Chapter 72

"Will you please slow down," I called practically running to catch up to him.
He was silent. He slowed his pace slightly but not nearly enough for me to walk comfortably beside him.
"Sid, what's wrong?" I asked innocently.
He whipped his head around and glared at me. He was still silent.
"Sidney are you going to speak?"
"Nope."
We came to the end of the concrete hallway and Sid took a left turn. I was a little confused. I was sure we had to go right to get to the player's parking lot.
"I thought the player's parking lot was the other way," I said following him anyways.
"It is."
"Then why are we going this way?"
He sighed like he was really annoyed with my questions.
" I had my truck moved inside."
"Why?"
"What's with the fucking third degree Bekah?" he snapped in a tone I did not care for.
"I'm just asking," I snapped back.
"Well I can't very well go out into a parking lot full of fans with you with me now can I?" he sneered.
I stopped dead in my tracks and watched him continue down the hall wondering how long it would take for him to notice I was no longer behind him. He got a good fifty feet before he stopped and turned around. I was still standing in the same spot with my arms folded across my chest. He didn't move at first, but when he realized I wasn't going to budge he dropped his shoulders and started back towards me.
"What's the problem?" he snipped as he approached me.
"You're the problem."
"What the fuck did I do?"
"How about your snotty tone for starters. Then we can throw in your attitude for the main course, and we can top it off with that really shitty comment for dessert."
"What are you talking about?"
"I didn't realize I was going to be such an inconvenience that you'd have to switch parking places, but did you really have to say it like that?"
"I just meant that we couldn't go out that way if we're going to keep our relationship secret."
"I know what you meant. It's not what you said, it's the way you said it."
"Jesus Christ Bekah, I don't have time for this bullshit. Don't you think you're over reacting just a bit?"
"Fuck you Crosby!" I spat as I turned on my heels and began to walk away.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I turned back around a walked towards him like I was on a mission. I stopped just in front of him and jabbed my finger into his chest.
"I am not going to be your punching bag because you're in a bad mood. You lost. Big fucking deal! You should be used to it by now! Stop being an immature asshole and taking it out on everyone around you!"
I started to walk away hoping that Lily had not left yet.
"Where the fuck are you going?" he yelled after me.
"Home!" I replied not looking back.
As I got to the fork in the hallway, I was relieved to see her still with Max, Flower and now Colby.
"Hey are you guys still going out for drinks?" I asked.
"Ummm yeah," Flower replied cautiously.
"Mind if I tag along?"
"But you don't drink," Lily said with the most confused look on her face.
"I do tonight."
"Well alright!" Colby hollered as he put his arm around me. "Let's get the hell outta here!"
Marc, Colby and I started off down the hall with Lily and Max trailing behind us.
"I don't know what's gotten into her," I heard Lily say.
"Golden boy. He's an ass after a loss. I told her he wouldn't be very good company tonight."






The ride to the club seemed to take forever. Max had gone with Lily and I sat in the back of Marc's truck by myself starring out the window into the darkness. Every few minutes I'd see Marc look at me in the rear view mirror then look at Colby and exchange knowing glances. Then Colby would peek over his shoulder and look at Flower.
"I can see you both looking at me you know," I finally said.
"Sorry," Marc said.
"Yeah, sorry," Colby echoed.
The rest of the trip was silent except Colby attempting to sing along to some of the songs on the radio. He must of heard me laugh because he turned around and said "What's so funny chuckles?"
"Nothing; nothing at all," I replied with a smirk on my face.
"Yeah, that's what I thought!" he said turning to face forward again.
"It's a good thing you're good at hockey," I said shaking my head.
"Are you implying that I cannot sing?" Colby asked pretending to act wounded.
"I'm not implying it at all. I'm coming right out and saying it!"
"Ouch, that hurts my heart."
"I'm very sorry, but your singing hurts my ears," I laughed.
Up until now, Flower had remained silent. Silent and neutral. But he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore.
"Thanks alot Flower! I thought us guys were supposed to stick together, have each other's backs."
"Sorry dude, but she's right! Is painful what you are doing."
"Well, I see I have met my nemesis! You Miss Jones are to me what kryptonite is to Superman. What the Joker is to Batman."
"No, I'm pretty sure you'd be the joker Colby!"
"Ooh another good one Bekah," Marc laughed as he pulled into the parking lot of the club.
"So you're a feisty one huh?" Colby said. "Let's see how feisty you get with a few drinks in ya!"



After a few too many vodka and cranberry's I was feeling pretty good. Lily was at the bar talking to some people she went to college with, (much to Max's dismay) and that left me at the table by myself with three fine looking young men. Sid had been calling my cell every ten minutes and I hadn't bothered to answer any of the calls. He had already ruined part of my night, I was not about to let him ruin the rest. I was surprised that I was actually having a good time with the guys. They were all so young, I didn't see how I'd have anything in common with them, but it didn't really seem to matter that I was in a totally different place in my life, we were enjoying each other's company.
Marc and Colby went to the bar to get another round of drinks and I was left alone with Max. I didn't really know him; just what Sid had told me and that wasn't really flattering. At least not the personal life anyways.
"I probably shouldn't say this," Max started, "but we all overheard you and golden boy at the arena tonight."
"That doesn't really surprise me, we weren't exactly quiet. How much did you hear?"
"Pretty much everything. Can I just say, good for you. Don't take his bullshit. He had no right to talk to you that way. Boy has no respect. You don't treat women that way."
"And you know how to treat women don't you Max? I've heard stories about you and all your women. Do you think that's any better than the way Sid treated me."
"You can't even compare. Golden boy supposedly loves you and he talks to you like you're nothing? Every girl I've ever been with knows exactly what I'm about and where she stands. When I'm with them, I treat them like they are queens."
"You just don't want to see them again after you sleep with them."
"They know that up front and they're all okay with it. They use me to say they've slept with a pro hockey player just as much as I'm using them for sex."
"And you don't care?"
"Nope!"
"And you've never met anyone that you want to spend more than one night with?"
"Sure I have, I just haven't met anyone that makes me want to stop sleeping with anyone else."
"So no one you could see yourself in a relationship with?"
"Uugh," Max shuttered. "Don't say the 'r' word."
"So what are your intentions with my friend Lily? You just want to fuck her and chuck her?"
Max looked a little surprised those words had just come out of my mouth.
"That's a good one, mind if Iuse it?"
"Be my guest. So...?"
Max looked at me with a look in his eye that I had never really seen before. A devious little grin appeared across his lips.
"Ya know, I wasn't too sure about you at first," he started. "I mean anyone who chose to date golden boy, I had to question their character. But you, mon petit bijou, are special. I can see that from the way you stood up for yourself. You are different than other girls. I still think that you have poor taste, but I'll overlook it."
"Max, you've made it quite clear that you don't really like Sid. My question is why?"
"Je ne sais pas. Maybe it because he's arrogant. Maybe it because he thinks he's entitled. Maybe it because he thinks he's special."
"But he kinda is isn't he?"
"Some say so. Not me. What I know is you are much too good for him. He does not deserve you."
I was beginning to feel slightly awkward so I changed the subject back to Lily.
"You've done very well avoiding my question about your intentions with my friend."
"Ah oui, Lily. Maybe my intentions were not the purest, but not anymore. She is your friend, and any friend of yours is off limits. I will set my sights on someone else," he said with that grin on his face and look in his eye again.
He took my hand and kissed the back of it before getting up and kissing each of my cheeks French style.
"Bon soir mon petit bijou." And then he was gone.