Page 32 of The Game
At 28, I’m in the older group of men on our team, so I sit in the front, where it’s nice, quiet, and calm.
Noah is the same age as me, but will probably join the loud crew in the back. Liam, our goalie, enters the bus, and I greet him.
“Hey, man.” Liam is more like me in that he also likes to keep to himself.
That, and he’s one of the best goalies in the NHL. Our chances of winning the Stanley Cup are significantly increased with such a good player in goal.
“Hey, man.” He settles into the seat in the row opposite me.
Whenever someone boards the bus, I hope it’s Sarah.
As the bus fills up and I start to think she might not show, but then, she steps on, accompanied by Samantha.
Her gaze falls on me, and even though I’m tempted to offer her the seat beside me, I realize that would send her running—baby steps and all.
“Evening, ladies,” I say, tipping my imaginary hat at them, making Sarah roll her eyes and Samantha chuckle.
At least one of them finds me amusing.
“Evening, captain,” Sarah responds, which makes me smile.
She’s still so persistent with that nickname.
I can’t wait for her to say my name—preferably when I make her come on my fingers or my tongue.
They continue down the rows, and I go back to my phone.
“You seeing the new girl?” Liam asks me, making me look up. He’s wearing a smug smile, clearly catching on to the tension between Sarah and me.
“Not yet,” I tell him simply, which makes him narrow his eyes.
“Are you even allowed to do that?” he asks, and I know Liam is asking for his own interest in a certain redhead.
The other guys may not have seen the way he looks at Samantha, but I have.
“As far as I’m concerned, there are no rules against it, so you could finally make a move on the redhead if that’s what you’re wondering,” I say, making him shut up real quick.
They’ve been tiptoeing around each other for as long as I can remember, and even though I’ve never directly asked him about it, I’ve hinted at it a few times, and he never denies his interest.
He never seems to make a move either, which makes me wonder.
After an hour on the bus, I need to stretch my legs. I get up from my seat and turn around, scanning the rows to find Sarah.
Some guys are sleeping, while others are playing cards.
I spot Sarah about eight rows behind my seat, and she’s writing in her notebook, probably working.
Always working, just like me.
Samantha seems to be sleeping next to her, and I stop by their row, noticing how she swallows and presses her pen a little harder into her book.
“Preparing for our big meeting on Thursday, angel?” I ask her softly. I don’t really want anyone on the team hearing my nickname for her.
She closes her notebook and looks up at him with determination in her eyes.
“No, captain. I’m actually working on my notes for all the other players, you know, those who’ve already taken the time to meet with me.”
Her dig at me only makes me more satisfied that I’ve dragged out our meeting, knowing she’s probably eager to get it over with so she can move past this.
