It’s on its way, Baby. I snuck downstairs to grab you a decent coffee since hotel room coffee makers are always shit. The plan was to hop back into bed before you woke up.
Drew
Is it bad if I amend my order to a hot chocolate?
Me
No, it’s not. But I can’t guarantee it will live up to your standards. I’m in line right now and can only see three kinds of sprinkles.
Drew
Blasphemy.
I’d also like to request a FROSTED doughnut.
Me
Sigh. What’s it gonna take to make you love me?
Drew
Remember when my dad caught us in the kitchen and he threatened to burn his eyes with the chipotle marinade?
Me
On reflection, Coach wasn’t being dramatic. I’ll never be the same again, Drew.
Drew
I’m not happy about it either. I thought you were going to rail me on that stage, and I ended up rocking you to sleep.
Me
I’ll make it up to you.
Drew
Of course you will. Starting with a frosted doughnut.
“I see I’m not alone in my hatred of hotel room coffee.”
Still waiting in line, I turn around to find Zach Evans standing behind me. At a similar age to my dad and in his late fifties, this guy is about as legendary as it gets when it comes to ice hockey. A former Seattle Scorpions captain and defenseman, there were more posters of Zach on my wall when I was growing up than any other hockey player.
Today, he co-owns a chain of Italian restaurants called Luigi’s across the U.S. with my dad, Jon, and a couple other retired pro hockey players.
“How’s Florida treating you these days?” I ask, moving forward in the line. “We didn’t get much of a chance to catch up yesterday.”
Zach pulls on the bill of his black baseball cap, blue eyes creasing around the corners as he thinks about home. The Scorpions were the team of his career, but Cocoa Beach in Florida will forever have his heart.
“Yeah, good. Luna has decided that this school year will be her last. Making principal was amazing for her but she wants to spend time with our new granddaughter.”
He pulls his cell from his pocket and starts scrolling through pictures of the cutest baby girl I’ve ever seen. She has a mass of red hair like Aster, Zach and Luna’s son.
“Did Aster and his wife decide on a name yet?”
He blows out a breath. “Yeah, but it literally went down to the wire for registering the birth.”
I reach the front of the coffee line and give the server my order. Frosted fucking doughnut included. We both know Drew only ordered the damn thing for one reason, but what my wife wants, she gets.