Not All Hockey Boys Are Bad

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
I froze. Jack was this man's grandson. The way he described his grandson, made me think of a hipster/indie type who wrote poetry and wore beanies but played hockey as a pass time until it got serious. But now Jack was walking towards us and I tried to picture him reading these classics stored on the shelves but I couldn't.

Jack had almost reached us and his neutral expression hadn't changed. I expected a hint of recognition, confusion, or even anger but his face remained emotionless. He stopped just in front of his grandfather and gave him a small smile that seemed reserved for family only. "Grandpa." He nodded his head down, greeting the man next to me.

Snapping out of my daze I closed the book that had still laid open in my hands and turned to return it to the shelf. In my hurry to put it back, my knees ran straight into the coffee table. Pain shot up my leg and I bit my tongue to stop from cursing aloud.

"Careful there." Jack said. I could feel him smirking behind me. My face heated as I tried to ignore his words and slip the book back to into the place I had gotten it from. Satisfied with the placement I slowly turned back around to face Jack and his grandpa. They were both staring at me with the same expression. Albeit, his grandfather's was less harsh as Jack's, but none the less their resemblance was striking.

I cleared my throat. "Well, I should get going..." I moved to grab my coffee and my bagel which both were most likely cold by now.

"Oh, no. Don't leave so soon. I need to introduce to my grandson. The one I was telling you about." Jack's grandfather said, stopping me. Jack only glanced at me then back to his grandpa. "Meet Jack, the starting center, for the Colby Hill Jaguars hockey team." Jack's grandfather beamed and patted his back with pride. I smiled politely.

"I believe me and your grandson, have already met, sir, we go to the same high school. Though, I don't think he remembers me." I replied glancing at Jack quickly before settling my gaze on the book shelf behind the old man.

"Non-sense. I may have gotten hit too many times in hockey but I never forget a name, Rosie." Jack said. He looked directly at me and cocked an eyebrow. I have to admit I was shocked. I figured I was already written off his list of names to remember. Something in Jack's eyes twinkled and for a second I thought I could read his emotions but as soon as I had recognized it, it was gone.

"Well, Rosie, it was nice speaking to you but I'm afraid I need to get going. Deal or no deal is about to come on and I haven't missed an episode, yet. However, I do hope you stop by again, just call for William Rovotia and I'll come down to talk." Jack's grandfather smiled widely at me before he patted my arm, walked by me and into the back of Toasties. As soon as he was out of sight I turned back to Jack, now we were alone and the silence was killing me. "So you're a secret book worm, or so I've heard?" I spoke teasingly hoping to get something out of him.

"Used to be." He said giving the book shelf a longing look. "I don't have much time to read now a days."
I hummed. Maybe there's more to Jack than I thought. It was the walls he's built up around him that keep people from seeing what's really there. He can't really be bad can he? "Are you going to stand there and look at me all night or do you want a picture to take with you?"

I spoke -or I guess thought- too soon. "Actually as much as I'd love to stand here and torture my eyes with your face, I should probably head home." I bit back. Hurriedly I grabbed my cup of coffee and my uneaten bagel and began to walk out of the café. Before I could open the door though I felt a hand on my shoulder stop me.

"Wait...it's dark... and this isn't the nicest neighborhood when the night sets in." Jack said nodding outside. I hadn't realized that the sun had gone down until he pointed it out.