“Stop!” I’m laughing so hard I have to wipe my eyes. “Don’t put images like that in my head!”
We’re both calming down from our fit of laughter when Ari gives me a serious look.
“We need to get you set up on Match or Tinder.”
“No.” I shake my head adamantly.
“Come on, it’s fun.”
I arch my brows and give her a pointed look. “So I can get matched with Bruce?”
“You’re not in his age range, so that wouldn’t happen.”
“I’ll leave the swiping left and right to you. I’d be terrible at it.”
“You would not.”
I glare at her. “Ari. I appreciate the thought, but no way. I’ve never…been on a date. I’ve never even kissed anyone.”
Ari’s mouth drops open in shock. “Never?”
“That’s what I said. Don’t make me feel like a weirdo for it, okay?”
“Sorry.” Her expression softens. “But Lindy, you could get dates if you wanted to.”
“Well, I don’t want to.”
After a moment of silence, she says, “I guess it doesn’t matter. Victor’s into you. You won’t find anyone better on Tinder.”
“He’s not into me. He asked me to watch a game.”
“And then go out after. On a date.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, with his entire team.”
“You’re his date for the after party, and you know it. Why else would you let me do your hair and nails?”
I flush and look away. “I just don’t want to look like I don’t care that he invited me or act like I get invited places all the time, you know. Watching my first, in-person, NHL game is a good enough reason to get my hair done, isn’t it?”
Ari grins knowingly. “Lies. You’re not nervous about the hockey part, you’re nervous about the Victor part.”
I don’t tell her she’s partially right. I’m most nervous about the Victor part, but also nervous in general about every aspect of tonight.
Normally, I’d be serving beer and nachos tonight. That, I know. But sitting in a VIP box with people I’ve never met? People who are probably super rich and stuffy? Having to talk to them and act like I belong there?
I’m so nervous about that. No amount of highlights and makeup can cover up the awkwardness that resides deep within me.
And in six hours, it’ll be on full display.* * *Lily West passes me a glass and I glace at the red-colored drink. She leans in to whisper something to me.
“It’s almost all cranberry juice. There’s like a teaspoon of vodka. I drink these so everyone thinks I’m fun, but I don’t like getting drunk.”
I smile, relieved. “Thanks.”
“Ready to go find our game seats?”
“Sure.”
Lily West is an absolute angel. As soon as I arrived, she took my arm and led me into the room where dinner was being served to the team’s families and front office employees. We sat with Mia Marceau, Anton’s girlfriend, and made conversation over our roast beef and mashed potatoes.
Mia’s a South Side girl, too. When I told her I work in Concessions, she told me about the bar she used to work at, Lucky’s. She grew up just a couple miles from my dad’s house.
“How’s your grandpa doing?” Lily asked Mia over dinner.
Mia’s brows drew together in a sad expression. “Not very well. I wasn’t sure I should leave to come here tonight, but the nurses told me he’ll probably sleep the whole time, so I did.”
“I’m so sorry,” Lily said.
Mia met my eyes and said, “My grandpa has Alzheimer’s. His condition is pretty bad.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. He and my grandma raised me, so it’s been brutal to watch him suffer this way. But he’s in the best place possible and he’s not in pain.”
“That’s a blessing,” Lily said.
“It is. I appreciate you asking about him. Lots of people think I don’t want to talk about it, but I do.”
And she does. Mia tells us all about her grandparents, and my heart breaks for the strong man who can no longer remember his life. She seems lighter when she talks about him, though. Even though Mia is sitting with other people in the box we’re all in for the game, I feel a kinship with her now.
Lily leads me to two seats in the front of the box, away from the crowd.
“Do these look good?”
“Perfect,” I say gratefully.
Lily snags two bags of popcorn from the server working in the box tonight. It’s Alicia, and though I recognize her, we’ve never worked together. She gives me a confused look as she walks away. I laugh internally, thinking, Girl, I’m just as confused by this, too.
“I’m dying for salt,” Lily says, popping a couple pieces of popcorn into her mouth.
She’s beautiful, with long blond hair, big blue eyes and a perfect figure. I’d never imagine her dying for anything except maybe…water?
“Puck drops in five minutes,” she says, “which is enough time for me to tell you a secret.” She grins. “Promise not to tell anyone?”