Meet Me at the Rink

Chapter 16

~ Austin ~

After practice, Alex drove back to my place and we picked up Easton as I dropped my backpack inside the door. We were headed up to the cabin for a guys' day. "Come on Easy boy." I say as I grab the keys for the cabin off the table at the door followed by Easton's leash. I open the front door as Easton runs over to Alex who's leaning up against the car. "Hey, buddy!" He exclaims as he puts his phone in his pocket before petting the pup. "We'll take the truck up." I say walking down the front steps.

"Alright." Alex replies. "Don't forget your skates bud!" I say unlocking the truck and putting the keys into the ignition. "Got my skates ready to go." He says walking over to the passenger's side. I open the passenger's door and call for Easton to come. "Up ya go you big beast." I say as Easton jumps up into the back seat. I close the door once he's settled in before opening the driver's door and hopping into the driver's seat.

** At The Cabin **

"We'll eat first then shovel the snow off the ice, get the fire started and put some beers in the snowbank to keep 'em cold." I say to Alex before getting out of the truck and opening the back door for Easton to hop out. "Yeah, sounds good man." Alex replies carrying the pizza in one hand, and the cottage keys in the other.

I open the screen door and hold it open while Alex unlocks it. "Ah, the crash pad hideout, so many good times and memories at this place." Alex says as he puts the pizza down on the entrance table so that he could take off his coat and boots. I hang my coat up as Alex takes lunch to the kitchen while I take my boots off.

"Alright, I'm hungry! Let's eat!" I exclaim clapping my hands as I get to the kitchen. "Plates are up here right?" Alex asks. "Yeah, should be top left." I reply grabbing drinks from the fridge. I put them down on the island and grab Easton's dog bowls and fill one with water while I fill the other with kibble.

** Down at the Lake **

"That's the last of it!" I exclaim putting my shovel in a snowbank and leaning against it as Alex finishes his last bit of shovelling. "Want a beer?" I ask grabbing a couple from the snowbank. "Yeah, sure!" He exclaims in reply as I toss one across to him. "Thanks man!" Alex says as I crack my beer open.

"Let's get this fire going before I kick your ass in some one on one pond hockey." I say stepping off the ice and walking over to the fire pit area. "Before you kick my ass? How about before I kick yours?" He exclaims planting the shovel in the snow before putting his beer down to grab some firewood from the shed. "We'll see about that Wrighty!" I shout.

After we got the fire going, we laced up our skates and grabbed our sticks before getting out onto the ice. "First to five goals wins." Alex says. "Loser owes winner 50$ and a case of beer." I reply as I put my hand out to shake on it. "Alright, deal but just know that you're going down bud." Alex smirks and we shake on it.

"Ready?" I ask holding the puck above our sticks at centre ice. "You're on bro!" Alex grins as I drop the puck and our game begins. "There's no way I'm letting you win!" I say as I go after him for the puck. "Keep thinking that bud!" He says taking off down the ice with the puck.

** Later **

"Looks like you owe me 50$ and a case of beer!" Alex says as we sit around the fire listening to music and drinking our ice-cold beers. "Yeah, yeah." I reply. "I'll get you next time man!" I add as we both laugh.