The Last Goodbye

“So did you talk me up?” Adam asked Patrick the next day as he walked into the kitchen, seeing Patrick sitting at the table, eating some waffles. Adam turned around to see there were more waffles on the counter, and he immediately snatched up the plate, taking it back to the table and smothering it with syrup.

Patrick stared at him wide-eyed. “Did I tell you that you could eat my food?” Patrick questioned, trying to grab the plate away from Adam, but he was too slow, as Adam lifted the plate of food into the air while taking a big bite off of his fork.

“It’s my food now,” Adam mumbled, his mouth still stuffed with food. He swallowed before saying once again, “So, did you talk me up?”

Patrick looked at him questioningly, not knowing what he was talking about. “What?” he asked.

“Did you talk me up?” Adam repeated. “To Delaney last night during your interview. Remember, I asked you to talk me up so she’ll date me,” Adam reminded him.

“She’s not going to date you,” Patrick muttered, but Adam didn’t appear to be satisfied with the answer. “I tried to talk you up,” Patrick told him, remembering he had mentioned Adam before he had realized that he was falling for Delaney himself. “She said that she’s a big Wisconsin fan besides the Blackhawks. I told her she was like your perfect girl,” he explained.

“Nice going, man,” Adam said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Yeah,” Patrick mumbled, knowing that he shouldn’t be going behind Adam’s back like he was. But, it wasn’t like he was planning on anything happening between him and Delaney. He was on her reality show to meet a woman, and he knew that she wouldn’t let anything happen between them. But, then there was the part of him that didn’t want to give up without a fight.

“You okay?” Adam asked, pulling Patrick out of his thoughts. He lifted his head, and Adam said, “You seem a little out of it right now. What’re you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Patrick shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” Adam shrugged his shoulders as he finished off his plate of waffles. He took the plate over to the sink and set it inside before sitting down at the table, waiting for Patrick to finish his own food.

“How are you such a slow eater?” Adam questioned, looking at Patrick’s plate that still contained two waffles on it.

“Sorry that some of us aren’t garbage disposals like you and just engulf all of our food in two minutes,” Patrick retorted.

“Hey, I’m a growing boy. I need my food!” Adam argued.

Patrick rolled his eyes. “So, do you know what the plans are for today?” he inquired, not having been told where the date was to take place today since they wanted it to be a surprise for him, as well as the girls.

“Yeah, I do,” Adam replied.

“And, are you going to tell me?” Patrick asked, finishing off his waffles.

“Nope,” Adam shook his head.

“Why not?” Patrick questioned.

“You wouldn’t tell me who you were going to get rid of last night, so I’m not telling you where we’re going today,” Adam told him, just as Delaney walked into the room.

She stared at the two men, her hands on her hips. “You’re trying to get Adam to tell you where the date is today?” she questioned, looking at Patrick, who shrugged his shoulders, knowing he had been caught. “You couldn’t just wait another forty-five minutes and be surprised?”

“Sorry,” Patrick mumbled, slinking down into his chair, as Adam laughed at him.

“So,” Delaney began. “I just came to tell you to make sure you dress up warm,” she told him, and Patrick looked up at her curiously. “That’s the only clue you’re getting about today’s date,” she added with a smile, turning around and walking out of the kitchen. “Be ready in a half an hour!” she called out.

Patrick turned to look at Adam. “Wear something warm?” he questioned him. Adam shrugged his shoulders, not giving Patrick any information. “Thanks, man,” Patrick said sarcastically, hitting Adam on his shoulder as he walked up the stairs to his room to grab a sweatshirt, trying to figure out why he could possibly need warm clothes in the middle of summer.

Forty-five minutes later, Patrick understood exactly why he was told to wear warm clothes, as they pulled up to an ice rink. A smile spread across his face as he felt as if he was arriving back home. “You like?” Delaney asked, seeing Patrick’s reaction.

“This is going to be good,” Patrick smiled, wondering how many of the girls had ever even stepped onto ice, let alone ice skated before. As soon as the car stopped, Patrick immediately jumped out of the vehicle, practically running towards the rink.

Delaney slowly exited the car, followed by Adam, and she turned to look at him, laughing. “He sure is excited,” she observed.

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Well, he does love to play hockey. Being out on the ice is like being at home for him,” he explained. “This is his element. He’s going to get to go show off for all the girls today, and I’m sure he likes that.”

Delaney nodded her head in understanding. “And, what about you? You planning on trying to show off to all of these girls?”

“Why would I?” Adam asked as the two of them walked towards the rink. “I mean, they’re Kaner’s girls, right?”

“Don’t pretend like you’re not planning on trying to sleep with every single one of them that Pat kicks off,” Delaney said, and Adam looked at her in shock. “What? You didn’t think I’ve heard your conversations with Pat?” she questioned.

“So, is that why you won’t go out with me?” he asked her.

“No, Adam, I’ve told you a thousand times why I won’t go out with you,” she reminded him.

“Oh, yes, you work with me,” Adam muttered, walking a little faster to meet Patrick out on the ice. He turned around to see Delaney standing there, wondering if he was angry at her or what. “Well, aren’t you coming?” he called out, stopping and waiting on her to catch up.

“Let’s go,” she smiled, pulling on his arm to make him walk once again. They walked into building, seeing Patrick staring out on the ice. “You’re itching to get out there, aren’t you?” Delaney laughed.

“And, you’re not?” he questioned.

“No, actually I’m not,” Delaney shook her head, and both Adam and Patrick spun their heads to look at her in shock. “I actually don’t know how to ice skate,” she admitted.

“You what!?” Adam cried.

“I don’t know how to ice skate,” she repeated.

“Let me get this straight,” Patrick spoke. “You’re from Minnesota. You lived in Wisconsin. And, you don’t know how to skate?” he questioned. “How does that make any sense?”

Adam stared at Patrick. “How do you know her whole life story?” he questioned.

Patrick ignored him, looking back at Delaney. “Seriously, how do you not know how to skate?” he asked once again.

Delaney shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I just never learned. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Adam questioned. “Um, Delaney, in case you forgot, you’re working with two professional hockey players. You’re not leaving here today without learning how to skate,” Adam promised her.

“I’ve gotten by the last twenty-six years without knowing how to skate. Another twenty-six years isn’t going to hurt me.”

“Are you trying to offend us?” Adam asked.

Delaney started laughing. “It’s really not a big deal,” she assured him. “Besides, Patrick, you are going to be too busy paying attention to all of the girls who will be all over you, needing you to hold them up while they try to skate. And, you, Adam, are going to be too busy paying attention to all of the girls who need help skating when Patrick’s too busy to help them out,” she stated.

“Good point,” Adam nodded his head. “It’s not like all the girls can hold onto Kaner at once,” he agreed. “And, I can be there to help them out,” he said with a smile on his face.

“See,” Delaney said. “And, I’ll be on the bench, watching all of the girls make fools out of themselves, trying to get Pat’s attention,” she smiled. “And, speaking of the girls, they’ll be here in just a few minutes. So, Adam, if you want to get ready with whatever you’re saying in the opening bit,” she said, and Adam nodded his head, walking away.

“I will teach you to skate one of these days,” Patrick promised her.

“We’ll see,” Delaney mumbled, walking away to go greet the girls as they arrived at the rink.

Fifteen minutes later, the girls all stood in a line, facing Patrick and Adam, who was reciting his lines, telling them what their date was today. “And, for those of you that don’t know how to skate, I’m sure Pat here will be more than willing to help you out, hold your hand for you while you learn,” he told the girls with a wink, and the girls started squealing. “Okay, well, get on that ice!” Adam said, and the girls all ran off to get their ice skates on.

“Hey, Pat!” Rosie called out to him, and he turned to see her in a tiny top and a small skirt that reminded him a little too much of the Ice Girls. “Watch this,” she said before she started performing ice skating tricks. She spun around, landing right in front of him, wrapping her arms around him. “How was that?” she asked looking up at him.

“Wow,” Patrick muttered. “Where’d you learn to do that?” he asked.

“It’s a secret,” she winked at him before kissing him full on the lips.

“Damn, he’s getting some action already,” Adam muttered, sitting down on the bench next to Delaney.

“Well, maybe you should get out there on that ice,” she suggested.

“Yeah, because God knows I’m not going to get any action from you sitting here,” he mumbled, and Delaney turned to look at him wide-eyed. “Kidding, just kidding,” Adam said, holding his hands up in defense. “Sort of,” he added with a smile as he stood up. “Are you sure you don’t want to learn how to ice skate?” he asked.

“I’m good,” she assured him. “But, you go out there and have some fun,” she smiled, watching as Adam skated out onto the ice.

“Hey, Adam,” Penny skated over to him, a seductive smile on her face. “So, Pat’s obviously busy,” she said, motioning over towards Patrick, who currently had Marissa and Bethann hanging on him. “So, you feel like skating with me?” she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

“Sure,” Adam nodded his head, taking her hand and skating around the ice with her. Patrick looked up and noticed the two of them, unable to refrain from rolling his eyes. He should have known that Adam would try to hook up with a contestant while she was still in the running on the show.

Deciding to let it go, he turned around, seeing Robin standing there. “Hey,” Patrick said, trailing off when he realized he didn’t remember her name. “Feel like skating with me?” he asked, and she quickly nodded her head, grabbing his hand as they skated around on the ice in little circles, Robin telling Patrick her whole life story.