The Games We Play
Two
The boys were waiting for him towards the back of the bar, out of eyeshot of most of the others seated about. There was a reason they chose Vin’s Bar down on the Strip: it normally wasn’t crowded, and it normally wasn’t a place members of the Pittsburgh Penguins were easily spotted. In fact, they enjoyed the atmosphere of the place since it had a real relaxed feel, complete with local brews, foosball and pool tables, and plenty of flat panels airing various sporting events.
James noticed Sid motioning to him from one of the larger booths, so he made his way past the bar where a few older men sat with pints of beer in their hands. One of them spotted James and nodded respectfully at him, to which James returned the gesture with a smile.
Behind the bar, a shapely blonde in a strappy pink top was filling a pitcher of beer from the tap. She also caught James’ eyes and smiled. Her acknowledgement was a bit more transparent; it was the kind he saw most often: she knew who he was. It was also the look most of the guys got whenever a female noticed who they were. However, from James’ perspective, he’d never seen her working there before.
Nonetheless, he gave a nod to the girl, who continued to follow him with her eyes long after he’d taken his place in the booth next to Sid and Pascal.
“Hey Nealer.”
“Gentlemen.”
Geno slid a bottle of Keystone towards him, and he gladly accepted. “So…estrogen overflow at home, eh Flower?”
“You bet” he said with a laugh. “I was practically shoved out the door by Vero and her friends. Many thanks to Sid for offering to meet here for some relief.” He tipped his pint glass in his direction.
Sid’s smile beamed. “Anytime.”
Geno stood up and from the booth and motioned towards the bar with a wave. When she appeared in front of the booth, James was able to see more of the girl. Not bad, he thought to himself.
“Another of the same, Geno?” she asked.
So apparently Geno knows her. Interesting.
“And five vodka shots. This one here needs loosening.” Geno thumbed toward Marc in the booth next to him. On the opposite side, Pascal nudged him in the side with a laugh. Marc simply feigned innocence as he smiled at the bartender.
“Whatever you want” the girl said. “Anything else for you two?” Her blue eyes focused on Sid and James. Sid lifted his hands and shook his head.
“I’m good, Kelly. Thanks. Vodka should be plenty for now.”
“Me too” James answered, lifting his bottle.
“Well you let me know if you need anything…” She lingered a little longer on that last word, and every man at the booth noticed. She playfully ran her tongue over her bottom lip before biting it, then turned and headed back to the bar.
Sid watched the sway of Kelly’s hips as she walked away. “...The hell was that? For me or for you, Nealer?”
James laughed. “Preeeetty sure it was for you.”
“Wrong” Pascal stated, his accent prominent. “All you, Nealer.”
“I ask her?” Geno said, that devious smile reappearing.
“Probably not.” James took a swig of the beer, his eyes glancing over the back of the booth towards the bar. “How the hell do you guys know her anyways? I haven’t seen her in here before.”
“How you think?” Geno asked.
“I don’t know, you fucked her?” James knew Geno had his fun when he was back in the States, but had a long standing girlfriend, so anything was possible.
Sid let out a laugh. “Jesus, Neal…Not everyone acts the way you do.”
“Used to” Pascal added, clearing his throat.
“Yes…..used to” James replied, looking at Duper. Too much history was known between the guys, especially the ones sitting at the table. While James had curbed his appetite for the stream of meaningless hookups since meeting Ali, his reputation with his teammates would be harder to end.
“Met her here few weekends ago, before camp” Geno revealed. “Gave me free drink…now lifelong friend.”
James had to laugh. “Nice, can’t argue with that.”
“Incoming” Sid said, lifting his drink to his lips.
Kelly reappeared with a tray full of shots and a beer. One by one she laid out the shots, making a point to bend over the booth enough to put her ample cleavage on display. Geno glanced over at James, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk. Kelly set the beer down last.
“Enjoy, boys” she said, this time singling out Sid when she smiled before leaving them.
Sid eyed James and shrugged. “Anyone’s guess.”
“I vote you, Sid” Fleury added, claiming his shot glass of the vodka. “So! To New York in two nights? Give the King some of his own medicine?”
The guys had a good laugh at his reference to Lundqvist , and gladly clinked glasses before downing the clear liquid. The familiar burn filled James throat and chest, and he knew one wasn’t going to be enough.
He was right. A few beers and another round of shots later, and James was feeling a bit looser than he’d expected. Next to him, Duper had Sid laughing over something James hadn’t heard. Geno and Flower were light-heartedly arguing across from him, their accents beginning to blend to the point that James had to laugh out of the absurdity of it.
“My shift is about over, guys. Any final requests?” Kelly had appeared amongst the commotion at the table.
“Early practice” Geno said. “All done tonight.”
Kelly slid the check in the direction of James and gave him a final smile. “Great seeing you all again. Good luck against the Rangers on Saturday.”
A round of ‘thanks’ were spoken before the guys went back to their conversations. James flipped over the check over, and to his surprise, saw seven digits scribbled near the bottom of the tab. The shape of a heart enclosed the words Call me, Neal.
Duper slapped his hand on the table after glancing at the check. "Ha! Knew it!"
* * *
James noticed Sid motioning to him from one of the larger booths, so he made his way past the bar where a few older men sat with pints of beer in their hands. One of them spotted James and nodded respectfully at him, to which James returned the gesture with a smile.
Behind the bar, a shapely blonde in a strappy pink top was filling a pitcher of beer from the tap. She also caught James’ eyes and smiled. Her acknowledgement was a bit more transparent; it was the kind he saw most often: she knew who he was. It was also the look most of the guys got whenever a female noticed who they were. However, from James’ perspective, he’d never seen her working there before.
Nonetheless, he gave a nod to the girl, who continued to follow him with her eyes long after he’d taken his place in the booth next to Sid and Pascal.
“Hey Nealer.”
“Gentlemen.”
Geno slid a bottle of Keystone towards him, and he gladly accepted. “So…estrogen overflow at home, eh Flower?”
“You bet” he said with a laugh. “I was practically shoved out the door by Vero and her friends. Many thanks to Sid for offering to meet here for some relief.” He tipped his pint glass in his direction.
Sid’s smile beamed. “Anytime.”
Geno stood up and from the booth and motioned towards the bar with a wave. When she appeared in front of the booth, James was able to see more of the girl. Not bad, he thought to himself.
“Another of the same, Geno?” she asked.
So apparently Geno knows her. Interesting.
“And five vodka shots. This one here needs loosening.” Geno thumbed toward Marc in the booth next to him. On the opposite side, Pascal nudged him in the side with a laugh. Marc simply feigned innocence as he smiled at the bartender.
“Whatever you want” the girl said. “Anything else for you two?” Her blue eyes focused on Sid and James. Sid lifted his hands and shook his head.
“I’m good, Kelly. Thanks. Vodka should be plenty for now.”
“Me too” James answered, lifting his bottle.
“Well you let me know if you need anything…” She lingered a little longer on that last word, and every man at the booth noticed. She playfully ran her tongue over her bottom lip before biting it, then turned and headed back to the bar.
Sid watched the sway of Kelly’s hips as she walked away. “...The hell was that? For me or for you, Nealer?”
James laughed. “Preeeetty sure it was for you.”
“Wrong” Pascal stated, his accent prominent. “All you, Nealer.”
“I ask her?” Geno said, that devious smile reappearing.
“Probably not.” James took a swig of the beer, his eyes glancing over the back of the booth towards the bar. “How the hell do you guys know her anyways? I haven’t seen her in here before.”
“How you think?” Geno asked.
“I don’t know, you fucked her?” James knew Geno had his fun when he was back in the States, but had a long standing girlfriend, so anything was possible.
Sid let out a laugh. “Jesus, Neal…Not everyone acts the way you do.”
“Used to” Pascal added, clearing his throat.
“Yes…..used to” James replied, looking at Duper. Too much history was known between the guys, especially the ones sitting at the table. While James had curbed his appetite for the stream of meaningless hookups since meeting Ali, his reputation with his teammates would be harder to end.
“Met her here few weekends ago, before camp” Geno revealed. “Gave me free drink…now lifelong friend.”
James had to laugh. “Nice, can’t argue with that.”
“Incoming” Sid said, lifting his drink to his lips.
Kelly reappeared with a tray full of shots and a beer. One by one she laid out the shots, making a point to bend over the booth enough to put her ample cleavage on display. Geno glanced over at James, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk. Kelly set the beer down last.
“Enjoy, boys” she said, this time singling out Sid when she smiled before leaving them.
Sid eyed James and shrugged. “Anyone’s guess.”
“I vote you, Sid” Fleury added, claiming his shot glass of the vodka. “So! To New York in two nights? Give the King some of his own medicine?”
The guys had a good laugh at his reference to Lundqvist , and gladly clinked glasses before downing the clear liquid. The familiar burn filled James throat and chest, and he knew one wasn’t going to be enough.
He was right. A few beers and another round of shots later, and James was feeling a bit looser than he’d expected. Next to him, Duper had Sid laughing over something James hadn’t heard. Geno and Flower were light-heartedly arguing across from him, their accents beginning to blend to the point that James had to laugh out of the absurdity of it.
“My shift is about over, guys. Any final requests?” Kelly had appeared amongst the commotion at the table.
“Early practice” Geno said. “All done tonight.”
Kelly slid the check in the direction of James and gave him a final smile. “Great seeing you all again. Good luck against the Rangers on Saturday.”
A round of ‘thanks’ were spoken before the guys went back to their conversations. James flipped over the check over, and to his surprise, saw seven digits scribbled near the bottom of the tab. The shape of a heart enclosed the words Call me, Neal.
Duper slapped his hand on the table after glancing at the check. "Ha! Knew it!"
* * *
@Lolo2020
Thank you so much! Amazing people still read it and enjoy it so much. That was my goal :)
2/6/17