1.TJ Vonnie
It was kind of a shocking realization that all the guys around me were starting to get married and have kids. I was one of the youngest in the group… and the only one still playing legit hockey… but still… There had been a change in a lot of the Ice League guys that I played beer hockey with all summer.
I sat back in my fancy white wooden chair and looked out around me. It really was a beautiful place to get married. I’d only ever passed though rinks in Michigan and had never made it to what they called “up north.” They plotted a huge tent, dance floor, and a bunch of tables and chairs right at the base of a lake, and they had a gorgeous summer day. It was perfect for them. Grey had taken Jules outdoor skating up here during a tournament when they were kids, I guess.
It was a pretty small wedding. Neither of them had much family, but there were a ton of hockey guys milling around with their girlfriends or dates and pretty much a whole hockey team of little guys belonging to young families who were all probably on the team that Grey coached.
I peered a couple rows in front of me where I saw Max quietly burping a teeny baby boy in a onesie that had a graphic suit printed on it. Jesus. I shook my head. Max topped off his suit with a hat turned backwards. Only he would do that. Actually, I was surprised he wasn’t wearing his hockey warm-ups. For as much of a goofball he was, he was taking the dad stuff seriously. Anyone could easily tell that he loved daddy duty. He had yet to relinquish the baby to his longtime girlfriend Paige, whose blonde head was next to his.
Grey was up front, waiting for the wedding procession to start. The only person standing next to him was Jules’ little son. The kid looked pretty spiffy in a tux with his hair gelled up. But Grey looked like The Absolute Man. He was my idol growing up. I was always watching Grey, Max, and Smitty as a kid. I think all of us younger players were watching them, wanting to be them.
A lot of guys around the rink thought I was Grey’s younger brother because I looked so much like him. I was just a little more Italian looking and a couple inches shorter to my disappointment. I’d only made it to 6 foot even. We had the same dark hair and trimmed beard most of the time. I shaved for the event… Grey had not. I think it was because his fiancé, well, I guess wife starting today, loved it. He claimed she was mad at him every time he shaved.
I took another swig of my beer. I hoped that was allowed. This was my first wedding in a while. I looked around and realized no one else had brought their drinks to the white seats and nearly choked. Shit. I already fucked up. I doubted that Grey would notice, or care if he did, because he was so love struck by Jules. Watching them was kind of nauseating.
The music started then, and everyone got to their feet. I was a second slower. I really should’ve been paying moreattention.
Jules came into sight then, anddamn.
It was kind of weird- I always thought pregnant ladies looked slightly creepy before. But looking at Jules with Grey’s future baby in there… It was perfect. She looked hot actually. She was only about six months prego, so no danger of the baby popping out of her or anything. It was kind of cute.
I felt the urge to reach out and touch her baby bump.
And- what the fuck? Like why?
I closed my eyes and gave a good head shake. I was probably just more drunk than Irealized.
But when I opened my eyes, my judgment didn’t change. She was like the hottest woman I’d ever seen. She looked like a fucking angel with her wispy, white dress and baby bump, and I was immediately struck with a kind of jealousy towards Grey.
I looked back to the front to see him, and his reaction was priceless. I mean, I’m a dude who doesn’t give a shit about weddings. But it was pretty sweet that such a hardass like Greyson Scott was tearing up.
I was happy for them. At least some people could get it right. I kept trying with no luck. Paige tried to coach me through my last relationship, but she stopped helping because she thought the girl I was after was kind of a bitch. She kind of was. Oh well.
As soon as Jules made it to their altar, Grey lifted her veil, placed both of his large hands on either side of her belly and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
I rolled my eyes as the “aww’s” I heard escaping from the mouths of practically every female in the audience, but I had to admit, it was nice. It was real. Their love. Everyone could tell by the way they looked at each other.
When the priest finally made it to the ring exchange, Canyon, Jule’s son, grabbed the ring out of his tiny jacket pocket and handed it to Grey, which caused the guests to laugh and “aww” again.
After their dramatic kiss, Greyson threw his fist up in triumph and everyonecheered.
I usually didn’t go to weddings. I typically just got the invite and threw it in the trash. I didn’t like the pressure of having to bring a date and taking the chance that the date could get all weepy or drunk or weird. Like I said, I didn’t have much luck when it came to women. But Grey told me I had to come and didn’t even give me a plusone.
But without a date I felt kind of awkward during the cocktail hour. I was drinking by myself at a high-top table trying to inconspicuously scope out any single women, but Jules didn’t seem to have many single friends.
Max finally saved me.
He came by my table and held his baby out to me, practically shoving him in my arms. The pudgy guy had so much drool on him that his onesie was wet down to his belly button.
“Just in case you make it to the chel too,” Max said with a wink and then shot a picture of us. By “chel” he meant “NHL.” I was still playing a level down in the AHL. He was such a weirdo. Like I wouldn’t know his baby for real? I was always around. Max fucking employed me every summer at the rink. But I guess goalies always were kind of weird fucks. I was so focused on not dropping his baby that I must’ve looked weird myself. But if I dropped this baby, he’d kill me. I’d literally be a dead man.
I stared down into the baby’s big, happy eyes and was struck with responsibility. The baby just smiled at me and made a cute noise, showing its two teeny teeth. How could it smile at me? Did it not realize that I could literally accidentally drop it and hurt it bad?
“He likes you, bud! But, hey, you’re kinda gripping him hard,” Max grimaced. “Jesus. Give me back my baby.” That caused me to relax and laugh a bit, I never thought I’d hear those words from him.
Just as soon as I handed the baby off, extremely carefully, I felt a heavy pat on the back.
I turned to see Grey and Jules in their wedding outfit glory making their rounds. I pulled both of them into a quick hug.
