“Yes, it is.” It was a four-wheel drive, extended cab truck.
Penny shook her head. “No, that thing took some kind of fuel steroids and then ate your truck.” She walked toward it, still giggling. “I mean, are those mud tires?”
Callen looked sideways at her. “Maybe.”
“Why do you need mud tires in Manhattan?”
He opened the passenger side door for her. “I don’t live in Manhattan all year. I have a house in Anahim. And trust me, I definitely need the mud tires there.”
Penny climbed up into the cab of the truck and looked down at him. “You’re a country boy.”
He laughed. “Born and raised. Is that a problem?”
“No.” Suddenly she couldn’t stop smiling. “It’s just…unexpected.”
Callen drove her home, parking in front of her apartment building. He cut the engine, his fingers flexing against the steering wheel as he tried to keep his courage intact. “I’d ask you to come to my game tonight, but I gave the ticket to this game to the Make-a-Wish foundation months ago.”
“It’s okay. I have the late shift tonight at work anyway.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“If you remember my number,” she said, grinning.
“If you think I’m not going to write it down as soon as you get out, then you’ve highly misjudged my ethical commitment to this game we’re playing.”
She laughed and opened her door. “I enjoyed today. Well, I didn’t enjoy the running, but everything else. It was nice.”
“Me too. And I think I can change your mind on the running.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Definitely.”
Callen sat there and watched as she went into her building, stopping momentarily at the door to glance back at him and smile. He immediately put her number in his phone, and then he Googled it. Well, at least, he Googled the area code.
Kansas.
He grinned. Penny was a country girl.
***
Callen felt loose. For the first time in a long time, his body was relaxed. He’d taken a pre-game skate, and everything flowed. His feet were quick, and his hands quicker. His first five shots whizzed by the goalie with ease. More importantly, he smiled. It wasn’t the jog. He jogged all the time. It was Penny.
Talking about it. Acknowledging it. Her gentle touch. It all helped. Maybe Penny really was a relaxation therapist and she didn’t even know it. Callen stripped his pads off and sat in the middle of the locker room to cool down and stretch. He reached over and grabbed his toes, stretching the tight muscles in his calves. The door to the room flew open, and two of his teammates came in. One was the goaltender, Romanov, who practiced with him. The other was Magnum. His actual name was Freddy, but he looked like Tom Selleck from Magnum P.I., and the nickname stuck. He tapped the end of Callen’s foot as he walked by. “You looked good out there, Cali.”
“Yeah,” Romanov agreed. “He sure as hell gave me a workout.”
Callen leaned back up and stretched his arms behind his head. “Thanks. I’m feeling pretty good today.”
“Good, man.” Magnum came over and leaned against his locker. “I was worried about you after everything on the news this morning.”
Callen’s head popped up. “What do you mean?”
Magnum suddenly looked uncomfortable. “You know…the rumors.”
Called stood, his shoulders stiffening against the quick movement. “What rumors, Magnum?”
Magnum took a step back, his large caterpillar eyebrows drawing together. “Shit. You don’t know.”
Callen grabbed him by the collar of his pads. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Magnum looked down. “There was a segment on NHL Tonight devoted to the rumor that you’re being shopped around for that kid Stangesky in Detroit.”
Callen sat in his locker. Actually, he fell into it. “Who was the source?”
Magnum shrugged. “They didn’t say. Cali, I’m sorry. I would have never said anything if I knew you hadn’t seen it.”
Callen waved him on. “It’s not a problem.”
Who was he kidding? It was a giant problem. Stangesky was a top rated forward. He was in the battle for rookie of the year. The important question was who talked to the media. Callen didn’t want to admit it to himself, but the first person who popped in his mind was his coach.
The anxiety hit him like a solid brick straight to his head. It was two hours until game time. He wouldn’t survive this one alone. It was too strong. A literal attack on his system from the tension in his muscles, to his breathing. Everything inside of him lost control. He had to find Henrik. Callen stumbled out of the locker room with Magnum still yelling apologies behind him. The last time he saw Henrik, he was going to the training room to get his shoulder iced. Callen ran down the hallway and found Henrik sitting on one of the tables with an ice pack wrapped around his shoulder, watching television.
His features looked angry. Callen glanced up at the TV and, sure enough, his picture filled the screen. Henrik immediately turned it off. “It’s too late,” Callen said, running his hands down his face. “Magnum told me.”
“Cali. It’s rumors. You’re better than that kid. Coach knows it.”
Callen leaned over the table, trying to keep his breathing steady. It didn’t work. “Does he? He’s probably the one who talked to them.”
“There’s one way to find out. Let’s go ask him.”
“No. It’ll only make it worse at this point. I need to go somewhere. Be alone. Try to get my mind back in the game tonight.”
Being traded was part of the game. He knew that. He understood and expected it. He wasn’t ready to leave New York, though. He liked it there. He had a family, and he had Penny. He didn’t want to give that up. Plus, deep down, he knew he could fill that role for their team. His stomach started turning queasy, and he had no choice but to run for the nearest restroom.
He could be that player, the one they could depend on to get a point every game. It wouldn’t be tonight, though. Not now.
Chapter Ten
PENNY’S BIG SAVE
“What the hell are you doing, Callen Copley?”
Penny stood in front of the television in the middle of the Midtown Bistro and screamed at the television for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour. The final seconds of the game ticked down, and the buzzer announced the loss. The Rangers fell 2-0 to the worst team in the league.
Geez. Even Penny knew enough about hockey to know that was bad. What the heck happened to Callen? Was it her fault?
What if he tried her phone number trick and it completely backfired? What if he hated her now?
Penny ran to lock the door of the restaurant. Betsy left ten minutes ago, but she couldn’t leave until the game ended. She had this small hope that Callen would somehow manage to redeem himself in the final minutes. They’d been down 1-0 when he took the ice. Then Callen made a bad pass across the middle of the neutral zone, the other team intercepted and scored fifteen seconds later. Penny took a seat, her heart still beating wildly in her chest. Callen’s picture popped up on the screen, and she winced. There could be no good news after that game. The caption next to his picture stated, “According to Rangers source: Copley in play for trade with Red Wings for rookie forward.”
Penny’s fingers cupped her mouth. That was horrible. The trade deadline was at the end of the month. That meant she could lose Callen in a matter of weeks. Had he seen the report before the game?
Her phone buzzed from the counter. She glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven o’clock. The Bistro closed almost an hour ago, and she was still there, worrying about him. She grabbed her phone to find a text.
Callen: You awake?
She almost wanted to laugh. Of course she was still awake. Awake and worried about him.
Penny: Yes. I’m closing up at work.
Her free hand tapped impatiently on the table as she waited for his reply.
Ca
llen: Meet me for a drink?
Penny: Where?
Callen: Mainstream. It’s a sushi bar off 2nd street. I’ll be there in 30 min.
Penny hurried and gathered up her stuff. Then she changed clothes. She didn’t want to meet Callen still wearing her work clothes that were now filthy from handling food all night. She changed into a pair of her favorite ripped jeans and an off the shoulder shirt. She might have also added a bit of perfume…and lip gloss. She found the sushi bar easily and got a seat in the back. Callen walked in the door ten minutes later.
He looked horrible. Well, he still looked as heartbreakingly handsome as ever, but he looked broken. She waved to get his attention. He stopped at the bar on his way over and put in an order. Then he came over and gave her a slight hug. By slight, she meant he barely touched her. “Thanks for coming. This was the only place I knew that stayed open past midnight.”
“Of course. Are you okay?”
“Do you mind if we sit at the bar?”
It was bad. He wouldn’t even answer her question. “Sure.”
They moved over to the bar, and Penny immediately touched his hand. She had to. The contact was necessary. “Callen…look at me. Are you okay?”
He turned his hand over so her fingers lay in his palm, but he didn’t return her gesture. “I will be in a minute.”
“You saw the report before the game, didn’t you?”
He nodded.
Finally. He took her hand and held it. Gently. “I have to leave for a road trip in two days. Could we meet for a session in the morning?”
“You mean to help you learn to relax?”
His gaze rose to meet her. Tortured and burdened. It was the only way she knew how to describe the turmoil that brewed beneath the thin veil of his fake smile. “I need to find a happy place.” He squeezed her hand. “I don’t want to go to Detroit. I will do everything in my power to convince them to renew my contract at the end of the season.”
The intensity stirred every misguided emotion inside of her. It was too late to back out now. Callen Copley was in her life. She didn’t want to let him go. “Can you be at my place at dawn?”
A smile threatened the corner of his lips. “Like, six hours from now?”
“What? You wanted to sleep in?”
His hand left hers. He touched her hair at her temple, his fingers running down one of the long strands until he came to the small flower tucked into the band at the nape of her neck. He ran the tip of his finger across the soft, white petal of the daisy.
“Right now,” he said, quietly, “I don’t want to go to sleep at all.”
Penny swallowed the lump in her throat, and the smile finally captured Callen’s face. Flirty bastard. He didn’t need alcohol to make suggestive pick-up lines that spiked her adrenaline. Either way, the bartender walked toward them, carrying a tray of food. A variety of colorful sushi on a stark white platter. He set down two sets of chopsticks. Callen handed her one of them. “You do eat sushi, right?”
She grinned and took the chopsticks. “And what if I didn’t?”
He shrugged. “I could eat this entire tray by myself if necessary.”
She laughed and motioned for the bartender. “Could I get a glass of the house red as well?”
“Of course. May I see your ID?”
Penny internally cringed. She couldn’t let Callen see her ID. Her name would instantly throw up a million and one red flags. She also couldn’t cancel her order at this point because it would look suspicious as well. She very carefully took the ID out of her purse. The bartender looked to Callen. “Can I get you anything?”
“Water. I get the pleasure of driving this pretty girl home tonight.”
Penny stood to reach her ID across the bar, but the guy was too far away. “Here, let me,” Callen said, but Penny jerked it back.
“I’ve got it.” She stood on her tiptoes and showed the guy her license then quickly shoved it back in her purse.
Callen cocked his head to the side. She definitely made that weird. “It’s a horrible picture of me,” she said, trying to glaze over her twitchiness. “And you don’t have to drive me home. It’s completely out of your way.”
“I want to.”
“You just played an entire game. You have to be exhausted.”
He stared at her. A look that simply asked ‘do you not want me to?’
She deflated. “I worry about you. I worry you’re pushing yourself too much.”
“Tomorrow is an off day, and then the next day is a travel day. Trust me, I’ll get plenty of rest. But if you don’t—”
“I do,” she said quickly.
Thankfully, his smile returned. “Okay.”
They ate their extremely late dinner. Penny tried desperately not to look too ridiculous shoving the sushi in her mouth. It wasn’t exactly the most attractive dinner to eat in front of someone you liked. And she did like him. He tugged at the knot on his tie that he’d obviously made too tight in his haste of leaving the arena. He also hadn’t bothered to put his lip ring in. She was so accustomed to seeing it now that he looked almost naked without it.
The bartender brought her wine as they finished their dinner, talking casually about their common love for the food. “You know, I was twenty-three when I first tried sushi.”
Callen glanced up, that inquisitive look on his face again. “How old are you now?”
Penny laughed. “Twenty-three. Betsy took me out one night after work to that little hole-in-the-wall place next to the Bistro about six months ago. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“So, not much sushi in Kansas, huh?”
Penny stilled. “What?”
Callen bit his lip only to find his lip ring missing. “Your phone number. That one I’ve been remembering all day. The area code is from Kansas. I assumed…”
Penny took a sharp breath. “Yes. You’re right.”
“What brought you to Manhattan?”
Tears. Actual tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t want to lie. She’d lied to him before, but this, the reason she came to town, was the biggest lie of them all. She cleared her throat, steadying her voice. “Why does any bored country girl escape to the big city? I needed a change.”
He smiled, which meant he bought her load of crap. It sucked. “Living in the country isn’t that awful.”
Penny laughed, trying to keep her thoughts in check and in the moment. “Says the guy with mud tires on his monster truck.”
They completely cleaned the plate of sushi, and Penny drank her last sip of wine. Her face felt flushed, and she wanted to blame the alcohol, but it wasn’t the reason. It was simply Callen. The way he looked at her. It made her feel exposed. Everything she wanted to keep hidden rose to the surface for him to see. Her fingers touched her neck. It was surely blotchy. He set his elbow on the bar, leaning in slightly, closer to her, his words a rush between them. “You ready to get out of here?”
She nodded, too consumed by her own desire to speak. She wanted him. She always had, but right now, it hurt. She wanted him in so many ways. She wanted him to see her. The real her. Esa and everything she survived, and Penny and everything she was now.
She wanted him to lean closer. To kiss her. She wanted him to mean his question in the way that had him in her bed until the break of dawn.
He took her hand and helped her off the stool. He didn’t let it go. His fingers intertwined with hers as they walked toward the door. He didn’t look at her again, and she was thankful. She needed a moment. She wanted to imagine, if only for a few precious seconds, that this dream was real. That maybe Callen wanted her too. That one day he might forgive her, that he might know the real her and understand she didn’t mean to hurt them or interrupt their lives. She gripped his hand tighter as they made it out on the street. The temperature had dipped again.
Her body shivered. “Here,” he said, slipping off his suit jacket.
He helped her put it on. It was massive on her small frame, but warm. “Thank you.”
He touched her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
Nothing and everything.
Callen stood there with the bustling city as the backdrop, his tie undone, along with the top buttons of his dress shirt. His brown eyes were almost as black as his hair. Penny wondered if her happy place was still the garden. She’d joked about it before, that it was on Callen’s jogging route instead, but now, maybe she meant it. Maybe it was anyplace with him. “Nothing. I’m glad you texted me tonight.”
“Me too.” Finally, he had a genuine smile on his face. “I’m looking forward to dawn.”
“You say that now.”
They started walking, his hand still in hers. He smiled out at the street in front of them. “Should I be worried about what you have planned for me?”
She pursed her lips, pretending to think it over. “Worried? No. I’d make sure to get a lot of rest tonight, though.”
He glanced over at her, and she shot him a suggestive grin and a wink. He laughed. “Look who is being smooth now.”
“It’s your fair warning.”
His hand left hers and slid along the small of her back, moving her into his side. He held her there. “Noted.”
They walked like that to his truck. Connected at the hip. Arms wrapped around each other. He’d told her once to get the wrong idea. She didn’t know what being with him like this meant, but she didn’t want it to end. The wrong idea felt so incredibly right. The desire to stay with him, trapped in that moment, outweighed any hidden truth. It overpowered all her questions and diminished every reason she thought she had to find them. Maybe she didn’t need answers. Maybe all she ever needed was Callen Copley.
***
The sun burst over the New York skyline like a sparkler, casting an orange glow across the morning horizon and setting the lingering clouds on fire. It would have been beautiful, possibly the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen, if it weren’t for Callen Copley standing on the sidewalk beneath it. He ran a hand through his hair. The lip ring was back, but that seductive smile had turned into a groggy yawn.
The Girl With Daisies (Midtown Brotherhood #3) Page 9
