It was obvious Coach and management had no plans of getting rid of me. There were rumors Jennings was looking to be traded, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he left before the season fully started.
“I’ll make sure to reach out to him,” I said, although I hadno plans to actually do so. I was the last person Jennings would listen to, and it’d be a waste of my breath and time.
“Thanks, Mateo. I’ll see you Tuesday.” With a nod, Coach stepped around me and joined the other coaches.
I released a breath, fingers uncurling around my helmet. I turned on my heel and headed for the locker room for a quick shower. Telling him about Emmie would be a problem for the future.
“The fact Coachthinks you and Jennings are buddies is a bit funny. Everyone on the team knows he hates you,” Jake remarked as the three of us sat around a table at a bar and restaurant a few blocks from the practice building.
“Pretty sure he’d pull a Tonya Harding on you,” Perry said around a mouthful of his burger. I raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. “What? You guys don’t know Tonya Harding? She tried to ruin Nancy Kerrigan’s chance at the Olympics.”
Jake and I stared at Perry. The dude knew the most random facts and was always up to date with what was happening in pop culture.
“Dude, you continue to surprise me.” Jake shook his head.
Perry smirked. “See, I’m more than a pretty face.”
I pointed a fry at Perry. “One day, he’s going to run for president.”
“Then we’re fucked.” The way Jake said it with a straight face made me almost choke on my food.
“Ye of little faith.”
The three of us ate our burgers in silence then. I could sense eyes on us from surrounding tables. Mentally, I made abet with myself that someone would come up and ask for a picture. It usually happened when the three of us hung out, no matter the place.
Buffalo fans were intense. They had no problem telling you to your face that you sucked and should play better.
The buzz of my phone on the table captured our attention. Emmie’s name flashed as a call came in. Before I could grab it, a hand snatched it off the table.
“Perry,” I warned. He answered the call and pressed my phone to his ear.
“Hellooo?”
I reached across the table, but he smacked my hand away and moved back more.
“Oh, this is his best friend, Perry.” I couldn’t hear what Emmie said in response, but whatever it was made Perry smile. I didn’t like another man smiling at something she said.
“Perry,” I hissed, seconds away from getting out of my seat.
“It’s nice to meet the girl that has my boy in a tizzy.” Perry shot me a smirk.
“Tizzy?” Jake mouthed at me. His eyes were filled with mischievous joy. He was enjoying this. I really questioned why I was friends with them.
Whatever Emmie said had Perry almost bouncing in his seat. “He’s been‘Emmie this, Emmie that.’He was checking his phone to see if you texted him.”
“Okay, that’s enough out of you.” I shot up from my chair, the feet scraping across the floor with a screech. Perry let me take the phone with a shit-eating grin plastered on his smug face.
“You’re welcome.” He had the gall to wink.
I brought the phone to my ear as I walked around thetable and headed for the door that led outside for some privacy. “Sorry about that,” I said into the phone.
“Sounds like our friends are similar,”Emmie laughed. The sound made the corners of my lips quirk up.
“Yeah, I think we better keep our friends separated.”
“I was actually calling to see if you wanted to come to a workout class tomorrow morning that me and my friend, Erin, are going to. You can bring your friends, too.”
There was a hitch of hesitation in her voice, almost like she wasn’t sure if she should ask or maybe thought I’d turn her down. Like I’d say no to a chance to hang out with Emmie. If she hadn’t asked me, I would have messaged her after eating to see if she was busy.
