by Alley Ciz
Tommy was her mistake and something she wished she could forget. She learned a valuable lesson from it and the scar above her left eye would always be a reminder. Now every time she was around Jake she just had to keep reminding herself what happened the last time she got involved with one of the hockey players.
If only it were that easy.
Every time she was able to stop thinking about Jake, something else would trigger thoughts about him and it would start all over again.
She decided to take things one step at a time. And if she had to constantly stay busy to keep away from him, so be it.
When she pulled up in front of her house she noticed Ryan’s car. At first she was confused to why he was here but then she realized it was Sunday, family dinner night and the thought made her smile. She loved her family and spending time with all of them in the same place at the same time.
She unloaded her bag from the car and made her way into the house. Since it was just her brothers, she went up to take a shower before heading outside. She knew washing the chlorine off her body would be pointless since she would be going into her own pool, but she needed the ten minutes of alone time the shower would allow her to regain control over her emotions toward Jake.
She braced her hands on the wall and let the water beat the tension from her shoulders. Everything about being with Jake seemed natural and right. She felt comfortable and safe with him. Last night alone was proof of that. With a frustrated sigh she climbed out of the shower and went to her room to get dressed.
As she made her way to the back door she could hear music and laughter and it made her smile. She opened the sliding glass doors to the back patio. Her smile grew bigger when she spotted Jake lounged on a raft talking to her brothers. Sure she spent the past few minutes trying to rein in her growing feelings, but you couldn’t blame a girl for wanting to be around him.
“Hi, Princess,” her dad said when he saw she was home.
Chapter Twelve
Jake heard Mr. Donnelly greet Jordan. He’d been enjoying the last hour with his friends, but her missing presence was obvious.
Nothing could have prepared him for how he felt when he saw her. She stood on the patio in a purple cami and jean shorts rolled down revealing the bottom of her purple bathing suit. Her wet blonde hair hung around her shoulders. Even without a stitch of make-up she was a total knock out.
“Hey guys,” Jordan said as she walked up to the pool.
“Hey sis,” Ryan called.
She hooked her thumbs in her front pockets and turned her full attention to Jake. “So what… just because you picked the kids up from swim lessons you think that you can come here and eat all of my dad’s good cooking?” She raised an eyebrow in mock challenge.
“No, I was invited but that sounds like a good plan… I’ll have to remember that for next time.”
He watched Jase approach his sister from behind. Before she noticed, Jase pushed her into the pool and jumped in after her.
“Jase I’m going to get you back for that.” Her eyes promised revenge.
Jake watched as she took off her cami and shorts, leaving her in just her bathing suit. She then climbed into the oversized doughnut print inner tube.
“So where’s Skye?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah, figured she’d come home with you after coaching. She used to always come to family dinners,” Jase added.
“She didn’t work today. Sammy stayed at her house after last night. But I’m sure once she hears about people trying to replace her, she’ll never miss another one.” She pointed to Jake.
“Hey I was invited.” He held his hands up in surrender.
“That’s what they all say.”
“Jake where’s Tuck? You guys are joined at the hip as much as JD and Skye,” Jase asked.
“I’m sure he’s still recovering from helping me babysit Carlee last night.”
Understanding laughter met his comment.
“I’m surprised you don’t have the guys running drills and stuff today,” Jordan said to Ryan.
“Dude, I think I’m going to like having your sister around. She’s not afraid to call you out,” Jake laughed.
“Shut it Donovan, or I will make you do drills,” Ryan threatened.
“Whatever you say, Captain.”
Jordan paddled her float to where Jake was treading water. “Did you ever try any of the suggestions I gave you?”
He nodded. “Tuck and I played tennis the other day but he sucks.”
“What about ping pong?”
“I have to find a table to play on.” He folded his arms on top of her raft, taking any opportunity he could to be close to her.
“Hey Dad?” Jordan waited until she had her father’s attention. “Did you guys keep the old ping pong table when you moved?”
“Of course. It’s in the garage. You know your Uncle Rick would kill me if I got rid of it,” Mr. D answered.
“Can we take it out?”
“Sure, we have a few hours until we’re ready for dinner. Boys come give me a hand.”
“You want to play now?” Jake asked looking up at Jordan.
“No time like the present. I’ll play lefty too to make it fair.”
“What the hell do you have my goalie doing?” Ryan dried off with a towel.
“Jake told me you guys were working on his glove saves. So I gave him some tips.”
“Damn, don’t tell coach she’s here. She’s worse with the drills than you Ry,” Jase ribbed.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Please,” he turned his attention to his sister. “Where’d you get your brilliant drill ideas, Oh Great One?”
Jordan stuck her tongue out at her brother. “You know as well as I do that Uncle Rick swears by ping pong.” She tapped Jake on the shoulder, goosebumps spread in its wake. “Give me a tow?”
“You got it.”
He swam around the doughnut float to push them both to the pool’s edge.
“Okay, I’ll give you ping pong. But where’d you come up with tennis?” Ryan asked handing them both towels.
“I learned it from Eddie at a Garden of Dreams event,” she stated as she finished drying off.
Jake watched his friends freeze. Ryan’s mouth hung open and Jase’s eye were as wide as saucers. What am I missing here?
“Eddie?” Ryan breathed.
“Yeah,” Jordan shrugged.
“Did you seriously just say Eddie?”
“Yeah. You know I’ve met him a bunch of times through the foundation.”
“Yeah but you called him Eddie.”
“That is his name.”
“Guess you can’t complain about her source,” Jase laughed.
Now I know I’m missing something.
“How can you be so calm when you say that?” Ryan asked his brother.
“What’s the big deal? We know she’s worked with a bunch of the Storm through the GDF, the hockey team is super active in the foundation. Dude, she’s sent us selfies with most of them,” Jase stated.
“Yeah but she calls him Eddie,” Ryan said like it was obvious.
“So?”
“So?” Ryan threw his hands up in frustration.
“Wait. Hold up. What am I missing here?” Jake asked.
“Nothing,” Jase said.
“Nothing? God you are just as bad as she is. I blame it on the fact you two used to share a womb,” Ryan turned to face Jake. “I don’t think it’s nothing that my sister here,” he pointed back at Jordan, “calls Edvin Ringquist, Eddie.”
“Again it is his name.” Jordan rolled her eyes.
“You’ve met Edvin Ringquist?” Jake was in awe. Ringquist was one of his favorite goalies.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah. A bunch of times. I’ve met most of the Storm.”
“Damn. I agree with Ry, that’s major.”
“You just think that because you’re a goalie.”
“Is he the only NHL goalie you’ve met?” He was kind of shocked the subject didn’t c
ome up the night before. He almost asked her why she didn’t but caught himself before he could, still unsure how her brothers would react to their late night chat.
“No.”
“Way to bury the lead.”
Ryan was helping his dad unfold the ping pong table on the side of the patio. “Yeah, get used to it with her.”
“Shut it you,” Jordan said to him before turning back to Jake. “I’ve also met Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, and the great Martin Brodeur.”
“Holy shit!” Jake looked at her stunned.
“You’re forgetting someone,” Jase sing-songed.
She’s met more?
“You guys never told him?” Jordan asked her twin.
“No why would we?”
“He’s your goalie.”
“Not our story to tell.”
“Also not sure how he would handle it,” Ryan joked.
“True. He is his favorite after all,” Jase added.
Wait. They couldn’t be talking? Could they?
“Wow. Okay.” Jordan wore a sheepish expression.
Jake cut her off before she could continue. “Wait… Are you telling me you’ve met Rick Schelios?”
“Umm…”
“Seriously?”
Jake could see Ryan, Jase, and Mr. D trying to hold back their laughter. Shaking his head he turned his attention back to Jordan. She seemed unsure of herself all of sudden.
“Saying I’ve met him isn’t exactly accurate.” She wrung her hands together. “He’s kind of… my… godfather.”
He felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head in shock.
“Rick Schelios is your godfather? The Rick Schelios?” Saying he was Jake’s favorite goalie would be like saying pizza is only good.
“He’s not the anything to me. To me, he’s just Uncle Rick.”
“I don’t know if I can still be friends with you two anymore.” He pointed to Ryan and Jase.
“Why?” Jase asked.
“Because. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this. This is epic.”
“You’ll get over it,” Ryan stated.
“Come on let’s play.” Jordan handed him a ping pong paddle.
“How?” He asked her.
“How what?”
“How did one of the greatest goalies of all time become your godfather?”
“He was roommates with my dad in college when they played for Boston College.”
“Damn.”
“Let’s play. You serve.” Jordan tossed a ping pong ball at him.
With family dinner over and the parental units and kids retired for the evening, Jordan sat drinking beer with her brothers and Jake in the Adirondack chairs surrounding the fire pit in her backyard.
She and Jake changed into their pajamas earlier, she in a beater and NYU Violets Swimming sweats, he in a beater and sweats, the same outfit he wore the night before.
Why does he have to have on the same thing as last night? It’s hard enough to keep my distance from him around my brothers but does he have to deliberately taunt me with memories of last night? Come on now!
She needed to get her mind out of the gutter and onto something else. “So are you guys staying here tonight?” She asked Jase.
He took a swig of his beer. “Yeah, the team’s playing roller hockey at the park near here so we figured it was easier to go from here.”
She rubbed her hands together with a scheming look in her eye. “Well now that changes everything.” The look she gave her brother was pure evil.
“What are you talking about?” Jase asked with a slight wobble to his voice.
Her smile was all sweet and innocent but he could tell it was anything but. “Unagi.” She pressed two fingers to her temple.
“Don’t be quoting Friends at me.”
“Hey it’s a great show,” Jake agreed. “I think she’s trying to tell you to watch your back.”
“Oh yeah. You just made it that much easier for me to get you back for throwing me in the pool earlier,” she confirmed.
All her twin could do was shake his head and wait for his impending doom. He knew from experience that she loved to get revenge on pranks, no matter how long she waited to act it out.
Ryan took pity on his brother and steered the conversation away from Jase’s torture. “Are you gonna come watch us play tomorrow?” He asked her. “You haven’t sat close for one of our games in forever and we miss your yelling.”
“Hmm, maybe.”
“What else do you have to do?”
She toyed with a strand of hair while she debated how to answer. “Well if you must know…” She said with mock annoyance. “Maddey is coming up and the two of us are gonna have a girls night with Skye and Sammy.”
Ryan’s eyebrows lifted. “Girls night huh? But Sammy’s a guy, how does he fit in?”
She laughed at her brother. “Gay guys don’t count. They like the same topics we do so they get to come.” She paused and took a sip of beer. “But no boyfriends, can’t talk about someone if they are there.”
A few moments passed before she spoke again. “I’ll ask them if they want to swing by the park, I’m sure they’ll want to.”
“Man you underclassmen have no idea what you’re up against if you don’t play well when JD is around. She can be worse than coach sometimes.” Ryan said with a big swallow of beer.
“Aint that the truth,” Jase agreed.
“Well bring it on then,” Jake encouraged which garnered another laugh from Jordan.
“We should go grab our bags from the car before it gets too late. Game tomorrow and all.” Ryan placed his beer bottle on the grass and got out of his chair.
“I suppose you’re right. Grab mine while you’re out there?” Jase asked.
“I’ll do it for twenty bucks.”
“Fine, I’ll do it myself.” Jase followed behind his brother around the house and into the dark.
Jordan enjoyed the moment alone with Jake. She knew she shouldn’t but she couldn’t help herself.
He was sitting in the chair next to hers so she shifted around to face him, her back rested against the one arm and her legs draped over the other. Her well worn sweats fell over her feet, the hems frayed and small holes on the bottom from walking on the too long material.
“I think it’s time you retire these.” Jake poked a finger through one of those small holes.
“Yeah I know. I need to get some Titan gear.”
“Very true. Can’t be reppin’ another team.”
Jake took a deep breath and focused all his attention on her. “Hey, Jordan, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you about.”
She could sense the change in his demeanor. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Earlier today when I was making Sean and Carlee breakfast, Sean asked me something and I was wondering if you could shed some light onto why he was asking?”
She was a little confused now herself. “Ok. What did he ask you?”
She watched his impressive chest expand with another deep breath. “First he asked me if I liked you, which after last night I can see why he asked me.”
Knowing being caught sleeping together in the hammock was the reason for the inquiry, she motioned for him to continue.
“Then he asked me if I would hurt you.”
Panic seized her body. Oh my god, Sean, why would you ask that? She needed to regain control of what was going on. The last thing she needed was for Jake to question what she told him about Tommy. It was bad enough he knew the general information. She didn’t want him to realize there was more to the story.
“He asked you what?” She tried to laugh to lighten the mood.
“If I would ever hurt you, but I’m not sure what he meant by it.”
She racked her brain for something to say. “He’s probably just being overprotective, he’s spends way too much time with Ry and Jase. They must have rubbed off on him.”
“Are you sure it isn’t about Tommy?” He asked bluntl
y.
This is where things got tricky. “I doubt it. He was only three at the time. I don’t think he really understood what happened.” Again not the whole truth but it would work.
“Okay, good. I was worried I gave off similar vibes or something.”
She did not like him comparing himself to Tommy in any way. She sat up to reach for his hand, still playing with her sweats. “You are nothing. Nothing. Like him at all.”
She watched him exhale a breath of relief.
Ryan and Jase came back out into the backyard a minute later which brought a definitive end to the conversation. Using her brothers’ arrival as her way of escape she said goodnight.
Chapter Thirteen
Jake held Jordan in his arms as they cuddled in the hammock, it was pure bliss. She couldn’t believe how well her brothers took to the idea of them being together. The way they were acting towards her relationship with Jake was like everything with Tommy never happened.
As they talked Jake played with her hair. “You know nights like this are my favorite,” he said to her.
She almost missed his comment because she was starting to drift off from him playing with her hair. “Ummm,” was the only response she could manage.
Jake smiled at her response and kissed her forehead. Just when she thought the night was one of the best of her life, the impossible happened.
“Jordan, sweetness ,where are you?” She heard someone call.
Her eyes opened wide in shock when she recognized the voice that called her name. TOMMY!!!
“OH MY GOD!” She sat straight up not sure what to do. But before she could do anything Tommy stormed into the backyard.
Tommy spotted them instantly. “Who the hell are you? Get your hands off my girl.”
Jake stood and positioned himself between her and Tommy. “Jordan is not your girl,” he shouted back at him. “Now get off my property.”
In the blink of an eye Tommy rushed Jake and tackled him to the ground. Catching Jake off-guard put Tommy at an advantage. He grabbed Jake’s shoulders and hit his head on the ground to knock him out.
She watched the scene unfold in utter terror. Tommy attacked Jake and was now heading toward her. He moved too fast for her to react and the next thing she knew he had her arm in his vise like grip.
