Wasted Time (The Steel City #1)

28. Declan

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

declan

Morning skate went by swimmingly. I was able to keep my focus solely on the upcoming game. That, and proving Saltzy wrong. It went better than I thought it would. I was determined to see approval in his eyes by the end of the session, and I got it.

I mean, I think I did. Saltzy’s pretty damn hard to read.

Forker and I had a bet over how many creative swears Oscar, my favourite right winger, would come up with. Forker went low and I went high. I won.

I believe ‘chum fuck-it’ brought the tally to a ripe, eleven new swear words. Yeah, you’re absolutely thinking about that one cartoon with the evil little sea-creature when you say that one out loud.

The hundred-dollar bill feels nice in my pocket. Feels even better knowing that it came from Forker’s wallet.

It was a good morning. The game that followed was even better. We obliterated Washington and I managed to score two goals when we needed them most. I can breathe again. I guess I'm not as washed up as I feared I was. I am back. I am out of my funk.

I swear Coach’s eyes were twinkling like Forker’s when I passed him on the way to the locker room. He slapped me on the back and shouted some much-needed praise in my ear.

It’s been a tough week, but I’m back.

I went straight home to have a celebratory beer and a sauna. The guys are heading to Icebox , but I have a pretty jam-packed week ahead and I don’t want to spoil that by doing anything stupid, like inviting a redhead into my bed and leaving her there. I’m not worrying about another potential poisonous story hitting the tabloids when I want to keep this solid headspace.

Thankfully, Arden was cool. None of that shit has popped up on the internet. She can keep the clothes. I don’t need to humiliate either of us further by contacting her and reliving that night.

I perch my ass on my couch and dig into the chicken wings that I ordered. Basketball highlights play on the screen, illuminating my dark living room. It’s already a damn good night. The best I’ve had in a while. I don’t think anything could burst my bubble at this point.

I’m fucking back.

And then my phone rings.

Because the universe is out to get me.

Seeing Seth’s name, I pick it up instantly. “Can’t wait three days to hear my voice?”

Seth’s soft chuckle echoes through the phone. I put him on speaker and perch him on the pillow beside me so I can continue to devour my wings in peace. I love him, but not enough to put a pause on dinner.

“That was one hell of a game. Damn.” The pride that exudes from his voice makes me pause, honey garlic wing inches from my mouth.

There’s nothing better than the people you love being proud of you.

Maybe honey garlic wings, but that’s about it.

“Thanks, buddy. Hopefully, I’ll play that well with you in the stands, too.”

“I’d love a live performance of that. If you pull another game like that off, I'll take that ring right off Avery’s finger and give it to you, instead.”

I bark out a laugh. Yeah, right. This man is so obsessed with his girl that you’d have to cut off her whole arm for him to ever allow that ring to be removed from her finger.

Avery would kill anyone who tried.

“She must not be home. There’s no way you’d even joke about that if she was within hearing distance.”

“No, she’s at a movie with Pen. Some romantic comedy that means they’ll both come home cranky and take it out on me for not being a fictional man crafted expertly by a woman.”

I swallow my bite, but it doesn’t go down as easily.

The mention of her name strips my appetite. I used to want to know all the details about what my friends are up to when I’m away, what big changes are happening in their lives, but now just hearing her name feels weird.

It’s like I’m not allowed to talk about her, to wonder, to care.

I quickly find something to say so that he doesn’t read into my silence. I haven’t forgotten his comment about me answering her call. He was too perceptive, and I have to put a pin in that before he starts putting pieces together that should be laid to rest.

“Good luck, bud. Tackling the twins while outnumbered is a death wish. ”

“Don’t I know it,” he grumbles.

I tear open a wipe, rubbing the sauce from my fingers. Any other time I’d be chomping at the bit to hear how they are putting him through hell. It’s easy entertainment. Tonight, I can’t even find the nerve to ask.

“About the twins,” Seth says, and I pause—the napkin between my fingers. My eyes dart to the phone. I mentally plead with him not to ruin my perfect night. Please, Seth. Don’t taint my chicken wings. “Do you think you could swing another ticket for your game? Somewhere close to our seats?”

I’ve told the crew to never to even try to buy tickets to my home games without asking me first. I’m regretting that now.

Dread sprouts in my chest. “A third? Why?”

I know why.

“Avery has come up with this idea that Penny needs to get out and have fun now that she is officially free of that idiot. Reward herself or something. I don’t know. Anyway, Penny’s considering coming with us.”

I stare at the phone like it has grown legs and has started to walk away.

What?

She told me that she doesn't want me in her life anymore. She’s blocked me on social media. She slept with me and then ghosted me. She called me in a panic, whether accidental or not, and then proceeded to continue to cut me out of her life when I made it clear that I was worried sick about her.

And now she wants to… come to Pittsburgh? She wants to… what? Stay at my place?

A rush of anger washes over me.

“You didn’t think to ask me if I was okay with that?” I snap, tossing my wipe into the empty bowl of wings. I snatch my phone from the pillow and stand .

I suddenly need to pace around my condo to cool myself down.

There’s silence on the other end of the phone.

“Oh,” Seth says, clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t?—”

My temper rises. I swipe my beer off the coffee table and take a swig.

Keep it together, Dec. This is not his fault.

“Is this just the Penny show now? Penny wants something and Penny gets it, no matter what she’s done?”

Seth stays quiet, but I don’t give a shit. I’m furious with her for even thinking that this was a good idea, and I'm more pissed at him for going along with it without question.

“Where the hell is she going to stay, Seth? Here? She wants to cut me out of her life? Fine. She’s not staying at my place. She chose that. You didn’t think that maybe it’d be a stupid thing to agree to without even talking to me first?”

I take another swig of my beer. My face feels hot. I wish I was on the ice right now.

“Dec, I didn’t?—”

“Use your fucking brain, Seth. I’m tired of everyone catering to Penny and Avery. If she’s allowed to be pissed off, so am I! I don’t want her here. I don’t want her in Pittsburgh, and there’s no way in hell I want her at my fucking game . If neither of them can deal with that, then come on your own. Every time Avery barks at you to do something, you don’t have to do what she says. You have your own mind.”

I am spewing my anger at the wrong person.

Everyone constantly lets those two girls get away with murder, and it is going to stop. I am going to stop it. Avery isn’t going to bully me into changing my mind, and I am not going to let her ignore the biggest fact here: Penny did this, not me.

I am fighting with Penny against my own will. She doesn’t get to control this narrative anymore, and neither does her sidekick.

I have a say here, too.

And guess what?

My game got better when I stopped thinking about Penny. My game got worse when she got into my head. So no, I don’t want her here. It’s outrageous that she was even going to consider it.

“Declan,” Seth says, his tone harboring a warning. That shuts me right up. “Look. I know things aren’t the best right now between the two of you, but don’t lose your shit on me. I haven’t heard anything since she called you. I assumed you two mulled things over. Sue me.”

I sigh, bringing the rim of my beer bottle to my forehead. I squeeze my eyes shut. I don’t want a lecture but here it comes.

“A simple no would have sufficed, or maybe a question or two to figure out why I asked. She and Avery were going to stay at a hotel and let us have a guy’s week at your place. Penny loves watching you play, man. She never misses a game. I thought it would be nice after the shit she’s just gone through to make her happy for a few hours and surprise her with a ticket— she and Avery didn’t even know I was asking you for this.”

Shit .

He does that whisper-scream thing on that last part. I hate that voice. I always feel bad the second he whips it out, and man, I do feel bad now. Not for Penny, because… really? You’re going to come to Pittsburgh after all that you have done?

I feel bad for Seth. Seth only.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

“Nah, I don’t want to hear it right now,” Seth bites out and I wince. He’s the level-headed one. If he’s cutting off an apology, he’s mad. “Maybe the reason she cut you out of her life is because you go for the jugular when you’re pissed off. You aim to kill, D. I’m sick of it.”

I open my mouth. “I?—”

“—I’ll see you in a few days, and I’ll let the girls know that Penny coming along is not a good idea.”

I fall onto the couch, running a hand over my face. This feels just as bad as my lashing from Coach. This might feel worse.

He’s still talking. He’s still tearing into me. A man of very little words until you burn him.

“—which I would have understood if you just talked to me like a normal human being. You could have just said that you weren’t comfortable with it. Nobody is picking sides, Lowesy. Our flight lands at ten in the morning. Monday.”

“Okay,” I say quietly.

I want to die inside.

“And don’t talk about Avery like that again. I’ll be the next one to cut you out, no matter how bad it kills me. That is my fucking wife. ”

“Seth—”

“—Ten in the morning. Good luck in Colorado tomorrow.”

The line goes dead.

I stare at the TV numbly, the silence suddenly suffocating.

That went wrong quickly.

This is officially the worst night in a long time. Not even honey garlic wings can save it.