“I’m going to have another drink.”
“Brinley is so young. She makes Olive look like an old crone. Knox is revolting.” I angrily crack a lobster shell.
“Do you think Brinley is pregnant?” Kathy asks longingly.
“I bet she doesn’t get preggo. I bet Knox just strings her along for a decade then dumps her for a new one. Rinse and repeat,” I assure Kathy.
“The worst of it is”—Kathy sniffles into her blue drink—“he never actually told me he loves me. I would tell him I loved him, and he’d say, ‘Of course you do.’ Guess you’re right, Winnie. I am a dumb blonde.”
“Dumb brunette.” I pat my sister. “You dye your hair, remember?”
Kathy hiccups.
“We’re going to get Knox,” Carolina promises Kathy. “Just you wait.”
“I can’t believe he’s here. It’s like I can’t just get away from my bad decisions.” Kathy dabs her eyes.
“Yeah, tell me about it.” I drain my glass.
Kathy gives me an odd look.
But the hockey game is over, and the suite door is bursting open with several Seattle players.
“Hide the lobster,” Gran hisses at us, shoving the Tupperware into her bag.
The WAGs all cheer and rush to the winners. Still in their jerseys, they hug their wives and girlfriends.
“I don’t know how they can pick them out of the pack,” Carolina jokes. “You think they ever accidentally take the wrong WAG home?”
Kathy self-consciously touches her roots as the media fawns over the players and their trophy women.
“Photo—a photo with the team owner.” One of the Orcas media people gestures.
“Mr. Svensson.” Knox approaches Fitz with an outstretched hand. “Thank you, sir, for this opportunity.” Knox has his good-ol’-Midwestern-boy act on full force. “I’m real excited to be on this amazing team. There’s some great history here.”
“Fitz created this team four years ago,” I hiss.
The high school child giggles on his arm while his mom looks on with tears in her eyes.
“Barf,” Carolina whispers.
“Ugh, don’t say that. I think I ate too many crab cakes.” I swallow.
“Looks like we made a good decision trading you,” the GM says, shaking Knox’s hand again.
“Well, if you want to upgrade me to captain, just say the word, sir.”
He laughs. They laugh.
Fitz even laughs.
“He even laughs like he has money,” Carolina marvels.
“Where do you think they learn to do that?” Kathy hiccups. Her lips are blue from the frosty.
“It’s cheaper to move hockey players around than my football players,” Fitz says with a smile. “We might bring some of your friends here too.”
“Oh, you own the football team too?” Knox asks in shock.
