Now, maybe it was because Ellie’s piercing green eyes slammed into my head. Or maybe it was because I was able to comfort her this morning combined with the fact that she didn’t kick me to the curb last night, but some confidence from within made me say yes.
“Awesome,” Griff responded. “My girl’s family has a place on the lake about fifteen from here. You guys wanna come by later for some boating and BBQ? I invited a couple of the guys and their gals aswell.”
I mean, that invite meant I was in with them, right? It had to, and that’s why I couldn’t say no.
Now I just had to convince my little feisty friend not to say no.
17. Ellie
As soon as TJ left this morning, I hurriedly grabbed my coaching clothes while dialing up Jules’ number.
I always wore my same jogger sweatpants and fur-lined, fleece jacket for coaching. I would only have about an hour of coaching time today- so two half hour privatelessons.
I usually spent most of my day at the rink: I’d coach private lessons for a couple hours, stay on for noontime Learn to Skate where I spent an hour just teaching little groups of toddlers how to shuffle around the rink, and then I’d stay even later to be an ice monitor for Open Skate. Open skate time was always my favorite. I usually only had to monitor the regulars- two old geezer hockey players named Mikey and Jerry who skated around together reliving their glory days, and then Flora and Tom, a fragile looking, elderly ice dancing pair who skated slowly around the rink holding hands. During this time, I had fun keeping up a few of the skills I wasn’t too afraid to still practice in my old age… I say old age because you’re unfortunately basically over-the-hill at 18 in the figure skating world.
But this whole week, Learn to Skate and Open Skate were cancelled because of the stupid hockey camp… that apparently TJ wasin…
As soon as Jules picked up, I grumbled, “You have some explaining to do.”
My frustration was met with Jules’ laughter on the other end of the line.
“I’m sorry! Grey and I just think you guys would really work!”
“Did I somehow ask to be set up?” I asked, not even bothering to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
“You’re totally right. I shouldn’t have meddled. I am sorry, Ellie. But you’re not even a little bit curious about him?” Julesasked.
I sighed. “Let’s hear it.”
“He truly is a great guy and he’s been struggling to find someone,” Jules started. “It’s like he’s got all this love to give a girl, but he keeps getting it thrown back in his face. I have a soft spot for him because of it. He just lacks a bit of finesse when it comes to charming, and you’ve got that in spades! When we met you and you seemed so organized and kind and were single too, we figured damn, these two belong together! Plus, you have the rink in common. Just like Grey andI.”
She had a couple good selling points there. Hearing that he’d gotten his love shoved back at him made me feel a little bad about being so mean to him. He was slowly proving to me that he wasn’t a bad guy. But the rink commonality thing? Nah. While I was happy he was able to chase his dream, he was part of the selfish hockey world that stole our ice.
“He doesn’t actually know I skate,” I pointed out.
“Ellie, why? You should have told him; you might see him at the rink today!”
I chewed the inside of my lip, debating what to say. Nikki almost blurted it out last night, but I did not need him knowing how annoyed I was that his team took over the only Open Skate hours where I could enjoy skating for myself… Actually, I didn’t even want him knowing that I skated at all. It felt too personal. Skating was mine. If I shared it with him, next thing I knew I’d be thinking of him on the ice, and I did not want him to taint some of my only peaceful time.
“He just comes on really strong with his playboy attitude,” Jules plowed on. “But it’s totally fake. He’s got a heart of gold and he really wants to be in a relationship. He’s ready for one; he doesn’t have commitment issues like a lot of the other hockey guys. Grey is telling me to tell you that the two of you would be ying and yang,” she giggled.
“Alright, alright,” I told her. “I hear ya.”
“So you’ll give him a chance?” she askedexcitedly.
“Maybe,” I toldher.
“Babe! She says maybe!” I heard Jules call to Grey, and I had to stifle a laugh. The two of them truly were soulmates if I’d ever seenthem.
“So how’re you feelin? Ready to pop?” I asked her, trying to change the subject away from Hockey Boy. “Think any more about a baby shower?”
“My goodness, you and Grey are both at me about that,” she said. “I’m still a maybe on it, Grey really wants me to have one. And… I’m feelin alright. I just keep waking up at night with painful Charlie horses in my legs and I feel bad because I end up waking Grey. He’s very helpful though,” she laughed. “His hands are much stronger than mine and he rubs them out way faster than I can.”
Hearing how he supported and helped her could make any girl swoon. I couldn’t help but think of how nice it would be to have someone always there to help you or even just keep you company as you pushed through whatever you struggled with… A concerned TJ laying on top of me flashed into my brain, but I tried to stomp it out before I got carried away.
“Hey, Ellie,” sheadded.
“Huh?” I asked as I grabbed my skating bag and exited my room.
