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"You know you just opened up an entire can of worly

"Yup," I acknowledge "But he needs to do this I'm confident about that"

Reed gives a sigh that sounds like agreement and mutters, "YeahI know Just don't knohy I have to be the one to baby-sit him"

"Because you're wonderful," Josie says with playful buuess that's an acceptable reason

Chapter 23

Reed

"Just wait a minute," I say to Marek as he slaer side as soon as he put the car in park

He turns to face me over the roof of the car, the steeple of St Luke's Catholic Church rising high behind hio in there, I got to know Are you going to try towith her?"

I'ht now is justready to cause havoc in her life While I think Josie definitely had so Marek to co with the fallout I don't think Marek is going to walk away from this in one piece, no matter what happens in there

His eyebrows rise as if he'd never even consideredtowith her I broke it off and left that far behind"

"You just flew five hundredYou did not leave it that far behind"

Marek puts his forearms on the roof of the car "LookI left her behind and don't regret it, but it doesn't mean I don't still care for her to some extent I don't want her to marry this asshole Trust me, Reed, he is very bad news and she shouldn't settle for that"

"Not buying it," I tell him as I also put my forearms on the roof I locklike this unless there's so more there I just want you to be prepared for the fallout this is going to cause, and, dude, if you're in denial about having so with her, you better reason that shit out in your head before you go in there"

Marek stubbornly shakes his head again "I don't want a relationship It's too hard, particularly with our hectic schedule and being away from home so much It's too much pressure, and I don't want it I only want to focus on uys who are relationship material Look howwhile on the road Why even bother with that shit? My theory is you keep it casual because we have enough on our plate concentrating on our game, and fuck if I don't want another Stanley Cup this year I can't be worrying about a woame at the same time"

On the surface of his state so shortsighted, but sadly, there's so in what he just said that speaks toa lot these past two days aboutJosie I mean, how many other ways are there that I don't even know about yet?

All of this presses down uponif I' run Will this worry intensify or work itself out? Do I have what it takes to putwith Josie, for whom I care about very much?

Like Marek, I want another fucking Stanley Cup too This year the pressure is going to be incredible, because it's next to impossible to win three in a row It hasn't been done in almost three decades

"You get what I et where he's co from

"Just don't want you to get hurt in there, is all," I tell hi sure your expectations are met"

"My expectations are I stop her fro, happy life without him"

I don't point out that he failed to add, "with someone else" I wonder if that was intentional or subconscious

Regardless, I can't let that bother h this all right

"Okay," I tell hiet this done"

I follow Marek into the church He walks with purpose and as if he knohere he's going The first thing he does is walk through the vestibule to peek through the double doors to the sanctuary When he pulls back, he says, "Hasn't started yet Come on"

He then heads down a hallway on the right, takes a left, and goes down three doors to a door that says CLASSROOM 1 Looking at et ready"

"And you know that how?" I ask him

"Many years as an altar boy in this church"

I nod and Marek boldly pushes the door open He slips in and I follow hi the door behind us