by Alley Ciz
She struggled against him to try to fight him off. She was yelling trying to wake Jake up. “JAKE!!!” She was screaming at the top of her lungs as Tommy dragged her out of the backyard.
Jordan was still screaming when she woke up. She put a hand to her chest and felt it covered in sweat. Navy was growling from the end of the bed. Next thing she knew her brothers were barreling into her room.
“Jordan what happened?” Jase asked.
The look of concern on her brother’s face helped pull her out of her daze. “It’s nothing, just a bad dream. I’m ok now.”
Jase sat down next to her on the bed and ran his hand up and down her back to help calm her nerves. “You know it’s not nothing Jor. I could feel something was wrong before we heard you screaming, so come on tell us what this is all about.”
She was torn between telling her brothers the truth or making something up. She hated lying to them but she was afraid that if she told them the truth they would become even more overprotective. Taking a fortifying breath she opted with the truth. “Tommy,” was the only thing she could manage to get out.
The look of anger that crossed her brothers’ features made her doubt her decision in going with the truth. She could only imagine the scenarios racing through their minds at her admission.
“Tommy?” Ryan practically shouted. “Has he been bothering you again? Does he know where we live now, or where the new hockey house is? Jordan why didn’t you tell us he’s been around again?”
Ryan’s anger caught her off guard. Did he really think if Tommy was harassing her again she wouldn’t tell them? “No of course not! It was just a bad dream that’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Her no nonsense tone and steely look convinced them she was telling the truth. They kissed her on the cheek, said goodnight, before going back to the living room where they were bunking for the night.
Chapter Fourteen
Jordan woke up and stretched her arms over her head. As she yawned, Navy made his way up to her side of the bed to give her a good morning kiss. She smiled as she scratched behind his ears. She rolled her shoulders back to help get rid of the after effects from last night’s nightmare and climbed out of bed. She grabbed a loose fitting Henley from her dresser, put on her slippers and made her way downstairs with Navy following close behind.
She spotted Jase asleep on the couch and couldn’t resist the urge for payback. Grabbing a dog treat out of the pantry she positioned it over her twin’s stomach and tempted Navy to jump up onto him.
“Come on boy, come get the treat.” She whispered as she waved the treat left and right.
With the instant weight of a hundred pound dog landing on his stomach, Jase sat up with a grunt. Seeing her bent over in a fit of laughter behind the couch he knew Navy’s wake-up call wasn’t an accident. Once he caught his breath he threw a pillow at her. “At least now we’re even.”
Still laughing, she stood up and tossed the pillow back at her twin. “What can I say, I was inspired.” She gave him her most charming smile to soften the blow.
Ryan laughed as he got up from the couch he was sleeping on. “See, I told you I was happy not to be the one on her bad side.”
Feigning offense, she put her hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. “Hey I’m just a product of my upbringing. You guys made me the way I am, it’s not my fault you can’t take what you dish out.”
She gave Ryan a pout. He draped an arm around her shoulders, placed a kiss on top of her head, and steered her toward the kitchen. “Oh we can take it Jor, but sometimes you’re just evil.”
She placed a hand to her chest and looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Who, me?”
Full out laughter was the only response she got from her brothers. She glanced at the clock and saw it was just after nine. Since Maddey would be there soon she opted to just have coffee because the two of them would be going out to breakfast.
Coffee mug in hand, she took Navy outside. I wonder if Jake is working out this morning since they are playing hockey today. Arggh!! I have to stop thinking about him.
The doorbell rang announcing Maddey’s arrival.
She ran to open the door. “Madz I’m so happy you’re here, I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She threw her arms around her in a giant hug.
Maddey’s hug was just as big. “I know I needed me some major girl time, especially with one that knows my pain.”
“Tell me about it,” she sighed.
“So where’s my little boyfriend?”
Jordan smiled at her friend. Maddey had an aura about her that made guys putty in her hands, and Sean was no exception. Ever since Sean met Maddey he was hopelessly in love, it was the cutest thing. “He’s in the kitchen with Tweedledee and Tweedledum.”
They made their way into the kitchen where Sean sat on a stool at the breakfast bar talking to his older brothers. “Hey there, handsome,” Maddey called to him.
At the sound of her voice Sean looked up cheesing ear-to-ear. “MADDEY!” He shouted as he jumped off the stool and ran into Maddey’s open arms.
Maddey laughed at his excitement and returned his enthusiastic hug. She picked him up and carried him back over to where he was eating breakfast. “Did you miss me buddy?” She asked as she tussled his hair.
“Yup! I’ve been telling Carlee all about you, she can’t wait to meet you.” He was beaming as he spoke to her.
“Who’s Carlee? Am I going to have to be nervous about losing my little boyfriend to another girl?” She put her hand over her heart like she was broken hearted.
Jordan watched Sean blush. “No she’s my best friend, she lives next door. You’ll meet her soon, she’s coming over.”
“Good.” Maddey said then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Madison do you want any coffee?” Ryan asked.
Jordan rolled her eyes. Her brother knew Maddey hated to be called by her full name.
“Ryan, last time I saw you I told you to call me Maddey, but sure, coffee sounds great.”
Navy came running back inside and jumped on Maddey. Everyone laughed and Jordan couldn’t suppress the smile crossing her own face at the sight. “I guess he missed his adoptive Mama.”
JAKE WAS FINISHING packing his hockey gear when Carlee came barreling down the stairs in her usual fashion. “Hey there Speedy Gonzalez, where are you off to?”
Carlee came to a dead stop when she heard him. “I’m going over to play with Sean.”
He smiled at his sister, she was too cute for her own good. “Okay. If you give me a minute I’ll go over with you because I’m playing hockey with the guys.”
“Okay.”
He finished zipping up his bag and hauled it onto his shoulder. He grabbed his hockey stick and a bottle of water. “Okay, let’s go.”
They made their way through their backyard into the Donnelly’s. Going over this way had become routine and he loved the casual atmosphere between their families and how much easier it made it to see Jordan.
Carlee ran in ahead of him. As he neared the back door he saw Jordan bent down petting Navy on the stomach, the dog was in heaven. “Hey, Jordan.”
She kept petting the dog not answering which was weird. He tried again. “Hey Jordan.”
“Hey Jake.” She said but it wasn’t from in front of him, it was from somewhere inside the kitchen. When he looked up and saw her, she was laughing at him but was talking to someone else. “See Madz? I swear sometimes I think you, me, and Jase were triplets and you were just separated from us at birth.”
The girl in front of him was laughing as she stood up. “Yeah one could only dream how nice it would have been to have a sister instead of three crazy brothers.”
“Amen,” they said in unison.
Jordan made her way over to where he was standing and he was once again blown away by how beautiful she looked when she smiled, she practically glowed. “Jake this is one of my best friends from NYU Maddey. Maddey this is Jake.”
When
Maddey turned to face him the resemblance between her and Jordan was uncanny. She was an inch or two shorter than Jordan’s five foot two height, her blonde hair looked just as long pulled back in a ponytail but curlier. But the biggest difference were the eyes, hers were ice blue surrounded by a think black line, kind of like a husky, where Jordan’s were golden and catlike.
“Wow you guys really could be related.”
Maddey laughed. “You have no idea.” With that she turned on her heel and made her way into the kitchen where the kids were talking. “So this must be my competition, Carlee.”
“Competition?” Carlee asked befuddled.
“Yeah ever since I got here all I’ve heard was Carlee and I did this and Carlee and I did that. I should be hurt but I guess I can’t be too hurt when the one my little boyfriend is leaving me for is as cute as you.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Maddey.”
Carlee placed her hand in Maddey’s and shook it. “It’s okay I know how to share.”
After a few seconds of silence everyone in the kitchen laughed at Carlee’s response.
“Jake do you want any coffee?” Jase asked from his place by the coffee pot.
“Sure.” Coffee cup in hand, Jake leaned against the breakfast bar across from where Jordan and Maddey sat on the other counter and crossed one ankle in front of the other. He still couldn’t get over how much the two of them looked alike.
“I don’t know about you Jor, but I’m starving, let’s go get breakfast,” Maddey suggested.
“Okay let’s go.” Jordan jumped down from her perch on the counter and placed her coffee cup in the sink.
As they made their way out of the kitchen Jake stopped them. “Wait… are you guys gonna come watch us play today?”
“Oh I totally forgot to ask.” Jordan turned to Maddey. “Do you wanna go watch the guys play roller hockey in the park this afternoon, Skye and Sammy said they were down.”
“Hmm, watching hot guys getting all sweaty playing hockey.” She paused and wicked gleam came into her eyes. “Where do I sign up?”
Jordan full out laughed and threw her arms over her friend’s shoulders. “Aww man, what am I going to do with you Madz?”
“I don’t know, but let’s talk about it over breakfast.”
Tucker walked into the kitchen after the girls left. “Who’s the babe with Jordan?”
Jake heard Ryan make a noise at Tucker’s comment.
“Back off. You’ve already slept with one of my sister’s best friends, you don’t need to add another,” Ryan barked.
“Noted.” Tucker held his hands up in surrender.
“Here Tuck, take this before Ry kills you.” Jase handed him a cup of coffee.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Ryan narrowed his eyes at Tucker. “It better not be to hit on my sister. I told you she’s off-limits.”
Even though the comment wasn’t directed at him, Jake’s gut clenched at the reminder.
“Relax Cap. I’m here to pick up Jake. When I got to his house, Moms said he was over here.”
“Did you hear back from Seth?” Jase asked Ryan.
“Yeah he said him and Pat will be at the game.”
“Coen and Taylor are coming?” Tucker asked excitedly.
“Yup. Waiting to hear if any other alumni are coming,” Ryan confirmed.
The mention of Seth Coen and Pat Taylor, made Jake think about another from their year, Tommy.
“They aren’t still friends with Tommy Bradford are they?” He couldn’t resist asking.
“No,” Jase answered.
“Hell no,” Ryan emphasized.
Jake knew Tommy wouldn’t be invited to play with the team but it was still unclear where Seth and Pat’s loyalties lay. He didn’t want drama from Jordan’s past to hinder his chances with her future.
Ryan looked at him closely. “Why are you asking?”
Jase dropped his cup against the counter in shock. “She told you, didn’t she?”
“Yeah,” Jake confirmed.
“Wow,” Ryan said.
“Didn’t see that coming,” Jase added.
“Why would you randomly bring up Tommy Bradford?” Tucker asked.
“He’s Jordan’s ex,” Jake informed his best friend.
“No shit!” Tucker paused with his coffee cup half way to he’s mouth.
Jake gave him a nod.
“Why do I sense there’s more to the story?” Tucker asked picking up the undercurrents in the room.
“The details of their breakup are why Tommy is no longer a Titan,” Ryan stated.
“And those would be?” Tucker prodded.
“Jordan caught Tommy cheating on her,” Jake told him.
“Well that’s a dick move,” Tucker said.
“Agreed,” Jake said. For all of Tucker’s slutty ways he was always upfront with his intentions.
“Not that I agree with what he did or anything, but what does Tommy being a douchenozzle have to do with him not being a Titan?”
Jake took his cue from the Donnelly boys for how to proceed. At Ryan’s nod he spilled the rest.
“When Jordan caught him she dumped his sorry ass… So Tommy hit her.”
“The fuck?” Tucker’s brows disappeared in his hairline.
Jake pretty much had to the same reaction.
“So Coach kicked him off the team. And from what Jordan says, she thinks not everyone was happy with her,” Jake informed Tucker.
“Ugh, I can’t believe she’s still blaming herself. Hopefully after today she’ll see how wrong she is,” Ryan complained.
The guys finished the rest of their coffee in silence.
“Well that’s enough drama for me. Let’s head on over to the park,” Ryan stated and walked to the door.
Jordan and Maddey looked over the menu for what to order.
“Skye and Sammy are gonna meet us here later so we can all head over to the park together to watch the guys play,” Jordan informed Maddey.
After the waitress took their order Maddey focused all of her attention on her. “Okay spill.”
She blew out a breath. “All I have to say is I don’t know how you do it because I’m so ready to pull my hair out it’s not even funny.”
Maddey chuckled. “Well have you seen the guy? I mean damn Jordan you really know how to pick ‘em, he is smokin’ hot. With a capital H-O-T!”
She dropped her head to bang it lightly against the table. “I know.”
“I mean come on. The way that boy fills out his t-shirt…” Maddey trailed off to fan her face dramatically.
“I know.” She recalled just how good Jake looked in his gray BTU hockey shirt. “He’s got dimples Madd,” she groaned.
“Dimples are known to make a girl stupid.”
“Not helpful. But seriously how do you handle wanting someone who’s supposed to be off-limits without going insane?”
Maddey took a sip of her orange juice. “Well my situation is a little different, I only have to see Dex when he’s on leave.”
“That’s true.” She paused and let out a sigh. “I don’t even know what to do anymore.”
Maddey reached across the table and placed her hand on top of her’s for comfort. “Well why don’t you tell me what changed your mind about avoiding him?”
“It was too hard. I mean he’s my damn neighbor.”
“And… Come on, I know there’s more.”
“We have so much in common. He’s super easy to talk to.” She paused, not quite sure how her friend would react. “I told him about Tommy.”
Maddey spit out her juice at the comment. “Shut up. Are you serious?”
“Yup.”
“Like everything?”
“No just that I caught Tommy cheating and he hit me. I didn’t give him the actual details.” She hoped Jake would never have to find out.
“Still you haven’t really told anyone about it. Have you?”
“Only you and Sammy.”
“Wow.”
The
waitress came over with their food and conversation stopped for a few as they dug in.
“The thing that sucks the most is even after two years Tommy is still affecting my life,” Jordan complained.
“What do you mean? Is he harassing you again?”
She waved her hand and shook her head. “No no no nothing like that, it just seems like my past keeps haunting me.”
“You mean like your brothers making you promise not to date another one of their teammates when you told them you were transferring to BTU?”
“Yup.”
A sympathetic look crossed Maddey’s face. “Well can you blame them?”
“No, not at all.”
She looked longingly out the window. “Yeah there’s more to the story.” She paused. “Oh Skye and Sammy are here. I’ll tell you all later tonight.”
Chapter Fifteen
The outdoor roller rink the guys used to play in was one of their favorite places to play in the summer. It was covered by a two-story structure to protect them from the elements but was open on all sides. Instead of the usual plexiglass boards, there were chain link fences to protect spectators. On the side of the rink with the team benches were bleachers, currently filled by Wade’s girlfriend Cara with a few of her friends and a group of puck bunnies.
The guys had been playing for about half an hour. It had turned out to be a really good game, the alumni that joined them gave it an edge. Jake was starting to get bummed out that Jordan wasn’t there yet and was wondering if she was still going to show.
The guys were taking a break when he finally saw Jordan and her friends pull up. The happiness that spread through him at her arrival should have made him nervous but it didn’t.
Jordan wore a yellow tube top with blue and white checkered shorts, Maddey a white tank and rainbow checkered shorts, and Skye a fire-engine red tank and white shorts. One of them on their own caught the eye but together they were guaranteed to make heads turn. Then there was Sammy in his khaki cargo shorts and flip flops with a pale green t-shirt looking like he just stepped off the pages of an Abercrombie catalog. They entered the rink and crossed over to where the guys were standing.
