Hard Stick

by L. P. Dover

I shook my head. “It’s okay. There’s not really much I can say right now except I’m sorry. Before he was killed, he was ready to give up his job and move back here with me. That’s how amazing he was.”

  Kellan brushed the hair off my face. “Sounds like a good guy.”

  “He was,” I cried. Kellan held me in his arms until a phone rang. I looked over his shoulder at Brooklyn, who stood by my grave. I couldn’t hear her hushed words, but she stared straight at me and then hung up the phone.

  “It was Elizabeth,” she called out. “They’re ready.”

  Taking a deep breath, I knelt back down at Cole’s grave. “I miss you. I promise I’ll be back. All I have to do now is face your parents and pray they understand why I did what I did.” I kissed my hand and placed it on his stone. “Wish me luck.”

  Kellan held my hand as we walked back up the hill to my family’s plot. “They will understand, Kristen. Stop being so hard on yourself. None of this was your fault.”

  “Yes it is, Kellan. If you only knew.”

  Brooklyn drove this time while I sat in the backseat with Kellan. I felt like I was going to be sick, and even the cold air blowing against my face didn’t help. “What am I going to do when we get there?” I asked.

  Brooklyn glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “You’ll come with me to the door.”

  We pulled up at the house and it looked the same as it did from years before. It was a brick, ranch-style house with blue shutters and the greenest grass I’d ever seen. My nerves were shot, but I took a deep breath and got out of the car. Brooklyn took the lead while Kellan and I followed behind her. His hand in mine was the only thing keeping me together.

  Brooklyn knocked on the screen door and inside I heard Elizabeth holler for us to come in. “Here we go,” Brooklyn murmured, opening the door. We walked inside and the house smelled just like apple pie. Elizabeth was always baking cobblers and pies. She’d make them all the time for my parents.

  Doug was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper, and when we walked in, he folded it up and lifted his head, only to do a double take when he saw me. His hair was full-blown gray now and so was his beard. He had the same bright green eyes as Cole; I could see the pain in them. “I think I’m hallucinating,” he whispered, holding on to the couch for support. Brooklyn rushed over and grabbed his arm to steady him.

  “No hallucinations. It’s really her.”

  Tears filled my eyes and I nodded. “It’s me. I’m back.”

  Not having a clue what was going on, Elizabeth strolled into the room with a glass of sweet tea, only it didn’t stay in her grasp long before it shattered on the floor. She slapped a hand to her mouth and approached me, her gaze frantically searching my face. I hated what I did to Cole’s parents. They’d aged a lot in the past few years. You could see it on the lines of their faces and the way they carried themselves. Elizabeth used to have long blond hair, but now it was shorter and almost fully gray just like Doug’s.

  “Kristen?”

  Kellan let me go and I held out my hands, closing the distance. “I’m so sorry,” I cried, clasping her hands.

  Elizabeth squeezed them and then lifted her hands to my face, almost as if she was seeing a ghost. In a way, I was one. “How’s this possible?”

  “It’s a long story,” I told her. “But I’m going to tell you everything. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.”

  Tears fell down her cheeks and she held me close, her body shaking as she sobbed. “Whatever it is, we’ll do our best to understand. I’m just so glad you’re alive.” Her grip tightened and she cried harder. Doug came over and locked me between them, surrounding me with the love I’d missed for so long. After my parents died, they had taken their place. I finally felt like I had my family back.

  Chapter 21

  Kellan

  “Come on boys, we got this!” Coach Carlisle shouted at us. Maddox just got put in the penalty box, which couldn’t have happened at a worse time. We needed him. The game was tied with only thirty seconds left to go, but Atlanta wasn’t going down without a fight.

  Carlisle yelled something at me, but my mind was in the game. For the past two weeks, we’d been undefeated and I was determined to keep it that way. We’d won the game against Atlanta last night, but they came back with a vengeance. Once the puck was dropped, Braeden fought for it and shot it over to me. The crowd went wild as I charged down the ice toward the goal. There were players coming after me on both sides so I had to shoot. Everything moved in slow motion as I reared back and hit the puck, the sound of the snap music to my ears as I watched it fly through the air toward the goal. Score.

  All the Strikers raced to the center of the ring in celebration. “Fuck yeah!” Dallas shouted, barreling into me. “Nice shot.”

  I looked up at the luxury box I put Kristen in and waved at her. She had the biggest and sexiest smile I’d ever seen on a woman. I couldn’t wait to get her back to the hotel. Our fans cheered and hollered so we all skated around the rink and waved before leaving the ice. There were reporters everywhere, taking pictures left and right as we hurried to the locker room.

  “You and Ten coming out with us tonight?” Dallas asked.

  I took off my gloves and sat down on the bench. “Not tonight, man.”

  He threw his gloves at my head but I dodged them. “Fuck, you’re no fun anymore. The pussy must be one hell of a ride for you to turn us down like this.”

  I burst out laughing. “You got that right. Besides, I’m pretty sure you won’t be going back to your room alone tonight.”

  He shrugged. “Eh, you got a point. Make sure to give your girl a kiss for me tonight.”

  “Don’t worry, they’ll be plenty of those,” I said with a wink. After taking a quick shower, I hurried out to Kristen, who waited by the locker room door. She jumped into my arms and squealed.

  “The game was awesome. You did great!”

  “Thanks, buttercup.” I kissed her and set her down. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Her brows furrowed. “We’re not going out with the guys?”

  I took her hand. “Nah, it’s just you and me tonight.”

  “I can live with that.” We walked out the back to my truck and headed toward the hotel.

  “We’ll head home tomorrow morning so you can get prepared for your interview.” She turned her résumé in to M&M Architectural Design about a week ago and it only took them two days to call her with an interview. I’d never seen her so happy.

  Face beaming, she turned to me and smiled. “I can’t believe everything’s come together the way it has. I finally have Cole’s parents in my life again. It makes me feel not so alone anymore.”

  “You were never alone, buttercup.”

  She shrugged. “I know, but they were my parents’ best friends. They expect me to visit them every week now,” she said with a laugh. “I just hate Cole isn’t with us. Thanksgiving’s coming up and it was his favorite holiday. I know it’ll be hard on them.” She was so worried his parents would blame her for his death, but they didn’t. They understood her reasoning for faking her death and that keeping it a secret was important. It was a risk I wasn’t so sure Kristen should take, but she didn’t want to leave them in the dark any longer.

  “If you want, we can make Thanksgiving dinner at my house and invite them. We can invite anyone you want.”

  “Really? You’d do that for me?”

  I clasped her hand and kissed it. “I’d do anything for you. Besides, it’ll be a good time. My dad and Maggie can help.”

  “What about your mother? Do you ever see her at the holidays?”

  “Not usually.”

  “Have you talked to her again?” she asked.

  “No. I’m pretty sure she’s in town, though. I don’t mind seeing her as long as she stays away from my dad.” There were a dozen missed calls on my phone, but I hadn’t had the time to call her back.

  “Hopefully one day you two can work things out.”

>   I scoffed. “She’d have to get rid of her dickhead of a husband first. She lets him walk all over her. She pretends to be oblivious to it, but I have no doubt he’s cheated on her. I overheard him talking to another woman on the phone one time about how he loved her. It was the night I punched the shit out of him.”

  “So you beat up your stepdad?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yep, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. He hates me and my dad. I make a lot of money, but I still don’t fit in with his elite crowd. Like I’d ever want to belong to his fucked-up group of friends anyway.”

  “And I’m glad you don’t. I wouldn’t like you if you were like that.”

  “You have nothing to worry about.”

  Sighing, she leaned against the seat. “Feels like forever since I’ve celebrated a holiday. After Cole died, I never felt like I had anything to be thankful for.”

  “You do now,” I murmured. “And as soon as we get back to the room, I’m going to show you what I’m thankful for.”

  She bit her lip. “Oh yeah? Will I like it?”

  I slid my hand up her thigh. “I sure as hell hope so. I know I will.”

  Chapter 22

  Kristen

  Monday had rolled around and I woke up with a smile. Kellan’s room smelled just like him, but I knew he wasn’t there. Aylee decided to let me have the day off from working out so I made sure to sleep in as long as I could. I’d spent all night working on my portfolio so I’d have something to show the owner of M&M. The past two weeks had been hectic, going back and forth with my clients to get their houses decorated. I did it, though, and I was proud of myself.

  My phone beeped, so I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed it. There was a text from Kellan.

  Kellan: Awake yet?

  Me: Barely. Still lying in bed.

  Kellan: When you get to the kitchen, call me.

  Me: Aren’t you at practice?

  Kellan: Yeah, but I have a few minutes.

  That basically meant I needed to get my ass up and get moving. Once he got on the ice, I wouldn’t hear from him until the end of practice. We’d slipped into a routine the past couple of weeks. We either stayed at his place or mine, but it was mostly his. Being around him felt natural, like it was where I belonged. When I got to the kitchen, there was a note on the counter with a key on top of it.

  Buttercup,

  This is for you. I figured it was time.

  ~Kellan

  “Oh my God,” I gasped. Was it seriously a key to his house? I called him.

  “That was fast,” he said, laughing.

  “What is this?” I held the key in my palm.

  “What does it look like?”

  My heart thumped wildly in my chest. “You’re not asking me to move in with you, are you?”

  He chuckled again. “What if I was?”

  “Are you going to answer everything with a question?” I asked impatiently. I’d never taken that kind of step with anyone before. The thought was exhilarating yet scary at the same time. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but I didn’t want to do it over the phone.

  “Maybe. Answer the question.”

  I looked around his kitchen and sat down. I wondered what it’d be like to live with him. We’d basically done it the past month and everything’s been great. “I honestly don’t know what to say.” I wanted to scream out yes, but I was afraid to do it.

  “Here’s the thing, Kristen. It wasn’t my plan to do this over the phone, but with everything going on, I wanted you to feel like you had a safe place to come to. You’re more than welcome to come and go as you like.”

  Closing the key in my hand, I smiled. “I might just do that. We can talk about everything this afternoon.”

  His voice dipped lower. “I look forward to it. Good luck at your interview.”

  “Thanks. I’m gonna to need it.” We said our goodbyes and I put his key onto my key ring; it looked good there.

  The time started ticking away so I took a quick shower and got dressed. When I left Boston, I didn’t take the time to gather all my clothes, so Aylee and I had gone shopping a few days ago for a pantsuit. After working at the bar and wearing jeans all the time, it was strange putting on dressier clothes. Looking at myself in the mirror, I could see the old Kristen there, but the new one was so much better, more confident. I liked who I’d become.

  Once I got into downtown Charlotte, it was hard to miss the M&M building. It was one of the largest ones in the city. With my portfolio in hand, I walked inside and past all the bustling people going to and from work. There were even two security guards on opposite ends of the room keeping watch. The lady at the front desk lifted her head and smiled as I approached. “Hi, I’m here to see Galen Matthews,” I announced.

  She looked down at her computer. “Kristen Holt?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I thought I’d never get used to hearing that name.

  She handed me a pass and then pointed to the elevators. “Take the elevator to the fourteenth floor and you’ll be there.”

  “Thanks.” I got on the elevator, my heart speeding out of control. When the doors opened, I was shocked to see none other than Galen Matthews standing at the front desk talking to the receptionist. I knew it was him because I’d seen him in numerous magazines. The man was basically royalty in the design world.

  My palms started to sweat, but I hopped off the elevator and walked toward him. He wore an expensive gray suit with perfectly coifed ash-blond hair. His receptionist looked over at me and smiled. “Good morning. Can I help you?”

  “Hi, I’m Kristen Holt.”

  Galen stepped back and grinned. “Ah, you’re here to see me.”

  I nodded. “Yes, sir. I know I’m a little early.”

  He held out his hand and I shook it firmly. “It’s better than being late,” he said. “Let’s go back to my office.” Taking a deep breath, I followed him down the hall. His building was magnificent, full of life with artwork displayed on every wall. The sun shone through the windows, giving it an airy feel. My office in Boston wasn’t like that at all; it was sophisticated but with a lack of energy.

  Galen stepped inside his office and pointed to the chair in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.” He shut the door and walked around his desk.

  “Thanks,” I said, sitting. “I brought a portfolio of my recent work. I thought you’d like to see it.”

  He sat down and I held it out to him. “Of course. Let’s see what you got.” I held my breath as he opened the book and looked through the pages. “This is really nice. Your style reminds me of my wife’s.” That was a compliment, considering his wife was a well-known interior designer.

  “Thank you. I’m flattered you think so,” I replied.

  Once he was done, he stared straight at me. He was intimidating, but not in a scary way. To be in his office was a dream come true. “I talked to some of your clients. They were really impressed with you. Not only were you professional, but they said you were charming as well. Your style is exactly what we’re looking for. I have to say, you couldn’t have come at a better time.”

  “How so?”

  He glanced down at the picture on his desk; it was of him, his wife, and their daughter. “My wife and I are getting ready to have a baby. We feel it’s best she takes an extended leave from the business. I wanted to find someone who matched her style, and it looks like you might be the one we’re looking for. I’d love for you to stick around today for a while and work with Bristol. She’s another one of our interior designers. Then by the end of the day, we’ll know if you’re a good match. Does that sound okay?”

  My breath hitched and I froze. It took all I had not to squeal and jump up and down. “Yes,” I answered excitedly. “I’d be happy to stay the day.”

  “Great.” He laughed. “I’ll send for Bristol.” He called her through the intercom and a couple of minutes later there was a knock on his door. Galen called for her to enter, and when the door opened, ther
e stood a young woman, maybe a couple years older than me. She had wavy blond hair and a beautiful smile. Galen glanced between us. “Bristol, this is Kristen. Kristen, this is Bristol.” We shook hands and I smiled.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said.

  She nodded. “Likewise.”

  “I trust you can show her around and work with her?” Galen asked.

  Bristol chuckled. “Of course. Leave it to me.”

  Galen turned to me and held out his hand. “Kristen, it was a pleasure meeting you. We’ll talk again this afternoon.”

  Nodding, I shook his hand again. “Sounds great. Thank you so much for seeing me.” Bristol and I walked out of the office and I blew out a shaky breath. “I can’t believe how nervous I was.”

  Bristol laughed. “I was, too, when I interviewed with him.” We walked down the hall and past the receptionist desk to another hallway.

  “How do you like working here?” I asked her. She opened the door to her office and I gasped when I saw the view. You could see all of downtown Charlotte.

  She joined me by the window. “I absolutely love it here. It’s a dream come true.”

  “Tell me about it. I’ve been dying to work here for years.”

  “Then let’s show everyone you have what it takes. Ready to get to work?”

  I looked over at her, determination in my gaze. “More than ready.”

  —

  By the end of the day, I was so excited I could barely stand it. I couldn’t wait to tell Kellan the good news and I really didn’t want to do it on the phone. In two weeks, I’d be working for M&M Architectural Design. Bristol had taken me out to visit a new client and both she and Galen were pleased with my suggestions. That client was going to be my first one working with M&M. Soon I’d have my own office overlooking downtown Charlotte.

  There were a couple of missed calls from Kellan, and when I tried to call him back, there was no answer. I didn’t know if he was done with hockey practice, so I drove over to his house to see if he was there. His garage doors were closed and I couldn’t see if his truck was in there or not. Either way, it didn’t matter, since I had a house key.