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“Well, it is. I left.”
“Do you really believe that?”
His silence is all the answer I need.
“I’ll find something else, put him behind me. It’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure it will,” I say encouragingly. But I fear this is going to linger with him for a while. He’s going to be second-guessing anyone who interviews him, anyone who takes a chance on him, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The conversation stalls, leaving us listening to the bubbling water and the final song of the birds as they find their nests for the night. It’s not uncomfortable; in fact, it’s very much the opposite.
For someone who doesn’t like spending time with people, I find myself incredibly relaxed in Garrett’s presence.
“So…hockey analysis, huh?” I finally ask.
Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever asked anyone other than my brothers this many questions or pried into their lives. Usually, I don’t give a shit. But…
Garrett is different, and that’s fucking terrifying.
Yeah, that seems to be the theme of things these days.
“It’s a hobby,” he says, his face lighting up. “I’ve tracked games and players for as long as I can remember. It’s fun trying to predict the outcome and if the numbers are right.”
“And are they?”
“Usually, yes. Sometimes someone will throw a curveball at you. Like that season a few years ago when Minnesota came up from nowhere and won the cup. No one saw that coming at the beginning of the season.”
“No,” I agree, remembering their rise from the ashes after a couple of pretty disastrous years. “But that’s what happens when a team gels. It’s…magic.”
“Ah, see, that’s where you’re wrong. There is no magic involved. Just hard work and numbers. You figure out the patterns and put the right players together, and that’s where it happens. It’s no accident.”
“Is that what you’re trying to do with Sutton’s team?”
“I…uh…” he starts, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I just offered to help out. Casey said they didn’t have anyone regularly recording or analyzing her girls’ performance, so I offered. It’s not like I’m busy right now. And plus, it’s fun.”
“That’s pretty incredible.”
“Everyone deserves the chance to be better at something they love. If I can give even just one of them a little nudge in the right direction, it’ll be worth it.”
“Aw, you’re a big softie, really, aren’t you?”
He shrugs, a soft smile playing on his lips. “We were all young once with big dreams. Having someone help believe that those dreams could be possible is everything.”
I shake my head, unable to process just how right he is.
“What?” he asks, and I suddenly realize that I must look like I’m disagreeing with him.
“No, you’re right. Some of those girls have a bright future ahead of them.”
“Sutton is insane, isn’t she?” Garrett asks with a smirk.
“Yeah. She’s got Rivers’ DNA running through her veins, that’s for sure. She’s better than Kodie at that age.”
He laughs. “I’m pretty sure he’d be damn proud of that fact. That little girl is his life.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty cute together. I’m glad everything has worked out for him. He deserves it.”
Garrett smiles, clearly agreeing with me. I can see the questions burning in his eyes. It’s the same whenever our names are mentioned together. Everyone wants to know how we went from childhood best friends to college enemies in the blink of an eye. While we might have called something of a truce, I’m still not ready to talk about it. It would mean exposing too much of myself, my past, everything I fight to keep hidden.
