“I’m not sure where that is.”
She describes the location.
“That’s not far from my place at all.” I shake my head. “Come on, Taylor, this is a no-brainer.”
Our eyes meet in a sizzling, penetrating connection. She’s being stubborn about this because it’s me. It pisses me off. And makes my chest feel heavy.
She nods. “Okay.”
“How about we get lunch and we can talk about it?”
“Oh. Um, I’d better get home. Anthony and I are going to a movie premiere tonight.”
Anthony. Fuck. “Ooh, all Hollywood.” I try for a light tone, but it comes out with an edge.
Taylor’s lips tighten.
“I thought you were coming to the party.”
“We’re going to stop by for a bit. So, I’ll, uh, see you there.”
“Right. Okay.” I nod and watch as she hustles over to her car in the parking lot.
I blow out a gusty breath. Anthony’s going to be there. Okay, I said I was going to be on my best behavior. I may have an urge to punch the dickwad in the mouth, but I’ve just found my Zen…I’ll think happy thoughts, or imagine I’m floating on a paddleboard on the water…or something. It’ll be fine.
* * *
—
Later, when I get to the party, I have to park about ten blocks from Théo’s place. It’s hard enough to park near there with those tiny little side streets, and tonight, Pacific Avenue is lined with cars. I recognize some of them. Apparently, I’m late.
I can hear noise coming from the house as I approach the door. People are outside on the terrace talking, there’s music playing, and a loud burst of laughter greets me as I open the door and step in. I rang the bell, but I don’t know if anyone heard it.
Lacey appears with a glass of wine in hand and a big smile. “Hi!”
“Hi, Lace.” We do a brief embrace. “How’s it going?”
“Ooookay.” She grimaces. “So far so good.”
I grin. “Good to hear. I’ll see if I can stir things up.”
She gives me an alarmed look.
“Kidding.” I hold up my hands. “I’m on my best behavior tonight.”
“Whew. Come on in. What can I get you to drink?”
The party is clearly casual, people in the kitchen, dining room, living room, and, like I said, spilling outside. There are more than just family members here; I recognize some of the Condors organization—Dave Martin, their coach; their new assistant GM, Scott Jermey; and a few players including Wyatt Bell, who lives in the same complex as Théo. I haven’t seen him since the wedding. He gives me a slitty-eyed scowl.
Right; I punched him in the face when he was trying to get Manny off me. I apologized to him that night, but he obviously hasn’t forgotten.
Then I see Taylor.
As I take the beer Lacey hands me, my eyes lock with Taylor’s across the open space. She’s talking to Everly in the living room. There’s a guy sitting beside her I don’t know.
Craptastic. That must be Anthony.
My insides twist up into knots. I can’t exactly cut and run. I greet Théo with a hug and backslap. I chat with him and Harrison and Wyatt for a few minutes, then make my way around to greet other family members—Mom and Dad are here, Uncle Mark, Grandpa and Chelsea. Eventually I wind up near Everly and Taylor.
Everly bumps me with her shoulder. “Hey. How’s it going, bad boy of hockey?”
The nickname bugs me. “I’m not a bad boy anymore.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Since when?”
I don’t want to talk about this, especially in front of Taylor and her boyfriend. Gritting my teeth, I smile and extend a hand to him as Taylor introduces us.
“So cool to meet you,” Anthony says. “I’m a big hockey fan.” He looks around. “This is wild, being here.”
I look at Taylor. “We need to talk. About Byron.”
“What about Byron?” Everly asks.
I tell her about the plan.
“That’s a great idea!” she says. “Taylor, your new place isn’t far from JP’s. This’ll work perfectly.”
Taylor nods, her lips pressed together.
“Maybe Byron should come for a visit before he actually moves in,” I say. “I assume he’s housebroken.”
“Yes.” She gives a little eye roll. “He’s very well trained.”
“Okay, then.”
“I’ll pay for his food. And vet bills, of course.”
“Whatever.” It’s not like I can’t afford a few cans of dog food.
“Okay.” She beams. “This is really so much better than…than having to find a new home for him with people I don’t know.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a hero.” Everly nudges me. She’s teasing, but I can see she’s happy too. She looks up. “Oh. I’d better go help Lacey with the food.”
She departs, and a blanket of awkwardness drops over Taylor, Anthony, and me. Well, I feel it, anyway. I want him gone. But it’s me who has to clear out.
I grin, trying to lighten the mood. “You’ll have to switch to being an Eagles fan now, since you’re practically in Long Beach.”
She rolls her eyes. “Never.”
I laugh. “Nice meeting you,” I say to Anthony. I turn to Taylor. “We’ll talk more about Byron, okay?”
“Okay. Thank you.”
I meet her eyes, hold her gaze for a couple of heartbeats, then nod and move away.
I walk outside, where I see Grandpa and Chelsea sitting. There are other people out here…Rosa and Marshall, neighbors of Théo’s, talking to Wyatt. But no other family members. Grandpa and Chelsea are by themselves.
I get it, but it annoys me, too.
I pull up an empty chair. “Hey there.”
“Hi!” Chelsea says with a smile. I lean over to kiss her cheek.
“Hello, kid,” Grandpa says. “Haven’t seen you in a while. You bring a young lady with you tonight?”
“No. Didn’t go well the last time I brought a date to a family function.”
“That’s because you were screwing over your brother.”
Ouch. “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I haven’t been seeing anyone lately.”
“Unusual for you. From what I hear.”
Actually, it is. I just haven’t been interested lately. There were women at the Fan Fun Fest who were clearly interested. I’ve gone out with the guys a few times, and there are always women who want to hang out with hockey players. I’ve flirted a little, danced a couple of times, and bought a few drinks, but I haven’t done anything more than that. “Saving my energy for hockey,” I tell him.
“Ha! That’s a good one. My coach used to tell us not to have sex before a game.”
“Jesus.” I rub my forehead. “Thank Christ Uncle Mark doesn’t tell us that. I think they’ve debunked that old myth.”
“We always believed it,” Grandpa says sadly. “Of course, most of us just ignored it.”
Chelsea laughs.
“It’s time for dinner!” Lacey calls from the door onto the patio. “Just buffet style, so we’re all helping ourselves.”
I follow Grandpa and Chelsea into the house. Chelsea sticks close by Grandpa while they fill plates. My family may be pissed at Grandpa for allegedly stealing money, Grandpa may be mad at his sons for suing him, and they all may hate Chelsea because they think she’s a gold-digging opportunist, but everyone is respectfully letting Grandpa go first at the buffet.
Lacey hovers around, apologizing for using paper plates and napkins, making sure they have everything they need, then others move in. I head into the kitchen for another beer first.
The kitchen is still crowded with people, including Théo and Harrison. Without asking
, Théo opens the fridge door and hands me a beer. I grin.
“You gotta make sure people talk to Grandpa,” I say to him in a low voice.
He sighs. “I know.”
“This family feud is bullshit,” Harrison mutters. “We need to do something about it. Can’t you get your dad to withdraw the lawsuit?”
I grimace and glance at Théo. “I don’t know. They seem pretty convinced that Grandpa stole money from them.”
“Why would he do that?” Harrison shakes his head.
Théo’s lips pinch together, but he says nothing.
“I don’t know.” I don’t want to get into it with Harrison, because I like him and we get along. “Maybe all of us should get together sometime and talk about what we could do.”
“What do you mean ‘all of us’?”
“Like…this generation. You, Noah, Asher, Everly…us…Riley. I doubt if we can get Jackson here, but maybe.”
Harrison purses his lips and nods. “I’ll talk to Everly about it. She’s like the boss of everyone.”
I laugh. “True.”
Taylor and Anthony appear.
“We’re on our way out.” Anthony extends a hand to shake mine. “Good to meet you, man.”
“Yeah.” I resist the urge to curl my lip.
He says goodbye to the others, then tells Taylor, “I’ll get the car, babe. Pick you up in a couple of minutes.”
“Okay, thanks.” She smiles at him as he leaves.
“You had to park in the next county too?” I joke.
She laughs. “Just about.”
“Give me your cellphone number. And we’ll get things sorted out with Byron.” She tells me her number, I enter it in my phone, and I immediately send her a text so she has mine.
“I still can’t…” She hesitates.
“It’s fine, Taylor.” Jesus. She sinks her teeth into that plump bottom lip and it’s all I can do not to swoop down and kiss it. I know how that lip feels…against mine. How she tastes…My entire body heats and tingles remembering. I have to curl my hand into a fist to resist reaching out to touch her. I want to stroke a hand down her silky hair and over her velvety skin. I want to assure her that Byron is going to be fine, even though he’ll be living with someone else.
She gives a small nod and looks up at me through her eyelashes. Electricity arcs between us and I feel a tug of desire in my groin. Oh for Chrissake.
Maybe this isn’t a good idea. I’m going to be tormented every time I see her. I’m being a dumb-ass, suggesting this. I know it’s for selfish reasons—I want to see her. But I fucking can’t.
Harrison and Théo are watching us.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” I murmur, setting a hand on the small of her back.
Her eyes flicker.
A minute. Just a minute alone with her. In the foyer, we pause. I gaze at her face, my eyes moving over her flushed cheeks and glittering eyes, lingering on her mouth. Heat crackles around us and I feel a tug of desire in my groin.
“Stop looking at me like that,” she whispers.
“Like what? Like I want to push you up against that wall and kiss the breath out of you?” I edge infinitesimally closer, barely at all, and she takes a step back, her breath hitching.
“Yes. Like that.”
“Then stop looking like you want me to.”
“I…” She swallows. “Don’t do this, JP.”
I sigh. “I’m not doing anything. I’m not going to hit on another guy’s girl. Again.” I bite out the word, remembering how pissed I’d been when Manny jumped me at the wedding because he was jealous.
“Okay, good.” She nibbles her bottom lip. “We can still be friends…right?”
I stare at her incredulously. “Friends?”
“Sure. Because of Théo and Lacey.” A tentative smile touches her lips. “And Byron.”
My forehead tightens. “Uh…”
“If you’re going to look after my dog, we should at least be friends.”
“Friends,” I say again.
She smiles tentatively.
My heart is withering and shrinking in my chest.
This isn’t a shocker. She’s with someone else now. Why would I think we could be anything more than friends? I draw in a long breath through my nose and straighten my slumping shoulders. “Sure. Of course. Friends. Have fun at your Hollywood premiere.” I stretch my mouth into a smile before turning away from her.
Lacey’s in the kitchen and shoots me a nervous glance when I stalk in. I grab the beer I left on the counter and march through the living room to the doors to the patio. Everyone’s inside now, eating. I lean on the low wall and gaze out at the dark ocean as I tip the beer to my lips and chug down half of it.
Everything inside me is buzzing. I’m wired and edgy. I try to calm myself down, using some of the things I’ve learned about preparing for a game when the adrenaline is running high. Except I don’t really want to calm down. I want to punch something.
I draw in a long breath, let it out slowly, and raise the beer again.
“You okay, man?” Théo’s voice comes from behind me. He slaps a hand on my shoulder as he joins me.
“Yeah.”
“Something’s got your shorts in a twist.”
“I don’t like this shit about making good decisions. It’s too hard.”
Théo cracks out a fast laugh. “Not for me.”
“I’m not you.” The words come out on a growl.
Théo tips his head. “I know, man. And thank God, right? Sometimes going with your gut is the right thing to do.”
“I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Well, in fairness to myself…intuition has been shown to be information acquired through associated learning and stored in long-term memory, which is accessed unconsciously to form the basis of a judgment or decision.”
“What?”
“You learn things throughout your life.” He shrugs. “You hold that knowledge in your subconscious and use it unconsciously to make decisions. It’s not just letting emotion guide your decisions; there’s some factual basis for it.”
“Huh. So you’re saying I should go after Taylor?”
He chokes. “Uh…that’s what this is about?”
I drop my head forward. “Yeah.”
“She’s seeing that dude…”
“I know, I know.” My voice comes out like a snarl. “First I thought she was still with Martinez. Then I found out she wasn’t. Before I could move, I found out she’s dating Anthony Hipster.”
He chokes on a laugh. “Um, yeah. Well, shit. I didn’t know…”
“Seriously?” I lift my head to peer at him. “Lacey didn’t tell you about the wedding?”
“Okay, yeah, she did.”
“Asshole.” I punch his shoulder.
He laughs. “Guess it wasn’t that good with you. She found someone else pretty quick.”
“Sure, kick me when I’m down.” I exhale sharply. “I can’t stop thinking about her. And she wants us to be just friends.”
“Ouch.” He winces.
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’d say it’s pretty clear. You gotta forget about her.”
“That’s your advice?” I scowl.
“You know it’s the right thing.”
I nod reluctantly. I’m trying to do the right things. But it’s fucking killing me.
Chapter 12
Taylor
JP texts me on Sunday morning about bringing Byron over so he can see his new place and get acquainted with it. A great idea.
No. It’s a bad idea. The worst idea. This is like jumping into a bonfire with gasoline-soaked clothes on.
I feel like I’m ab
out to give a speech to a thousand people, naked, as I drive to his place, my hands sweaty on the steering wheel, my belly a mass of jumping nerves. Byron is happily oblivious in the backseat, his face up to the window I’ve cracked open, panting eagerly.
I love him.
Byron, I mean. I love Byron.
I’m doing this for him. I know he’s only a dog, but there’s no such thing as “only a dog” when the dog’s been in your family for years and he’s such a sweet guy and…well, I love him.
I sigh. I can do this.
JP and I are friends. That’s what I suggested to him the other night. We’re both always so…tense…around each other. We need to get past that and just be friends.
Sure.
He’d looked at me as if I’d just told him I was going to become a sex worker when I suggested that. And I’m not sure if it’s because he hates me or because he wants to bone me. Maybe both.
I sigh. That’s pretty much how I feel about him.
No. That’s a lie. I don’t hate him. But I do want to bone him.
Shit! I’m dating someone else! I can’t be thinking things like that about JP.
Standing in the foyer at Lacey’s place the other night, heat crackling between us, melting my panties, tightening my nipples…I forgot all about Anthony.
What is wrong with me?
I’ve mapped out my route on Google Maps and my phone tells me to take the next exit off the 405. It’s another five minutes or so until we turn again to find JP’s street and then his condo complex. It’s a high-rise building, right near the ocean, and my heart drops as I study it.
This isn’t a place for a dog.
I fight back tears. “Look!” I say to Byron as I open the back door and reach for his leash. “This is where you’re going to live!” My eyes sting and I squeeze them shut briefly. “It’s a really nice place!”
Leading Byron inside, I take in the elegant lobby—all glass walls, marble tile, and carpet, with furniture groupings and potted plants.
“There’s a freakin’ doorman,” I mutter to Byron, clutching his leash.
The doorman lets us go up to the twenty-fifth floor with a friendly smile. JP greets us at his door.
Oh God, he looks so good, my knees actually go weak. Stubble dusts his square jaw, his thick hair is messy, and he’s wearing loose athletic shorts and a Golden Eagles T-shirt that hugs his biceps and chest. I could just stare at him all day.
In It to Win It (Wynn Hockey) Page 12
