by Janae Keyes
“Hey!” I gushed. It was a night that I wanted to be in the same place as he was. I wanted us to be cuddled together on my couch, watching the flames crackle away in the fireplace. I wanted his lips on my neck and large hands holding me close.
“That’s my girl. Today has been a little busy, but I had to sneak a minute to call you.”
I settled on the couch, savoring the vision I’d just had. “Did you have your appointment with the doctor?” I asked eager to know if he would be discharged from the center soon.
“Not yet, but it’s coming, and then I’m going to be with you.”
I loved listening to his gruff voice. My core heated at the mere sound of it. My eyes fluttered closed as I could feel what his big hands would be doing to me right now if we were together. They would be holding me tight, slipping over my every curve, and positioning me how he needed me to be. He’d be touching the areas that make me moan with delight and giving me pleasure that no one else could give. Max had me sprung on him, and I felt so good.
“Your birthday is tomorrow,” he mentioned.
“Yeah.”
“Doing anything special?”
“I have practice in the morning and afternoon, but that’s about it.”
“I wish I could make your day as special as I could.” God, how did I end up with this guy?
Max didn’t seem like the romantic type, but inside, he was a true hopeless romantic whether he wanted to admit to it or not. “Just call me at least once so I can hear your sexy voice. That’s all I need.”
“Of course I will, baby,” he responded in a way he knew would make me swoon for him, and swoon I did.
There wasn’t a person who could take the cheesy grin off my face. Well, maybe Bev could once I got to practice, but for the time being, I was the happiest I could be on my birthday. I was twenty-six today and my morning had already started perfect with a text from Max, wishing me a fantastic day. Next, breakfast was delivered to my door followed by the biggest bouquet of pink roses I’d ever seen. It was all from Max.
Buds in my ears, I took in the crisp San Francisco morning. It was good to be back home although I missed Max more than anything. We talked on the phone every day whenever we could find the moments. If we were not talking on the phone, we were texting.
After he called me the night before, we talked and talked until we both fell asleep. There was something about falling asleep to the voice of the man I wanted to fall asleep with every single night. It was pure perfection and nothing else could top it.
I arrived at my destination, the Yerba Buena Skating and Bowling Center, where I’d practiced since I was a little girl. That rink was my home away from home and it brought me comfort.
Waving to the employees as I entered, I remembered being a little girl and nervously arriving with my mom for my first lesson. It soon became second nature to me, and I never looked back on it.
The moment I walked through the doors into the rink, cheers erupted from every direction.
“Happy Birthday, Lia!” Everyone shouted.
I spotted my mom holding a cake that was covered in sparklers right away. Bev was there with Nadia and other skaters and coaches that I knew so well from my time at the rink.
“Oh my goodness!” I cried happily as I arrived at my core group, the people who always got me through everything. They were always there through thick and thin.
“My girl is twenty-six today!” my mom gushed proudly.
“And she’s as happy as could be. She walked in smiling, I’m assuming lover boy is behind some of that smile,” Bev joked.
“Maybe a little bit,” I confessed. My biggest let down of the day was the fact of Max was at the Willows Center and I was at home. I wanted to be with him on my special day. I’d entered a new chapter of my life while at the center and he was a large part of it.
“Okay, everyone, we will cut the cake later. Right this second, Lia has practice. Get your skates on, girlie. We only have a few weeks to reach perfection,” Bev said. “Lia, I want you to do your free program from the beginning.”
“Got it!” I sat my things down and got right into my skates.
I stood on the ice in my tiny shorts. I was ready to put it all out there and be the queen I ached to show the world I could be. My injury would not be my legacy. My legacy would be coming back and ruling the sport like no one had ever done before. Lia Crestwood was a queen on the ice and a princess no more.
The song began and instantly, I felt it. Everything felt right as I skated to Beyoncé’s “Drunk in Love.” I kept my moves fluid and sexy and as I performed my first jump, a triple Axel, the few people in the room applauded loudly. I was back at my peak performance.
That’s who I was. I was a champion figure skater who took risks at every turn. This routine in itself was a risk. I’d always been incredibly wholesome and family friendly, but now, I wanted to push the envelope.
After landing a triple Salchow, I felt so amazing. I didn’t ever want this feeling to end and I didn’t have to as Bev had me go straight into my short program. I was a lioness who ruled the ice.
I’d gone over my programs a million times. Bev had dissected each individual skill and forced me to improve it. I was working my body to the extremes, but it would pay off in the end.
I finished my free program and stood poised in the middle of the ice. I was huffing and puffing, out of breath, but I was pleased with what I’d achieved. Applause and whistles rose from the sideline. Then I heard the voice that belonged to only one man.
“That’s my baby girl!” Max yelled.
I swiveled around to see him giving me that grin that knocked me off my feet. “Max!” I screamed excitedly as I skated as fast as I could in his direction. I nearly jumped the wall to get to him.
Secured in his arms, the world was perfect. I honestly didn’t know how to act. I was shocked and excited at the same time. Max hadn’t told me anything about leaving the center. The last I knew, he was waiting for his appointment with the doctor.
“Like your surprise, baby?” I pulled away and nodded fiercely at him, feeling like a giddy school girl.
I’d had boyfriends before, but none of them had been this serious or so intertwined into my life. Max wasn’t just some guy I dated or had slept with a few times. Max was the glue that held it all together for me. My soul was attached to his. Thoughts of a life without him were not welcome in my world.
“You looked great out there. That gold medal is yours without a question,” he affirmed with no irony.
I loved how much he believed in me, especially in those moments when I didn’t believe in myself. Max had unlimited confidence and it made me believe I was capable of anything. I’d always been confident, but never like him. I had learned during our time together that much of his confidence was a facade that he played so well. Max honestly was a remarkable human who deserved to strut around like he was the shit.
“What on earth are you doing here?” I finally asked.
“Should I not be here? I’ll go back if you want,” Max chided playfully.
I slapped his chest, which he grabbed in mock pain. I enjoyed Max’s silly side. He came across as this big serious guy, but he was honestly a goof and he brought out the goofball in me. Growing up, I’d always been fairly serious. I took skating seriously and I almost refused to find the joyful times. For me, it was all about putting in the work day in and day out. I’d rarely taken time to go out with friends or let my hair down because I was always on to the next competition. Max made me forget the pressure in the moments I needed to and he helped me find my inner humored spirit.
“You know what I mean!”
“Yeah, well they gave me medical clearance a couple days ago,” Max explained to my surprise. He hadn’t said a word to me and we’d spoken every day. He grinned at the shock I knew was scrawled all over my face. “I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. I went home yesterday. My house is still standing, so I drove up here to spend the day with you.”
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br /> “You’re amazing. You know that?” I was beaming with delight as I leaned into him the best I could; the barrier wall not helping the situation much. I needed to be out of my skates and curled into his arms and pressed fully to his hard chest.
“I do what I can only for my girl,” he confessed before planting a kiss on my forehead. “I want to take you out tonight.”
“Okay,” I whispered before he bit down on my lip. I was excited to know where our night would take us.
Someone clearing their throat broke out that moment. I spotted my mom, arms folded over her chest as she stared us down. My cheeks warmed as I gave her my full attention.
“You have practice to complete,” she scolded. That was mom. She wasn’t being mean or spiteful, but she was straight when it came to my career. From day one, Mom said it would be hard work and I had to stay focused. She vowed to be the person to keep me on track and she was doing just that.
“Your mom is right, baby girl,” Max mumbled into my hair.
I peered up at him only wanting to run away from the responsibilities of my career and hide in the refuge that was the love of my life. But that wasn’t the champion athlete thinking. It was the girl inside who wanted the protection of her love.
I worked my ass off to get every element of my performances as close to perfect as possible. My goal was complete perfection in my coach’s eyes. I knew that perfection in her eyes led to gold medals and kept me on the top of my game. The world would be taken by surprise that I could come back from such an injury.
There were times when landing a jump I could feel a twinge in my ankle, but I knew to work past those moments and ignore it because that would take me off my game. And like a domino effect, it all would come crashing down piece by delicate piece.
The pain I had scared me, but my doctor reassured me it was quite normal. I was putting an immense amount of pressure on a part of my body that was no longer perfect. My bones had healed, but with the added elements of the pin and screws, it would never be the same and it was up to me how I worked with it. I had goals and it was my intention to reach them. However, my ideas about the future had changed dramatically thanks to Max.
“Good job today. I’ve seen a few sections of the routine I want to tweak, but that was your best practice yet. Only two weeks to go, but I think you’ll be ready,” Bev said, commending me on my progress.
Max put his arm around me and squeezed me tight. I’d finally finished my practice and changed into my street clothes. I was ready for whatever the rest of the day had in store and more than ready for alone time with Max. We had so much to talk about, and I was anxious for our life outside the Willows Center.
When I left the center, I’d confirmed our relationship on social media. It was a blessing and a curse. We’d let the world into our private life and like with everything, the world had their opinions. There were comments of support and love for our relationship while the hateful ones seemed to dominate the atmosphere. I was called every name in the book that was outside of my own.
Oddly, I was used to that behavior. I’d chosen a sport that wasn’t the most popular among black athletes, and being one of the few blacks made me stand out in the crowd. That alone ushered hate in my direction. Learning to ignore it had been an art in itself that should earn me gold medals, but there was something about the way they attacked the love I shared with Max that got to me. Our love wasn’t up for discussion or debate and it wasn’t meant to spread the prejudice of others.
“How are you going to celebrate the rest of your day?” Bev asked as she threw her bag over her shoulder.
“I have no idea,” I commented. I hadn’t really planned much out for the day besides hanging out with mom for a bit before I spent the evening alone with the rest of my birthday cake. But now that Max was in town, my plans would definitely be changing.
“I made dinner reservations. I want to take my girl and her mom out for a nice dinner to celebrate the day,” Max chimed in.
I grinned at his thoughtfulness and turned to my mom who looked a little taken aback. I didn’t think she’d expected to be invited to tag along. “Sounds good to me,” I cheered as Max slipped his hands over my hips and pulled me back to rest against his hard body. Everything about his body was hard including what he was packing. I moaned as he leaned into my ear, lips barely brushing my lobe.
“Then tonight, Zeus is going to give you exactly what you’ve been wishing for,” he hissed in my ear low enough for nobody else to hear. I bit down on my lip anxiously.
18
Max
She looked like a goddess as she approached me. I’d had Lia go straight to my next surprise along with her mom. I had arranged joint appointments at the hair salon and spa for them. She then returned home to find a dress I’d picked out for her and a little something for her mom. Finally, a car brought both of them to Pier 39 where I waited at the Chart House restaurant.
“A vision in red,” I mumbled in her ear as I pulled her close, my hand resting on the small of her back. I didn’t want to cross any lines with her mom near. I had to keep big Zeus in check although all he wanted was to be inside of her.
I let Lia go and gave her mother a smile. I’d picked a simple black dress that looked fantastic on her mom. Clearly, Lia got her beauty and her curves from her mom who didn’t look anything like a middle-aged woman. She could be in her mid-thirties judging by her good looks. But I’d always heard the phrase, ‘Black don’t crack.’ Everything about that phrase was true.
“You look lovely, Ms. Crestwood,” I complimented.
“Thank you, Max,” she responded sweetly as I laced my fingers with Lia’s and led them inside the restaurant.
I had one simple goal for the day, which was to spoil the fuck out of Lia before I got the chance to give her the fuck of a lifetime. She would never forget her birthday, not with me around to give her a reminder of how amazing she was and how grateful I was that she was in my life.
I’d picked a nice place. We had a table near a window with a direct view of Alcatraz Island. The sun was slowly setting and the remnants of the orange glow hung over the water. I ordered wine for the table and encouraged Lia to choose freely from the menu.
“I do have one other present for you, baby.” I pulled an envelope from the inside of my jacket pocket.
Lia beamed as she opened it and pulled out her gift. I’d gotten her tickets to my return game the following night. I’d be making my debut back to the NHL after missing a season and a half because of my injury. There were only a few games left, so I had to show the world that I would be ready to kick ass at the Olympics.
“Tickets to a Sharks game tomorrow. Are you playing?” she asked excitedly.
“I am.”
“Oh, I’m so excited!” she squealed with delight as she threw her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you. You’re back!”
It felt good as fuck to have a girl like Lia. She wasn’t self-centered, and money meant nothing to her. Lia was all about the happiness that hockey awarded me. She understood my need to get back into the game and she encouraged me continuously. I’d never had that type of encouragement before; someone cheering me on at all the time, good or bad.
“And the only way for me to re-enter the rink is to have my girl there. I need you there.” The honesty I was able to share with her was unmatched. Lia never judged me for anything, and I could tell her how much I needed her without her thinking I was weak.
“Are you excited to be getting back out there?” Kamber asked before she sipped her wine.
“Yeah, I’m juiced to get back on the ice. I can’t wait to show them that I’m back better than ever. I owe a huge part of it to Lia. She’s my fuck—” I put my hands over my mouth, not meaning to cuss in front of her.
Kamber laughed and gave me a sympathetic look. “It’s okay, Max, you can cuss.”
“Thank fuck,” I said relieved. Lia gave my arm a playful slap.
“This guy can barely get through a sentence witho
ut saying, fuck,” Lia told her mom as she leaned onto my arm and peered up at me.
All the love in the world was in her eyes. I could never lose that love and I wouldn’t. Losing that love would destroy my existence.
My cell phone rang and broke my trance. I groaned as I pulled it from my pocket ready to deny the call when I realized it was JC calling. I let out a huff, knowing if I denied it, he would call me again and again.
“Fuck, I need to take this call. I’m sorry.” I jumped from my chair and weaved through the restaurant until I was outside in the breezy bay air. “Yeah.”
“Where are you? I’m at your house and you’re not here,” he complained.
“I’m in San Francisco. It’s Lia’s birthday and I’m treating her and her mom to dinner.” I leaned over the rail and peered at the sea lions that called the place home.
“Seriously? You have a game tomorrow and you’re out entertaining your damn girlfriend?” he asked disgusted.
I rolled my eyes. JC didn’t have dominion over my life, but sometimes he acted like he did.
“Chill the fuck out. I’m not drinking. I’ll be back in time for practice and everything. Don’t worry.” I was doing my best to reassure him.
After I got off the plane from Colorado, I went straight to practice with the team. It was cool to be back with my guys, showing them that I was ready for action. Those guys were the only family I had outside of my sorry excuse for a mom, JC, and now, Lia.
This morning, I’d been back at it with them in the gym at 6 o’clock sharp and then on the ice. We had a winning dynamic as a team and we were ready for victory, Lia would witness it all tomorrow night.
“You and this girl… Do you want to ruin everything because you can’t keep your dick in your pants?”
“I’m not ruining anything. I’m better with her. You know what? I’m not going to let your pissy attitude ruin the night I have planned with my girl. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fed up with JC and his snarky attitude toward Lia, I hung up.
