“My great, great, great grandfather wrote the music for ‘O Canada’ and then moved to Boston,” Caroline says.
“Very cool,” Daisy says but as they continue to talk about Caroline’s relatives, I refocus on the game…otherwise known as secretly admiring Tate Adler. He is really good at hockey. I knew that because he got into that fancy boarding school and everything, but I never really paid much attention to him when he actually played. By the time the game is over, I’m convinced that Tate Adler will actually be drafted into the NHL. That’s awesome for him but potentially awful for us. If Tate is drafted and signs a big contract, he’ll have the money to save his family’s farm, which means my family won’t be able to buy it and grow our business the way Daisy and I had hoped and planned.
I voice this concern to her, while we wait for Jasmyn and Caroline to use the restroom so we can head over to the Biscuit in the Basket for some food. Daisy looks as concerned as I feel. “Maybe he won’t want to save the farm. I mean, maybe he’ll get drafted somewhere far away, settle down with a local puck bunny and use his millions to move his whole family to wherever he is.”
That little fantasy Daisy just invented makes me feel queasy instead of hopeful. I don’t know why. Maybe my blood sugar is low. I barely ate lunch after all. I shrug. “I don’t know. If he’s playing like this all season and enters the draft this summer, he’ll make it for sure and then he’ll have enough money to not only save the farm but hire a ton of people to run it for him.”
“According to Clyde, George Adler moved here from New Hampshire with his wife when she was pregnant with Vince because he cheated on her in New Hampshire and they were looking for a new start together. He had been in construction before that, so farming isn’t a family tradition or anything for them.”
“Yeah and then George set about ruining the town with his seedy-ass existence, not to mention ruining perfectly good farmland Clyde had wanted to buy and add to our land mass,” I say because Clyde has told the story many times through the years.
“Yeah, so maybe they’ll just give it up anyway,” Daisy says and crosses her fingers.
“I’m worried,” I mutter and stuff my hands into my jacket pockets. “I wish he wasn’t so damn good.”
“I could go all Tonya Harding on him and take a pipe to his knee caps next Sunday,” Daisy offers and grins like a psychopath. I laugh and she laughs too.
“What’s so hysterical?” Jasmyn wants to know as she and Caroline exit the ladies’ room.
“Long story but you know what’s not funny? How hungry I am. Let’s get to the Biscuit. There’s a burger with my name on it,” I say, and we start out of the arena.
The Biscuit is packed, as is always the case after a home game, even an exhibition one. The hockey players and fans love this place. We get a high top table directly next to the long high top with a placard on it marked ‘Reserved’. I know instantly who it’s reserved for. The hockey players always congregate at the same table at the Biscuit.
“Maybe we can find a table on the other side of the place,” I say hopefully, but looking around, I know it’s impossible. “Or we could go to Tito’s instead.”
“I don’t want to hang out at my work on my one day off this week, Maggie,” Jasmyn says with a sad look on her face, so I give in and sit.
A smiling server with the name tag Gail walks over and hands us our menus. “Can I grab you all some drinks while you look that over?”
We all order drinks and she smiles and nods as she walks off.
Gail hands us our drinks, but Jasmyn can’t decide on food, so she gives us a few more minutes. Ugh. I want to order, eat as fast as possible, and get out of here before the team shows up. Maybe Tate won’t join them tonight, I think hopefully. But then, suddenly, they wander in—a line of well-built, happy-go-lucky hockey jocks in Moo U T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts. And Tate Adleriswith them because the universe loves torturing me.
Gail walks back over, smiling. I hand her the menu back immediately because I never needed it. “Veggie burger with goat cheese and bacon.”
“We don’t have veggie bacon,” Gail warns and I nod.
“The real stuff is what I’m going for,” I explain. “I’m not a vegetarian, just like the burger.”
Gail nods and jots down the order. “Cool, just double-checking.”
Daisy orders her usual inferno hot wings, Jasmyn gets a cheeseburger, and Caroline gets a barbecue chicken burger. We also order nachos for the table.
“Veggie burger with real bacon makes no sense,” I hear as soon as Gail walks away.
I look up and see Tate staring at me from his seat as he lifts a pint of beer to his mouth. A Moo U T-shirt is painted over his muscular chest and a backward baseball cap, probably with the hockey logo on it, covers his thick dark hair. The table is overflowing with his teammates, all dressed about the same, and girls are peppered around them, some even sit on their laps. Tate’s lap is empty though.
“I like the taste of the veggie burger and the taste of bacon,” I reply coolly. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t care but I find it amusing that you can’t even order food that isn’t irritating,” he quips and his buddy beside him—that hot blond guy Cooper—snorts.
“You know what’s even more annoying?” I reply. “The fact that you can’t seem to mind your own damn business.”
Caroline leans over to look at the hockey table. “Great game tonight guys. Sorry about the loss.”
“We weren’t giving it our all,” Cooper says with a shrug. “Exhibition and all.”
“Oh right. Sure,” Daisy rolls her eyes. “Because a bunch of women couldn’t have beaten you if you were really trying, right?”
