by Anne Stone
“He was pretty intense, that’s for sure. He’s phoned me every day wondering what you’re up to.”
He raised his brow. “He has?”
“Yep, and he always ends the conversation with, ‘He’s a good man.’”
“So, I guess he likes me.” She reached over and slid her hand across his chest and nodded.
“Right now, I don’t think you can do anything wrong in his book. As he said, just don’t hurt me.”
He grabbed her hand squeezing it and then set it in his lap. “Never in a million years would I hurt you,” he said pulling her closer.
As the flight attendant provided the rote instructions to the passengers, she fell asleep in his arms.
Ryne had also drifted off to sleep when they were awakened by a bit of turbulence. “Well, that wasn’t much fun,” she said as she reached for her purse. She pulled out a stick of gum offering him a slice. He shook his head no. “My ears are bothering me a little. Maybe this will help.” She popped the gum into her mouth and watched a flight attendant move from the coach section of the plane to first class. When she returned to coach, she stopped at their row.
“Ryne, is that you?” Ryne looked up and took in the svelte woman who had long blonde hair and the bluest of blue eyes Jen had ever seen. She imagined the woman wore contact lenses.
“Oh hey, Darlene, how are you?”
“Great. I heard you were traded.”
“Yep, to the Generals. It’s been awhile.”
“It has. I switched my route. Today, I’m filling in for one of my friends who just lost her parents in a horrific car accident.” Jen stiffened. She knew firsthand what Darlene’s friend was going through. Ryne’s hand reached for hers and she smiled at him.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’ll stop by again before we land.” Darlene returned to her section of the plane while Jen felt his eyes on hers.
“She used to be the flight attendant when I traveled with the Eagles.”
“That’s what I figured.” He continued holding her hand as they neared their destination.
“I made plans for this evening. I hope that’s alright with you. I haven’t seen my best friend, Jim Hollister, in some time. I thought we could have dinner with him and his wife, Holly.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“And tomorrow we’re having dinner with your grandparents?”
“That’s the plan.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
“I told them all about you.”
“And?”
“They can’t wait to meet you too.”
Before they knew it, their plane had landed, and they were on the way to the Towne Square. Ryne had arranged for two separate rooms, but when they arrived, discovered that their reservations had been mixed up. “What do you mean you don’t have two rooms available?” Jen stood beside him as he dealt with the hotel staff.
“Sir, I’m sorry. I see where your reservations went through. I don’t know what happened, but I can offer you a two-room suite.” She saw his eyebrows rise and turned to her.
“Jen, I’m sorry. Are you okay with this? If not, I’ll find us something else.”
She laid her hand on his arm and smiled at him ‘That’s fine. I know it’s not your fault.”
“Mr. Ferguson, I apologize profusely for what happened.”
“I understand but why didn’t someone contact me?”
“I can’t answer that. Again, I’m sorry. Please, follow Alfred and he will show you to your room.” Jen could tell Ryne wanted to argue further, but instead she grabbed ahold of his hand and followed the valet to their room.
“Don’t worry about it, Ryne. We’re adults here. It’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before.” He smirked at her. “Well, you know what I mean.”
“I do. It’s just the principal of it all.”
It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at their room and unpacked. They heard a knock at their door. When Ryne answered, he was surprised to see room service. “Compliments of the hotel.” Jen stood alongside Ryne as a huge cart was wheeled into the room filled with appetizers, cheese and crackers, fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Even a bottle of wine was included.
“Wow, I can’t believe they did this,” she said as Ryne closed the door.
“They needed to do something, that’s for sure. They royally messed up my reservations.”
“They did, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Wipe that grimace off your face and let’s enjoy these goodies.”
“Nothing seems to bother you, does it?”
“That’s where you’re wrong. A lot bothers me, but most of it I let roll off my back. It’s what I choose to dwell on that sometimes takes me down.”
“You never seem bothered by anything.”
“Oh, I am, more than you’ll ever know.”
Ryne confirmed his meeting with Adam the following morning. “Now you’re sure you’re alright with me leaving you alone?” he asked when he finished.
“I’m sure. I’m going to run by my grandparents and check out their new digs. I haven’t seen their new home since they sold their mansion a while ago. The funny thing about that was they continued to live in their home for something like two years before they moved.” She shook her head. “That was the craziest thing.”
“That does sound a little odd. Shall we just meet back here when we’re both done?”
“Yeah. I think that works best since Grandma Rowena can talk your ear off. Be prepared for dinner tomorrow, that’s all I can say. I’m going to change. I’m looking forward to meeting your friend.”
“Jim’s one of a kind. We’ve been best friends since college although we don’t get a chance to see one another often with my schedule and his. Holly, his wife, is a gem too. I think you’ll have a lot in common.”
Jen took her time changing. She loved the dress she’d chosen for their dinner and believed by Ryne’s expression he did too.
She went to his side when he reached his hand out. “Beautiful.” He stroked her cheek. She’d chosen a simple black cocktail dress which she’d enhanced with a rose-colored fabric belt. She wore simple jewelry but the look was refined and classic. She knew she took his breath away by the way he gasped when she entered the room. “Jim’s going to be jealous with you on my arm.”
“Jealous? I thought he’s married.”
“He is but he, along with every other man in the restaurant, will wish you were on their arm. Jen, you’re gorgeous. I’m the lucky one here, that’s for sure.”
She smiled demurely at him. He was embarrassing her. No one she’d ever dated spoke to her like that. No one had told her how beautiful she was. Ryne was her knight in shining armor.
They were meeting Jim and his wife across town, so Ryne called for a car. “Come on. The car’s waiting for us.”
Ryne had flown under the radar the entire day except for their flight attendant recognizing him. That was until their driver took one look at him and was in gaga land. He was a huge fan of Ryne’s and rambled the entire way to their restaurant about his playing days with the Badgers, Eagles, and now the Generals. “Sorry about your hip.”
“Thanks,” Ryne said.
“Are you still rehabbing? You know…” Just as the driver started to discuss Ryne’s rehab, they pulled up at the restaurant. Both of them couldn’t wait to get out of the car.
“I’ll phone the service when we’re ready to return to the hotel.”
“Are you sure? I can wait.”
“No, please don’t. I’m not sure how long we’ll be.”
Jen grabbed his hand and started towards the entrance. “Definitely a fan.”
“That’s for sure. He never stopped. I wondered when he came up for air because I haven’t a clue when he took a breath.”
They entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by Jim and his wife. Ryne made the introductions. Jen was pleasantly surprised when Jim pulled her into a hug. “
It’s nice to see him out and about and dating again.” Jen didn’t quite understand his reference to Ryne dating again. She made a mental note to ask him about the comment when they returned to the hotel.
Jen really liked Jim and Holly. They were down to earth and she had a blast listening to their children’s latest antics. Before she knew it, dinner was over, and they were returning to the hotel.
Hand-in-hand they entered the elevator. She smiled up at him knowing she had to ask the question that had been on her mind since her conversation with Holly. They entered their room and she led him to the sofa where she pulled him down beside her. No sooner had they sat Jen turned to him and asked the question that had been on her mind all evening. “So what did Jim mean about you dating again? Has it been a while? Is there a story there?”
She knew she’d hit upon something by the expression that crossed his face. He immediately looked away and became nervous. He started tapping his fingers against his leg. He couldn’t look at her. When he ran his hand through his hair, she knew it was something big that he wasn’t thrilled about sharing.
He abruptly stood and walked across the room. He opened the mini-fridge and pulled out a beer. Popping open the bottle, he took a swallow.
She sensed his upset. “It can’t be that bad, can it?”
He took a deep breath and another swallow from his beer. He returned to the couch and sat, then drew in his lips. All the while she knew he was trying to put into words what he wanted to say. Finally, he said the words that took her breath away. “I was engaged to Derek’s sister.”
“Derek, as in Derek Pfeil?”
“One and the same.”
“Okay,” she said, waiting for him to continue. She knew whatever he had to say troubled him immensely since he’d never had difficulties sharing his thoughts and feelings before. He clenched his jaw. His eyes grew dark and he rapidly blinked as though he were trying to suppress tears. She reached out to him, telling him in her own way that whatever he had to say, it would be alright. She grasped his hand and waited.
A few moments passed before he softly spoke. “Her name is Whitney, and like I said she’s Derek’s sister. We met when Derek and I played for the Eagles. Now when I think back on our relationship, I wonder what got into me. Why did I lower myself to her standards? She bowled me over. Out of nowhere I was in ‘love’ with her. But when I look back on it, I wasn’t in love with her at all. I guess it was infatuation.” He shook his head. “Let’s say I was blind and stupid when it came to her. We were engaged in a matter of months. I thought she was it for me. Until I found her in the arms of another man. She couldn’t have cared less that I discovered her affair, as it turned out.” Jen squeezed his hand in support.
“When I confronted her, not only did I discover she had never loved me, she informed me she’d never considered us exclusive. Can you believe that? We were engaged. She continued to date and, stupid me, I never knew it.
“When Derek discovered what she’d done, he was livid. If she’d been a hockey player on the ice, I’m not sure how far he would have taken it. In fact, he’s pretty much turned his back on her. He hasn’t spoken to her since our breakup.”
“But she’s family.”
“She threw that away. Whenever he knows she’s going to be at a family event, he finds a convenient excuse not to attend. When Whitney and I broke up, we’d just headed into the off-season and shortly thereafter Derek was traded, so I didn’t see him again until we played the Generals in a pre-season game. He pulled me aside before the game began and apologized for her behavior. He was disgusted with her and wanted to let me know that what she did would not affect our friendship.
“When I was first traded to the Generals, I wasn’t sure how he would react to my presence—seeing me every day. I knew what he’d told me after it first happened but that’s been years. All I can say is Derek is a true friend. He accepted me with open arms like nothing happened. We never speak of that time, and to this day I am thankful that my family never knew of Whitney and our engagement.”
“Your family never met her?”
He shook his head. “Something always seemed to prevent me from introducing her. Our affair, which is what I like to call it started during preseason and was over in the blink of an eye. I was traveling with the team so much; I didn’t know whether I was coming or going. Our schedule was crazy that year. In fact, I didn’t even make it home during the holidays. It just didn’t work out, and I’m thankful it turned out that way because she was long out of my life when I finally saw my family again.”
Ryne drew her near. “I should have told you this before now. I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage to share my misfortune with you.”
She placed her hand on his chest and felt his strong heart beating wildly. She began to play with the buttons on his shirt, smoothed out the wrinkles, finally moving her hand up to caress his cheek. He sighed while he waited for her to speak. “We all make mistakes and luckily you discovered her wayward ways before you married. It was a learning experience and hopefully you’ll never make the same mistake again.”
He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Never. I know what I want and I’ve found it. I found it in you, if you’ll have me.” He smiled down at her. “I guess now’s as good a time as any.” He paused and smiled the smile she’d grown to love. Placing his hand along the side of her face, he swallowed deeply then said the words he truly meant.
“I’ve never felt the way I do with anyone including Whitney. In all honesty, I wish I’d never spoken these words to her.” He leaned close and touched his forehead to hers. “I love you, Jen. I love you with all of my heart. Please believe that I truly love you with all of my being.”
“Wow,” she said in a whisper. “I don’t know how I can beat that.” She looked away briefly. “I don’t know how I can outdo your declaration.” She chuckled. “So, I’ll just say it. I love you too.” Winsomely she smiled. “I wouldn’t be sitting with you right here, right now, if I didn’t believe in you—in us.” She leaned over and kissed his lips.
He wrapped his arms around her. As she weaved her hands through his hair he continued, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me outside of hockey and my family. I can’t wait to introduce you to my parents.”
“I guess that’s a good thing.” She chuckled as they snuggled closer. Tonight had been a night of discovery for her, for them, and she knew they could only grow as a couple as they worked towards a future filled with love.
Chapter Seventeen
The next morning while Jen checked out her grandparents’ new home, Ryne was scheduled to meet with Adam who had arranged a private room for their meeting.
Ryne had a hard time saying goodbye to Jen after they’d shared their feelings of love the night before. As he stood outside the restaurant, he pulled her close once again before watching her walk away.
His heart beat wildly. If this wasn’t love, he didn’t know what it was because he’d never once felt this way about Whitney. She looked back and threw him a kiss. A huge smile crossed his face as he waved back.
“I take it she’s the one,” Adam said as he slapped Ryne on the back.
“Could be,” Ryne commented as he shook Adam’s hand.
“I look forward to meeting her.”
“Enough talk about Jen and me, let’s eat.”
The hostess led them to their reserved room where a carafe of coffee waited for them.
“Did you come in last night?”
“No, we came in yesterday morning. We had dinner with Jim and Holly and tonight we’re having dinner with her grandparents.”
“Dinner with the grandparents, huh?”
“Yep! I’m looking forward to it. I’ve met her maternal grandparents already, and now I get to meet her father’s side of the family.”
“What are her parents like?”
Ryne flicked the handle on his coffee cup. He pursed his lips, shook his head. “Her parents are both deceased. They were kill
ed in a car accident on the way to her high school graduation.”
“How horrible.”
“It was a pretty life-altering event for her to the say the least. She’s lucky, though, she has phenomenal grandparents. I can’t wait to meet her father’s parents. Her mother’s are a hoot.”
The waitress arrived and took their order. Ryne waited to get to the meat of their conversation as he didn’t want to be interrupted. “Adam, I wanted to discuss my contract.”
“You’ve still got two years left, have you forgotten?”
“No, that’s one thing I’m fully aware of. Let’s just say my trade came out of left field. Did you see it coming because I certainly didn’t? I know I was injured early in the season, but it still doesn’t make sense to me.” He tapped his finger on the rim of his cup. “I’ve been thinking a lot.”
“More than normal,” Adam asked.
Ryne chuckled at his comment, “Yeah, more than usual.” He reached for his cup and took a sip. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately…You know how loyal I am.”
“You are.”
“I’m going to come right out and say it. I want…” He stopped speaking and looked Adam directly in the eyes. “Not I want, I expect to play for the Calgary Storm. With all of the familial ties to the team, I’ve always wanted to play for them. Between my dad being a stand out star and my brothers… It’s always been my dream to play there. I know I’m being a little forward here, but that’s what I expect with my next contract, and I thought you should know what my expectations are.”
“What if I can get you there before your contract expires?”
“Do it,” he claimed as he raised his hand from the table reaching again for his coffee cup. It wasn’t the first time he’d expressed his desire to play for the Storm.
“What about Jen? Will she want to live in the cold north?”
“I can’t answer that. We haven’t really gone there yet with our relationship. We both know there’s something special between us, but in all honesty, I don’t know what would happen. I know she’s in flux right now and is working through a few decisions.” Shaking his head, he added, “Time will tell.”
