The Opposite Attractions (New Hampshire Bears Book 13)

by Mary Smith

  Holding up a take-out bag as part of his answer, he said, “I don’t live too far from here. This place has insanely great subs.”

  “Oh,” she managed to say. She hadn’t spoken to him since they parted ways at the Bears game.

  “You look like you need some company,” he stated. “May I?” He nodded to the empty side of the booth.

  “Sure.” She shrugged, unsure if she wanted his company. Internally, chastising herself for being judgmental, she sat taller, showing him attention.

  “I sent you a text regarding the arts and craft show. Were you able to get a booth?” He kept his tone even and almost…gentle.

  “Oh, right. Yes, I sent them the money today actually.”

  Donnie beamed. “I’m glad you took my advice.”

  Seeing his handsome smile brought a twitch to the corners of her mouth. “I appreciate the advice. I never thought about craft shows. I had done some flea markets but kept my focus on Etsy and internet ads.”

  “Those are good avenues to stay on. However, human-to-human contact can speed things along. Nothing like word of mouth.”

  Nodding, she agreed with him. She wanted to continue with her crafts and make it into a successful business. Hence the reason she made the decision to go to college. Realistically, she knew her crafts would probably end up only being supplemental income for her. However, she didn’t know what else she wanted to do. Being twenty-four and with no real direction wasn’t a great combination.

  “What are you thinking?” Donnie’s question busted through her thoughts.

  “Nothing. Everything. My life,” she answered him honestly.

  “Happens to me as well.”

  Mikayla scoffed. “Right, I’m sure you’re the type to have planned out your life since middle school. The type to always reach your goals.”

  Donnie’s face grew serious with a hint of sadness. “Nope. I can tell you, you’re wrong. This path that I’m on hadn’t been chosen by me.”

  She felt a bit shitty because she judged him too quickly. “What path did you want?”

  Sighing, he glanced away from her for a few seconds then turned back. “I wanted to restore old cars.”

  With wide eyes, Mikayla could have been knocked over with a feather. “Pardon?”

  “It’s true. I wanted to be a mechanic and restore classic cars. However, my father absolutely refused and sent me to boarding schools. He hoped I would ‘outgrow’ the phase as he called it.” Donnie paused. “But…I still work on cars in my spare time.”

  Without thinking her eyes flicked to his hand. Jarvis always had manicured nails and soft hands but a firm touch. Donnie’s hands were clean but appeared to be rough. She wondered what they would feel like, or how a belt would crack across his back. Immediately, she pushed those thoughts away.

  “Do you have a lot of cars?”

  Like a proud new parent, Donnie pulled his phone out of his inside jacket pocket. He began showing her before and after photos of the cars. He still has two in his garage and sold the others.

  “I’m hoping to get another one,” he told her, putting his phone away.

  Mikayla’s pizza arrived and Donnie stared at it in confusion. “Are you expecting company?”

  “Nope.” She pulled off a slice. “Having a very bad day.”

  “Well.” He paused. “Would you mind if I stayed?”

  She’d forgotten his to-go bag sitting next to him. “You’re more than welcome.”

  Donnie reached inside and pulled out the large sub. For several moments, they ate in silence and when the waitress came back, Donnie ordered something to drink.

  When it arrived, he finally spoke to her. “What caused your bad day?”

  “A jerk face of a man,” she blurted out.

  “Oh.” This seemed to take Donnie back. “You’re not married, right?”

  She rolled her eyes. “If I were, would we have gone to the game together?”

  “Just checking.” He held up his hands defensively.

  She felt bad for snapping at him. He asked a justified question. Plus, he didn’t know the complete story. She thought about it for a second. Maybe Donnie could give her some clarity.

  “This guy and I had been fuck buddies for a while.” She began and then went into everything that happened up until Jarvis declaring he wanted her. When she finished, Donnie stared at her. She almost wanted to shrink away from him and his glare. Normally, she’d never back down from anyone but that feeling came back.

  “Are you okay?”

  He held up one finger and furrowed his brow. It took Mikayla a split second to feel her blood boiling at his dismissive gesture. Opening her mouth, the words sat at the tip of her tongue.

  “Do you love yourself?”

  His question made her pause.

  “If you love yourself, then you’ll see this guy for what he really is?”

  She waited for him to answer his own question.

  “A user. He’s just using you. If he “wanted” you,” Donnie air-quoted the word, “then he should have stepped up a long time before now. I believe he’s just toying with you because you saw through his game.”

  His firm and direct tone pierced the anger she began to feel from his words, causing the tension she felt to deflate. Hearing his words solidified what she already knew. Jarvis played her. It was the confirmation she’s searched for since Jarvis’s words hit her ears.

  “Those types of men give us good guys a bad rep, and it pisses me off. In my opinion, he’s like a cancer. You need to cut him out and never look back. If you loved yourself, you’d do it.”

  Flashes of Jarvis’s attitude and crudeness racked her memories. This past year he had been like cancer to her soul. His treatment toward her had brought herself esteem down. She always prided herself on being a strong woman and not needing anyone but Jenessa, Shade, and herself. Now, Jenessa and Shade had their own problems and she needed to rely on herself. She let a part of herself believe she could have Jarvis in her life as more than a fuck buddy.

  But he proved her wrong.

  “You’re right,” she told Donnie and his smile returned. “It’s time I remember to love myself.”

  The next morning when her alarm went off, she felt refreshed. Today was a new day for her. When Donnie and she parted ways last night, he paid for her dinner—under protest. He walked her to her car and hugged her. For a brief second, she felt the same uneasy sensation but brushed it off since this was their first contact together.

  When her feet hit the floor, she was ready to start her day. She worked all afternoon and evening at The Latte Bean then finished up a new jewelry order. A cool shower woke her senses up and when she finished dressing a knock came to her bedroom door.

  “Come in.”

  Elexis rushed in and over to her. “There’s someone here to see you,” she whispered.

  “Who?” Anyone she’d be close to would just pop up to her room.

  “Her name is Joy.” She continued to keep her voice low.

  Mikayla dropped her head. “Fuck.” As much as she wanted to hide, she wouldn’t do it to Joy.

  Mikayla jogged down the stairs with Elexis in tow. Joy stood by the door. Her pink leggings matched her pink North Face jacket and her pink gym shoes. A photographer could pop out at that moment and start a photoshoot.

  “Hey, Joy,” she greeted.

  “Hi. Sorry to pop over without calling.” Joy smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Joy, this is my roommate Elexis Dunaway. She also dates Dag Limon. Elexis, this is Joy Richter. She’s Jarvis’s sister.” Mikayla decided introductions were important since Joy just stood there.

  They greeted each other before Joy turned back to Mikayla. “Could we speak in private?”

  Knowing this wouldn’t be good, she nodded and made her way back upstairs toward her room. Joy followed and shut the bedroom door when they both were inside.

  For several seconds, Joy glanced around Mikayla’s room without saying a word. She
sat down on the edge of the bed as Joy began to walk around.

  Mikayla decided to speak first. Figuring she needed to get it over with. “How long are you in town for?”

  Joy stopped moving and said, “Until Saturday.”

  “Any plans?” Mikayla didn’t know what else to ask.

  Taking a deep breath, Joy strolled over to her and sat next to Mikayla. “How long have you been sleeping with Jarvis?”

  She figured that was going to be the main topic of conversation. She remembered how Joy acted yesterday. “Awhile, but it’s over.”

  “Jarvis told me over four years, and it’s not over.”

  With wide eyes, Mikayla whipped around to Joy. “Pardon?”

  “I confronted him last night and he told me what happened in the bathroom.”

  Mikayla was shocked, but she really shouldn’t be. Joy and Jarvis were tight and told each other everything.

  “Well, contrary to him, it is over,” Mikayla stated firmly.

  “You know, I’m not upset about you and Jarvis. I’ve had enough fake friends who have tried to get into my bro’s pants, but I never thought you were fake.”

  They stared at each other for several seconds.

  “At the lowest point of my life, you were with me holding my hand.” Joy choked on the last word. “Then these last few months you just cut me off. Because of Jarvis?”

  Feeling the burn of the wet tears, Mikayla kept her eyes locked on Joy’s. The girl went through hell the last twelve months and Mikayla had been there.

  “Not just because of Jarvis.” She half lied. “My life sucks right now.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Joy told her. “When your life sucks, friends rally around you.”

  “You sound like Elexis.” Mikayla heard her say almost the same thing several times in the last few months.

  “Mikayla, I cut everyone out of my life minus Jarvis. I ran off to New York and hoped a new chapter of my life would start.” She dropped her head and twiddled her thumbs. “But I can’t stop…”

  Pulling her friend into her arms, she held her as Joy’s tears fell.

  “I try hard to remember anything—something—from that night but nothing happens.” Joy sniffled and began crying in Mikayla’s arms.

  Feeling her friend’s pain, Mikayla let her tears fall too. She couldn’t imagine how Joy felt about the horrific event and not being able to remember made it worse.

  Once Joy’s emotions became more controlled, she pulled away from Mikayla’s arms. “Sorry.”

  “I’m the one who should be apologizing.” Mikayla wiped her own tears away. “I’m a shitty friend.”

  “It’s okay. I know Jarvis is a complication.” Joy gave her a timid smile.

  Mikayla came clean. “Jarvis is just a fling. I thought there was more, but he proved me incorrect. No matter what he says, it’s over.”

  “I never saw him like this,” Joy countered. “He’s never fought for a girl before.”

  Scoffing at the remark, she shook her head. However, she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to bash Jarvis in front of his sister.

  “I’m serious, Kay.” Joy pushed gently on her shoulder. “My brother loves you.”

  Now, Mikayla laughed out loud. “Come on, Joy,” she said between laughs. “Jarvis Richter loves himself and you. Period.”

  You don’t know him like I do.” She took Mikayla’s hands into hers. “He loves you, and he’ll fight for you.

  Chapter Four

  When a blade of his skate cut into the ice, it made Jarvis’s heart race faster. Hockey was his soul, but his heart and body belonged to Mikayla. As his mind wandered thinking about the black-haired beauty, he had to push those thoughts away and focus on practice.

  The game tonight was do or die. If they lost, their playoff hopes were gone. If they won, they’d be one step closer. Jarvis put all his attention on Coach Taden Long. Of all the coaches he had in his life, Coach Long was top notch. Especially with games which put the team on the line. Once he gave out the plays he wanted to practice, the team broke off in their lines.

  Group after group ran play after play, everyone banged out every move, except one player. Jackson Plumley. He had been traded to the Bears at the beginning of the season and had been hell for everyone. Jackson had the worst attitude and an overall bad persona. All the guys knew he had been leaking secrets to the media, but they couldn’t prove it.

  When practice finished, Jarvis passed on Shade’s and Dag’s invite for lunch and headed home. Joy would be leaving tomorrow evening, and he wanted to spend every moment with her. He finally confessed everything to her regarding Mikayla. Joy’s upset reaction had been justified. She hated when he hit on—or slept—with her friends. Mikayla and he were sleeping together before they became friends, so he let her yell at him. Once she calmed down, he told her his real feelings for Mikayla. Joy’s expression was of shock—again justified—but Jarvis hadn’t expected her to volunteer to help him. He told his little sister he could handle it. To which she replied, “No, you can’t because you don’t know how to treat real women.”

  Walking into his condo, he found Joy stretched out on the couch, tapping on her iPad.

  “How’s practice?”

  “I fucking hate Jackson,” he answered then dropped down into the chair near her.

  “Well, it’ll be okay,” she said with no real emotion.

  “You should hate him too you know?” He reminded her. “The whole damn world knows about your abortion because of that prick.”

  Joy flinched at his words. Slowly, she sat up and stared at her brother. “Jarvis, I know, but you need to move on. Holding onto anger toward him isn’t good for you.”

  The only goal he had in his life was to protect Joy. When the information came out about Joy’s tragic night and abortion, people rallied around her.

  “Now, we need to discuss my idea.” Joy changed the topic to one that made Jarvis close his eyes and rub his temples. “Stop being overdramatic, Jarvis.”

  Opening his eyes, he stared at her for several seconds. “I’m not happy you lied to me.”

  “Tough.” She crossed her arms. “Sometimes you need to be knocked in the head to see the truth.”

  Honestly, he couldn’t argue the point because she was correct. He knew he was stubborn.

  “I lied about going to school this semester. I just couldn’t be around people. I stayed in the apartment trying to figure out where the hell my life is going.”

  He saw the tears building up, and it broke him.

  “I know coming home will help. I want to find a therapist because I can’t live with this black hole I have in my heart and soul.” Her voice cracked and a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

  Jarvis jumped up from his seat and he hugged his sister. Wishing he had the words to heal her pain, all he could do is hold her close and let her cry.

  Once she calmed a bit and pulled back, she looked up at him. “What about my offer?”

  “You really want to be my assistant?”

  “You can pay me what you pay now, but you’ll end up saving money because I’ll live with you. Therefore, no more New York expenses.” She sounded pleased with her agreement.

  Jarvis had told her he would be needing someone full-time and more hands-on. Rubbing his chin, he knew she could do the job. Hell, she was the smartest person he knew. Not to mention, he trusted her more than anyone.

  “Okay.” He gave in. “You have the job.”

  Joy squealed and hugged his neck, cutting off his air. Thankfully, she didn’t hold him long. When she released him, she began talking a mile a minute.

  “Timeout.” He held his hands up in a ‘T’. “Take a breath and slow down. I’m going to order food and take a nap. You are going to go through my emails.” He stood up. “Welcome aboard.”

  A do or die game felt like a do or die in real life. Hamilton Baer, the captain of the Bears, tried to keep the team’s spirits lifted. Dag and Shade did the same, but Jarvis h
ad tunnel vision. The Bears were down by one in the middle of the third period. He wanted the puck. He wanted the point. Period.

  Dag, Shade, and Jarvis jumped the boards for their shift. Jarvis bolted into position as Shade took control of the puck and passed it to Zerrick, a right winger. Jarvis and Dag raced toward the goal, knowing Zerrick would chuck it to one of them.

  He did.

  Landing on Dag’s blade, he slapped it toward the net. Ringing off the crossbar, the puck bounced to Jarvis. Settling down the puck, he skated behind the net to try to slide it in on the corner. But he knew he wouldn’t succeed. Dodging the two opponents on his tail, he searched for a teammate to pass the puck to. There was no clear shot…except for Jackson. Jarvis hated to do it, but he had to.

  Feeling as if time slowed, he watched the puck easily slide toward Jackson. Instead of leaving his stick on the ice, he lifted it up thus letting the puck sail right by. The entire crowd booed. Jarvis had never heard a home crowd boo a player. They might a ref but never a home team player.

  The Bears rushed to the runaway puck, but a player from the other team made it there first. Jarvis couldn’t stop their opponent from slapping it and getting it to reach the back of the net.

  Fury blasted through Jarvis’s veins. He could see red in his eyes as Jackson stood on the ice without a care in the world. Jarvis remained on the ice, hoping he could score one more time but time ticked by and even with an extra player from the empty net, it couldn’t bring a miracle.

  The final buzzer rang the words “The Bears are out of the playoffs.” Not literally only figuratively speaking.

  After the salutes to their loyal fans, they began to shuffle their way down the tunnel and to the locker room. A person could cut the tension in the room with a dull knife as everyone’s eyes were on Jackson, who calmly removed his jersey and pads. The ringing in Jarvis’s ears could only be relieved by kicking Jackson’s ass.

  No one spoke as the other players began to remove their gear. Jarvis tried his best not to say anything, but he couldn’t hold it in. As he turned and made his way to Jackson, Shade horse collared him, putting him back into place.