Page 71 of Bar Down Baby!
Barry laughed, and I could admit only to myself it was one of my new favorite sounds.
“I think so too, he’s pretty good, isn’t he?”
Junior resettled closer to my shins, his gentle purring rumbling through my blanket. I wondered if Barry would sleep in my bed again if he was here, wondered if he’d kiss me and let me pretend it meant nothing.
“Do you think they’ll trade you again?” I asked.
“Hope not,” he said. “I can get a no-trade clause in my next contract in a couple years. At that point I’ll be ancient in hockey years though. Suppose I could retire early if they moved me.”
“Where would you go if you didn’t have to play hockey?”
“Back to you,” he said, and didn’t seem mad I had to ask. “Wherever you and the baby are, I will be too. I’m not going anywhere.” He said it like a promise, his eyes serious with loaded meaning.
“Is that a threat?” I asked through a huge yawn.
“Promise,” he said, and held his pinky to the camera. Playingalong, I held mine to my phone, too. My anti-nausea sleep aid was far past kicking in, and I couldn’t fight it anymore even if I wanted to. My eyes kept trying to sneak closed, despite my best efforts.
“You go to sleep, but let me stay on with you,” Barry said, voice low and sleepy, too. I was too tired to grumble about it, instead acquiescing easily.
“Do you know you’re famous enough to have, like, fancams?” I asked, my eyes closed. Barry laughed again, his exhale into the mic made me smile.
“My sister sends me them sometimes,” he admitted.
“Mine too. Told you that everyone’s obsessed with you.”
I drifted off, my breath evening as I listened to him through my phone, so warm in my hand from FaceTiming.
“Hannah?”
“Hm?”
“I think I miss you,” he said.
I fell asleep still smiling.
CHAPTER 22
HOMECOMING PRESENT
Tuesday
Barry
Found the tiniest pair of jelly sandals in the world
Hannah
What color?
Barry
Orange. Sparkles.
Obviously I had to buy them for the baby.
Hannah
And who could blame you?
