And I believe it.
“It is,” she says, then motions for Parker to come inside. “Let’s go treat everyone to some relaxing.”
“Anything for you, babe,” Parker says, then drops a dotingkiss to her cheek, and soon the rest of the party is here, ready to be pampered.
* * *
I’m lounging in a comfy spa chair, wearing a fluffy bathrobe, my glasses, and a face mask, a manicurist artfully applying a soft shade of pink to my toenails.
“Would you like some cucumbers for your eyes?” another woman asks.
I flash back to the conversation with Lake earlier today when I told him I needed these to process the day. But I feel pretty good about everything. Still, I might want to put these on when the pedicurist is done. Besides, I may as well make the most of my contact-lens-free time. “Thank you. I would but I’ll put them on myself,” I say, since that’s one thing I like to feel in control of.
“Of course,” she says and sets a plate of sliced cucumbers on the arm of the chair.
As she offers cucumbers to the bridesmaid next to me, Jameson appears again out of nowhere. He’s wearing a robe and some kind of muddy goop is slathered on his face. He strides straight to me.
And those cucumbers sound real good right now. I grab two slices and drop them on my eyes before he can say a word.
Yes, these definitely help process my ex, that’s for sure.
When I peek past them and see he’s safely out of range, I snag my phone—it’s on airplane mode but I have it for pics—from my pocket, and take a selfie, then sneak it back into the bathrobe pocket.
A little later, I’m getting dressed in the ladies’ locker room and once I pull on the jersey again and place my contacts back in, I send the selfie to Lake.
Remy: Hope you had a good nap while I had cucumbers.
He’ll be busy on the ice, but he’ll find it later. I’m tucking my phone in my pocket when Caroline pulls me aside and says, “Guess what I just worked out with Fresh Face?”
For them not to come to the wedding?“Tell me,” I say, doing my best to muster enthusiasm for her brand partner, even though I kind of can’t stand them.
More than kind of.
I’d like to put them on Clem’s hate list.
“They’re going to live stream the wedding,” she says, giddy, and she’s never giddy.
Kill. Me. Now.
But this is also the true test of my faking skills. I paste on a smile and say, “That’s great.”
“I know. Views have been so good for the content. It’s all working out,” she says.
I’m happy for her, but when I leave the spa, I’m ready to go home and see Lake later.
When I check the score in the hockey game and see it’s still the second period, I have a better idea.
46
WHAT PRETTY TOES YOU HAVE
LAKE
We’re down by one, but there’s still time. That just means we have to make every second count.
Coach knows it too. In the locker room during the second intermission, as I change into a new undershirt since mine is sweat-soaked, and Riggs ices his shoulder since he always ices his shoulder, Coach Ahmed prowls up and down the stalls. “We’ve been on a tear lately, boys. It’s easy to get caught up in that feeling. But that’s when you need to dig in and play harder. Don’t get complacent. Don’t expect a win,” he says, spinning around at the ears at the top of the Foxes logo on the carpeted floor, then pacing back the other way, locking eyes with Corbin, who’s retaping his stick. “You’ve got to get out there and earn it. Every single second on the ice. I know you can do it. Get out there and fight for the two goals we need.”
Corbin lifts his stick toward the rest of us. “You heard him, boys. Let’s get it done.”
