Just A Hockey Player

Ryan ordered chili cheese fries and nearly strangled Boyler when he tried to steal some. No one messed with Ryan’s food. Tessa sighed, which wasn’t unnoticed by Ryan.

“What?” Ryan swallowed a chunk of her fries before talking to Tessa across the table, which was no easy task, considering the constant bickering between the guys. Somehow, Tessa had ended up between Kreids and Bick and she was looking very smug about it. That is, she had been, until she had caught sight of Ryan scarfing down chili cheese fries.

“Wouldn’t you rather eat your food than inhale it?” she asked. “I mean I know you’re a hockey player, but-

“Aw, come on!” Ryan yelled at the TV over the bar.

“What are you yelling at?” snapped a visibly irritated Tessa.
“The stupid Mets,” grumbled Ryan, taking a healthy gulp of her soda. “Stupid bullpen can’t win a game to save their lives. Amazin’ Mets my ass. Right now, the only thing their amazing at is blowing leads.” Step, who was seated to Ryan’s right, laughed. “You think that’s funny?” Ryan asked.

“Yes, I do,” Step answered with a smile, even though he knew Ryan meant the question to be hypothetical. “Yelling at them won’t help.”

“There’s not much else I can do, is there?”

“Well, ask Hank for David Wright’s number. Maybe you can tell him what they’re doing wrong.” Step was pleased to see his suggestion had the desired effect. Ryan nearly choked on her soda, prompting Boyler to pound her on the back.

“Hank knows David Wright?” Ryan finally managed to sputter.

“Yeah,” Step shrugged. “Hank knows everyone.”

“David Wright?” asked Tessa, breaking off her conversation with Bick. “Is that the one-“

“No, I don’t think so,” Ryan interrupted, shaking her head, hoping Tessa would get the hint.

“He is, isn’t he?” by the way she was grinning, Ryan could tell she had gotten the hint, but was
ignoring it. “He’s the one you said was hot right?”
Now it was the guys turn choke on their drinks.

“What did you say?” Ryan’s stomach sank as Tessa’s grin grew.

“I really don’t think they want-“ Ryan tried to intervene.

“Oh yeah. I think you said you thought his ‘smile was super sexy and one of the only reasons you watch the Mets when their losing,’ right?”
The table erupted in laughter and Ryan could fell her face turning beet red.

“You think David Wright is super sexy? You think David Wright is super sexy!” Mac was wiping tears from his eyes.

“Thanks a lot Tess,” Ryan was glaring at Tessa. “As if dealing with them wasn’t already hard enough as it is.” Tessa only sent back her sweetest smile in reply. Ryan endured a couple of minutes of taunting before deciding she couldn’t take anymore and went to the bar to get a refill.

“Where are you going?” yelled Step at her retreating back. “I mean, none of us are David Wright, but we’re still pretty sexy!” Ryan just continued on her way to the bar.

“Hey there,” a man said to her while she was waiting for her drink. “Can I buy you a drink?”
Ryan gave him a once over, taking in his smoldering eyes and cheeky smile before replying.

“Nope.” She turned to walk away, drink in hand, when he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.

“C’mon,” he whispered in her ear. “It’ll be fun.”

“No,” Ryan tried to pull away, but the man didn’t let go. “Really, I don’t want a drink.”

“Yes, I think you do.” God, Ryan hated that smile.

“Actually, I think she said she was good,” Ryan nearly jumped a foot in the air when someone placed a hand on her shoulder, but relaxed when she realized it was Step. The man finally let her wrist go.

“I can take care of myself, Step,” Ryan said as they walked away. She was preparing for his response, but Step was cut off.

“Fine,” it was the man at the bar. “But if you realize you can do better than those losers, you know where to find me.” It was the man’s mocking smile that pushed Ryan over the edge.

“Hold this,” she directed Step, ripping the ring off her finger and slamming it into his outstretched hand. She turned towards the man, smiling, before punching him in the face as hard as she could. Ryan didn’t stick around to survey the damage she had caused. She turned around and took the ring from a bemused Step before walking out the door.