By the time the game finishes Allison is in my arms half cheering half asleep on my shoulder. Matthew is the one having the best time I’ve seen him having in a long time. He’s socializing with the rest of the team’s brothers. He’s right in there. High fiving, fist bumping, and doing whatever guys do when their teams win.
They announce the stars of the game, and it’s no surprise that Cooper is first. He skates around the ice, throwing out three pucks. When he gets to our section, he motions to Allison and throws the puck over. Matthew catches it for her and gives it right to her. She takes it and cuddles it to her chest. “Momma, he gabe me the puck.” She grins like a fool.
Tom has already left to go to do some postgame interviews. We are walking out of the arena when my phone buzzes in my pocket.
It seems my girls are good luck. Meet me at the bar in the hotel. Postgame drinks.
I smile to myself, typing out my response.
Maybe…
He’s fast to respond.
Maybe my ass!
The walk to the hotel takes us less than ten minutes. I walk Allison to her room and tuck her in. She’s taking the puck to bed and makes me promise to come get her when we wake up. Matthew was invited back to someone’s room to play Xbox or PlayStation or something like that and will be joining them later.
“Okay, let’s hit that bar,” I say to Meghan.
“Um, you, my friend, are going to change into something sexier. Your man just won the game, his teammates will be there, and probably that fucking plastic Barbie, so you are coming with me, and we are going to change you to puck bunny style.”
I roll my eyes at her and know that even if I argue with her this is a dead end.
“Okay, fine, let’s go change. I think I brought my leather pants.” I throw my eyebrows up.
“You brought those and wore jeans to this game? Ugh, focus on the prize, Parker. Focus.”
“I’m not wearing fucking leather pants to an arena. That’s ridiculous.”
I walk ahead of her, not giving her a chance to say anything. Once I close the door, I change my clothes. My leather pants fit me like a second glove. I pair it with a loose camisole style top that is black and sheer. Both sides are attached with silver zippers. Then I grab my black Christian Louboutin slingbacks and put on my chunky silver necklace and bracelets, completing the look. Once I change my purse to my small clutch, I look at Meghan and curtsy.
“Better, your majesty?”
“Your body is rockin’. I mean, if I were into vagina I’d do you, and if we weren’t related and shit.”
“How much beer did you consume?” I ask her with a chuckle.
“Enough to make it last all night.” She winks at me and slaps my ass.
“What do the hockey players say before hitting the ice? You can do this, boys? Is that it?” She looks at me confused.
“I think they say ‘let’s go, boys’, but every team is different.”
“Okay, we’ll make our own, ‘let’s go get some cock’,” she says, not even trying to whisper.
“Oh, you are going to last all night. All night in a coma the way you’re going!”
She fluffs her boobs up to give her the extra push. “Let’s just go, shall we?”
I walk arm in arm with her. I’m not going to let her fall, and if I’m honest, I need all the support to get me there.
By the time we make it downstairs to the bar it’s jam-packed. The team has made its way back, and the drinks are being passed around.
I start to look around to see if I spot Cooper. He is at the other end of the bar. Tom sits next to him with another older gentleman I’ve never seen, and fucking Barbie. I look at Meghan. “It’s a good thing I brought these pants.”
She squeezes my arm. “Let’s go see our men, yeah!”
I make my way to Cooper, but he doesn’t see me right away. When Meghan gets to Tom’s side, she slides her hands around his waist, leaning in, kissing his neck. He looks down and smiles at her. It’s a look I’ve seen many times before. It’s a look no one can fake. It’s the look that says I’m whole now that you’re here. It’s a look that says I’ve waited my whole life for you. I want that look. I miss that look. I think to myself, have I ever gotten that look?
When Cooper sees Meghan, he shoots his head in my direction and smiles. I walk to him and it’s like the parting of the sea. It really is funny. He takes in my outfit, making his jaw tick. I guess this outfit is a winner.