Only One Chance (Only One 2)

“My idea of a romantic date is not having my so-called wife at home,” Manning says. “Just me and my boy watching Netflix.”

“Why do you even put up with her?” Ralph asks him. It’s a question that everyone who knows him probably asks themselves.

“The last time I sent her divorce papers, she destroyed them, then she used my kid against me.” He shakes his head. “It’s not for much longer. Just until he can understand.”

“Kids understand more than you know,” Ralph says to him.

“Okay, can we focus on me, please?” I say now, throwing my hands in the air. “I finally get a shot with Layla, and I have to make it count.”

“What does it say on the list?” Ralph asks, and I look down at the phone in my hand.

“Hit up a bar,” I read, and they laugh.

“So she can drown her sorrow,” Manning says. “What about number two?”

“Go grocery store shopping,” I say, confused. “I’m not doing that. Take a boxing class together.”

“You really want to put Layla in boxing gloves?” Ralph looks at me. “I haven’t known her as long as you guys, but that sounds like a terrible idea.” He grabs the phone from me, reading off the list. “Dude, this list is not anything I would do. One of them is play hide-and-seek.”

“Oh,” I say, smiling. “Naked. We can do it naked.”

“You’ll be lucky if she shows up. You are pushing it if you think she is going to do it naked,” Manning says. “I bet you ten thousand dollars that will never happen.”

“I double that,” Ralph says, still going through the list. “Go ax throwing.” He laughs. “Are these romantic things or ways for your date to kill you?”

I grab my phone from him. “This looks fun. Go to the zoo.” I look up at them.

“So she can feed you to the lions,” Manning says, and I give up, putting my phone away now.

“Was she okay when you dropped her off last night?” I ask, and he nods his head. “Did she say anything?”

“Yeah,” he says. “She said that it’s ridiculous that they would offer people drinks and allow them to bid on stuff.” I laugh now, seeing her face in my head. “She also said that the debutants need to get off your dick.”

My eyes light up. “She was thinking about my dick.” I slap him on the shoulder. “I knew she wanted me.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Ralph says. “She also said that you’re gross, and you should be bathing in Purell.”

“Now that,” Manning says. “That’s love.”

“I know.” I agree with him. “I’m going to send her flowers.” I grab my phone. “One thousand roses.” I look at them as their mouths hang open. “Is that overkill?”

“No.” Ralph shakes his head. “Anything less is not even worth it.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” I say, walking away from them as I order them. I walk back into the room and see both of them lacing up their skates. “Order has been placed, boys.”

“To be a fly on the wall,” Manning says. Getting up with his skates, he towers over six feet six. He turns, grabbing his gloves and helmet, and makes his way out to the ice.

Ralph and I follow him a couple of minutes later, and we are all on the ice. It’s not a full roster today since it was optional, but we push the ones who are here hard, and when I walk off the ice, I’m drenched in sweat.

The rookies are still on the ice as I sit down with Ralph beside me, his phone pinging. He grabs it, taking off his gloves and helmet. His head goes back and he laughs. “She didn’t remember.”

“What?” I ask him, grabbing a bottle of Gatorade and gulping it down.

“Layla didn’t remember bidding on you.” He chuckles. “She is going nuts.”

“But did she get the flowers?” I ask him.

“Oh, she got the flowers all right.” He looks at me. “She’s going to make potpourri with them after she shoves them up your ass.”

“That woman loves me.” My chest expands as I take my shirt off. “It’s like elementary school when she says she hates you, but she really secretly loves you.”

I grab my phone and see that I have fifty messages, and I laugh when I scroll and see that they are all from Layla.

Layla: How the hell did you get my number?

I laugh because, for the past four years, she’s been giving me the wrong number every single time.

Layla: Are you out of your fucking mind?

Layla: I’m not going out with you.

Layla: If you look at the picture, it looks like I’m going to vomit.

Layla: I’m not going out with you.

Layla: I’m not going out with you.

She repeats the text over forty times. I put my phone down and go take a shower. When I come out, it looks like Manning and Ralph have left, and I’m alone. After I get dressed and walk out, I head out to my truck and call her once I climb inside.