“Well, when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound like a reasonable thing to ask for.”
“There’s a reason for that too, you know?”
“Yeah, because it’s not reasonable, right?”
She doesn’t say that I’m right, but she doesn’t have to, her smile says it all.
I pop a perfectly roasted potato into my mouth.
“You’re going to have to tell me how you make these taste so good,” I say, and she shakes her head.
“If I do that, then you won’t have a reason to come visit.”
“I’ll always visit, Mom. I know I said that when I was in college, and I really meant to come home more often, but with classes and hockey and skills camps—“
“I know, honey, it’s fine. We moved here to be closer to you and make visiting us easier now that you’re in the NHL. And we love having you here, so don’t even think this means I want you to move out, but . . .” She reaches into her purse and pulls out a flyer.
“You found a place?”
“Maybe. It looks like it checks off a lot of your must-haves,” she says, handing it over.
I’m not looking for anything too outrageous. I just want it to be comfortable. A two-bedroom condo with a shared gym and pool, close to the rink but on one of the higher floors, so it has a view of the city. Oh, and if it has a doorman, even better. I like the idea of guests having to sign in. White suggested that when I told him I was looking. He said I’ll thank him when I get my first stalker. I’m hoping he was joking, but if I can find a place with one, why not?
The team put Colt up in one of the condos they own in a newer complex around the corner from the rink, but it’s meant to be temporary as new players find their own place. My parents already bought one here, so I passed on it when they offered one to me too.
“This looks nice,” I say as I scan the images on the flyer. It’s a twelfth-floor condo, with big windows overlooking the city, and it’s only a couple of blocks from the rink.
“I thought, it’s close to us, but not so close you feel like we’re imposing, and it has a rooftop pool for tenants and their guests only,” she says, taking my plate, and I go to protest, but look down and find I’ve smashed through it and eaten every bite already.
“It’s up for auction tomorrow. I have a game,” I say, sliding the flyer across the counter.
“If you like it, Dad and I can go bid for you.”
“Is that even allowed?” I ask, and Mom’s eyebrows pick up.
“The woman at the real estate office said you just have to make me your proxy or something. I have a form for you to fill out.”
I look at her skeptically. “You just happened to find this place and already talked to the real estate agent about it, but you aren’t trying to get me to move out?”
“Your father and I thought you might need a little . . . push.”
“A push?”
“You know, a nudge, to move forward with your new life.”
“Instead of backward living with Mommy and Daddy?” I chuckle, and she comes around to my side and wraps me in her tiny arms.
“Maybe if you have your own place, you can have your new friend over and talk about why his stubbornness frustrates you so much.”
“I think he already knows why.”
“Can’t hurt to talk about it. At least not with the other person anyway. If you’re just talking to yourself in that handsome head of yours, then you can bet you’re going to hurt, honey.”
“Okay, give me another look at that flyer.”
***
“Rookie, can we talk for a second?” Reid asks as we get ready to warm up for our game today. White glances my way, but no one else bats an eye. Either this is totally normal, or I’m about to get in shit for something else now, and they don’t want to watch. Can I blame them? The last time Reid went off at me, I gave it to him right back. I can’t do that again. No matter what we are or were outside of the rink, here, he’s my captain.
