “It’s a her, a woman who heard me compliment her ass in a coffee shop and got offended.”
Rose looks confused, but Luc’s face is awash in recognition. “Holy shit! That chick who spoke French? She’s the director of this place?”
He’s laughing so hard I don’t think he even notices I’m frowning. Rose looks clueless. “What am I missing?”
Before I can stop him, Luc gleefully tells her about the incident at Starbucks and then Rose is laughing too. I groan and finish the last of my wrap. “Of all the women in all the youth homes…yeah, I have horrible luck.”
