Chapter 28
Ashley struck the puck with a sharp clack, sending it flying across the rink. The goalkeeper lunged in a desperate attempt, but it was futile—the puck shot straight into the net. Ashley exchanged a quick high-five with Bill, who had passed it to him mid-air.
A whistle blew at just the right moment, signaling a short break.
“Whew.”
Bill took a long swig straight from his water bottle before wiping his lips and asking, “So what’s going on with you? Are you really breaking up with Ariel?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Ashley, who had just drained more than half his bottle in one go, replied. He took a deep breath, his breathing slightly ragged from exertion.
“She said you haven’t been answering her calls or meeting up with her,” Bill continued.
“I was busy.”
“That’s an excuse. Come on, man, do you really think you can feed us that obvious lie? We all know what’s up.”
Bill looked around as if seeking confirmation. The other guys nodded in agreement from various spots around the rink.
“Yeah, when you start losing interest, the first thing to go is communication.”
“You had no training and it was break season, but you still didn’t meet up? That’s weird.”