Just Another Season

by Longley, Avery J.

  “It’s much like we use ‘fuck’, but it can encompass several words all at once. Can we leave it as she was quite displeased with him and expressed as much?”

  “Well, speaking of fuckers, let’s see if this bastard starts up this time.” Sliding into the seat and closing the door behind her, but immediately rolling down the window, Emma put the key into the ignition and wasn’t the least bit surprised when the car cranked but didn’t turn over. Leaning her head against the steering wheel, she tried again, with the same results. “Fuck. My. Life.”

  Devin reached inside to pat her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it little one. I’ll go grab the keys from Gabi, drive you back, and we’ll try and get your vehicle situated when it’s brighter out.” Sighing, and with no fight left in her, Emma nodded and climbed from her car, leaning against it, while waiting for Devin to return.

  All she could hope at this point was that her new apartment-mates weren’t as rowdy and obnoxious as Gabi had implied so many months before.

  Chapter 6 - Hockey Boys and Bets

  Enjoying the sunshine on the nation’s birthday, Emma sat in a folding beach chair she’d scrounged from the local Salvation Army, a book in hand, and her tablet and cell phone resting beside her. Her peaceful silence was interrupted by the sounds of a luxury car squealing into the apartment complex, its driver either indifferent or ignorant to the fact that they were parking in a fire zone. Emma wasn’t the least bit surprised to see one Luke Perrault practically strutting out of the vehicle. She watched as he leaned into the driver’s side backseat and grabbed a bag, and then looked up – and noticed her gazing in his direction.

  Smirking, he started closer to her, and when he was practically standing over her chair, Emma snarled at him in a menacing voice, “Enfant d'chienne. Just because I have curves does not mean I’m fat. Va te faire enculer.”

  Luke cocked an eyebrow in her direction and seemed to contemplate a bit before he finally questioned in that almost perfect English, mimicking her question from the previous night, “Do you kiss your Papa with that mouth, Ms. Connelly?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She muttered almost under her breath before looking up at him and snarling once more. “Now move. You’re blocking my sun.”

  “And we could not have that, now could we, mon cherie?” Still, Luke only barely backed away, and Emma finally slammed down the book and gave him an exasperated look. “What, is one not allowed to stand and enjoy the sun?”

  Growling, and preparing to gather up her things, Emma didn’t even realize how loud her voice was raised as she grunted in his direction, “You so are an enfant d'chienne.” Pausing briefly as she sent his previous words through the translation program on her smart phone, she added, “And don’t call me ‘your dear’ because hell would freeze over before that would ever happen.”

  Coming out of nowhere, but looming over Emma like her personal savior, Trent squared his shoulders, his voice low but with a protective edge to it, “Everything okay here? He bothering you, Emma?”

  Before Emma could respond, Luke cackled soft, taking the opportunity to throw another jab out. “Ahhh, so it is Lover Boy in the flesh. Should you not be more worried about making the team than making eyes at the girl?”

  Trent blinked, eyeing Emma for a split second before his attention returned to Luke, telling him in a voice with more of a snarl to it, “There’s nothing going on between us. Not that it’s any of your concern. And considering I was the first one to be signed and my contract is guaranteed, I’m not worried about making the team. Projecting your own fears?”

  Sucking in a breath at Trent’s easy dismissal, Emma rose to her feet, practically shoving them both out of the way to get to her own door. Stopping at the door, head held high even though her eyes couldn’t hide the pain, she told them both, “I’m out of your leagues, anyways.” Slamming the door shut and yanking the curtains closed, Emma moved to settle into her Grandpa Connelly’s chair, closing her eyes to try and will the tears away.

  It was just a little crush. So why did she feel like someone had just stabbed her through the heart?

  ~*~

  Scowling a bit and rolling his eyes, Ryan gave his cousin a slight shove before eyeing his much taller teammate. “Now that you two are done insulting our reporter, what’s say we all go back to our own places and get settled, eh?”

  Trent didn’t even answer, just turned on his foot and walked away, leaving the cousins Perrault eyeing each other before Luke shrugged and smirked. “Was just being friendly.”

  “Daft, while an expression you’ve quite mastered, isn’t a good look on you, idiot. I heard damn near all of it, and I lay you dollars to donuts Gabi will be calling us at some point to ream us out. Did you not remember her telling us that the girl got moved here because she felt threatened at her old place? Do you not think your little attempts at mind games won’t have the same effect?”

  And though Luke shrugged a bit, trying for an air of indifference, his eyes did reflect a bit of remorse, a bit of misgiving for the entire situation, and he finally mumbled under his breath, “She just rubs me the wrong way. She is supposed to be reporting on us, and yet seems more interested in getting into our pants.”

  Hooking his hand onto Luke’s shoulder and directing them off towards the side entrance to their upstairs apartment, Ryan reminded him, “Bit hypocritical of you to be judging anyone for doing that, oui?”

  “Ferme ta gueule.”

  “Yes, I love you too, asshole. Now move your ass so we can dump this gear and sort out bedrooms and such.” Ryan retorted, using his larger equipment bag to whack his cousin in the ass, trying to harpoon him up the stairs at a faster rate than he was moving on his own. Soon they finally reached the apartment directly over Emma’s, and after a few more moments, were both inside, gazing around in wonderment.

  It became clear that the Blizzard were doing their best to make their ‘new home’ as accommodating as possible. A decent sized flat screen TV hung from one of the walls, and they had new furniture as well – a couch and loveseat that both appeared to be leather. Ryan bet that if he checked the fridge it too would be well stocked.

  While Ryan continued to gaze around, Luke called out, “Dibs on the master bedroom!”

  Turning to track down the cousin who was already loping off in that direction, Ryan caught Luke just before he reached the prized door. Wrapping his arms around Luke’s waist, Ryan ended up yanking them both to the floor in the process. “No fucking way. I have more gear than you; I need a bigger room than you do!”

  “Oooof.” Luke breathed as one of Ryan’s elbows nailed him in the ribs. “Mange de la marde! I will be getting laid far more often than you will, so I need the bigger room.”

  Though he was smaller, Ryan also knew himself to be far more flexible and agile than his cousin. He used that to his advantage, rolling away from one attempted blow and instead left Luke with his arms pinned to the ground. “Has anyone ever told you how spoiled fucking rotten you are?”

  Smirking, Luke retorted smoothly, “Jealous?” The cousins stared eyeball to eyeball for a moment before Luke added in the same smooth voice, “Because if you aren’t now, I’m sure you will be when I have little Ms. Connelly downstairs.”

  Narrowing his eyes and hitting Luke a bit harder than he intended, Ryan growled, “Mange de la marde yourself! That woman has too much sense to get involved with a player like you.”

  Still smirking, what Ryan could only describe as a devious expression flickered through his cousin’s eyes. “What say we bet on it then, eh? First to bed her cleans the others equipment for the rest of the season.”

  Ryan shook his head and frowned immediately. “Grandpère,” he began before Luke interrupted him.

  “Do not bring Grandpère into this!”

  Ignoring his cousin for the moment, Ryan continued, “Grandpère would not approve of us objectifying a woman like this. We were raised better than this.” Pausing for a long moment, he added almost as an aftertho
ught, “At least I was.”

  Either Luke was stronger than Ryan remembered, or he’d loosened his grip just enough for Luke to break free, because in the next moment, it was Ryan rolling around on the floor, hand to his now bleeding nose, while Luke towered over him. “You are a chicken. You know I will bed her first, so you will not bet. Fine, chicken. Take your bigger bedroom, but I will get the girl.”

  Staggering to his feet, Ryan glared at the man who in their youth had often been mistaken for his twin. Wiping his hand across his face then spitting in his palm, Ryan extended his hand towards Luke. “Bet’s on. Fucker.”

  Luke smirked, spit in his own hand and shook his cousin’s hand firmly. “She will still be mine.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  Chapter 7 - Fire Zone

  Was she ever going to be able to read a book in peace again? Emma had serious doubts. The Perrault cousins hadn’t been upstairs for even 10 minutes and she already was hearing crashing sounds and muffled shouting, some of which she was certain was French.

  Throwing down her book in annoyance and grabbing her keys, she paused only to lock up her apartment before cautiously climbing the stairs, unsure what would greet her there. She wasn’t the least bit surprised to find their door wide open - that would explain why they seemed so damn loud. Just before she reached the door, she heard what she could only assume was the tail end of a conversation.

  “Bet’s on. Fucker.”

  “She will still be mine.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  Emma furrowed her brow, wondering who exactly the boys could be fighting about. Had they already been to the rink and seen the trampy little things the team had hired to be cheerleaders? Whatever the case was, she was hopeful Ryan won – that would keep him from trying to be her shadow instead!

  Finally knocking on the door frame, she whistled soft at their digs. It was clear the team was going all out to make a good impression on the players, and everything from the plush carpeting they were standing on to the flat screen TV looked to be accomplishing that feat. “Hi.” She gave them both a fake smile and a wave. When they turned in her direction, she continued, “I know there’s going to be fireworks tonight, but can you save the loud banging ‘til that point? Some of us actually have jobs and need to be able to concentrate.” She could tell Luke was about to make a smart-assed comment, so she added, “By the way pretty boy? Your expensive little car? It’s parked in a fire zone. Might wanna do something about that.”

  Luke tilted his head then glanced over at Ryan, “Que se ‘Fire Zone’?”

  For the first time since she’d been in the room, Emma saw a small smile curl over Ryan’s lips as he answered, “Pas de parking.”

  “Hostie!” The word left his mouth as he sprinted past Emma, and as she glanced back, she noted he practically leapt to the bottom of the stairs in one single motion.

  Turning back towards Ryan, Emma saw that the grimace had returned to his face, and as she looked closer, she should see a thin trail of blood trickling from his nose. “Motherfucker! What did he do to you?” Without even thinking about it, she moved to him, grabbing him by his elbow and tugging him into their kitchen, pushing him towards a chair, and turning to look for a paper towel.

  “Nothing he or others haven’t done before, I assure you.” Finally finding the paper towels and wetting it just a bit in their sink, Emma turned back to find he still had a sour look on his face. As she approached with the towel, Ryan swiped it out of her hands and brought it to his own face to roughly jab at the blood, muttering at her as he did. “And just because I’m here to play a game doesn’t mean it isn’t a job, thank you very much.”

  Emma stood in front of Ryan for a long moment, unconsciously rocking a bit on her heels before her mouth finally decided to start to function again. “I see. I’m sorry.” Turning to exit back towards her own apartment, she paused as she reached the door. “By the way, call your sister. She’s been trying to reach you all day.”

  Finally returning to her own apartment, Emma was not surprised to find Trent sitting beside her door, quietly looking up at her on her arrival and asking, “Everything okay up there?”

  Shrugging, and somewhat against her better judgment as she let him follow her back inside, Emma mumbled in retort, “They were physically fighting and making bets over bedding a girl. Class acts, those two, not sure how either of them can be related to Gabi. She can be brutal, but it’s always the truth.” And after another moment she just stared at Trent, her eyes locking on his telling far more truth about her emotions than anything she said.

  “I’m sorry.” He told her softly, settling down into her couch, looking like some sort of origami figure trying to pretzel himself into formation, before waving his hand so she’d let him continue. “I know you like me. I’ve known that from the start. And I’ve done my damnedest to try not to lead you on, but I guess I have.” Rubbing a big hand through his mess of hair, he added softer still, “Maybe I’m strange, because I’ve never been involved with anyone before, like ever. But my heart, my mind, tell me I can’t get involved with someone I don’t hardly know. And maybe after we’d got to know each other it might work, but right now, I’m hoping I didn’t just lose the only friend I’ve got here.”

  Giving Trent a sad smile, but having to stop herself from reaching out and cupping his cheek tenderly, Emma curled into her Grandpa’s chair, sitting sideways to be able to see him, talk to him. “My fault, honestly. I guess in that regard, I’m the opposite of you. I get interested, I pursue. But it’s not like it was a surprise to hear that you weren’t interested in me.”

  Trent raised an eyebrow at that, asking after a moment, “Lover boy, though?”

  And here, Emma had the decency to blush, head ducking a bit to tell him, “I was talking about you to the Malones - Ryan’s sister, and Luke’s cousin? - last night was her birthday. I can only presume at some point after I left my relationship status came up in question. And they were perhaps told I had eyes on someone.” Trailing off, Emma gave him another sad little smile before shrugging a bit, voice softer still, even though the thumping around had begun anew upstairs, “I told them though, I didn’t think you were into me. So, I can only presume anything she might have said was to get them to leave me be.”

  Glancing upstairs at the stomping of feet, Trent started to untwist himself, asking her almost without waiting for an answer, “Should I go up there, remind them they do have a downstairs neighbor, and to behave themselves?”

  Shaking her head just a bit, Emma told him, “No point. I texted Gabi on my way out of their apartment already. Told her no matchmaking, but that I’d rather live closer to you, Trent, than below her family. I’d feel safer and more comfortable that way.”

  ~*~

  Still seated at the kitchen chair with the damp paper towel pressed to his face, Ryan was muttering without any words under his breath when Luke finally bounded back in. “Does your fucking cell phone still have a charge?”

  “Of fucking course.” Luke retorted smartly. “What kind of a fool do you take me for? “

  “Ferme ta gueule. You don’t want me to answer that. Just call Gabi and see what she wants, will you?” Finally moving the paper towel away from his face, Ryan started to gently feel at his nose, to try and determine if the dumbass had broken anything. He hadn’t heard anything crack, but he wasn’t sure how straight his nose was to begin with. Still, it didn’t feel broken, so he felt like he’d gotten off lucky.

  “I haven’t done anything!” At Luke’s raised voice, Ryan pulled himself to his feet and wandered into the living room area, finding his cousin pacing and trying desperately to get a word in edgewise as Gabi no doubt read him the riot act. “But.” “Non!”

  Shaking his head, Ryan finally held out his hand for the phone and Luke gave it to him without hesitation – and his sister was so riled up that he could hear her even before he put the phone near his ear, “She’s got severe social anxiety. It’s hard enough to get her to co
me out. She may seem all confident and cocksure but she so isn’t. In fact, I think she’s borderline autistic. So, leave her alone! We don’t need you making her feel unsafe! Crisse de Tabarnak!!”

  “Love you too, Gabi. How was your day? Mine was swell. Luke wanted to see if my nose would bend to the left, and wouldn’t you know it? It does.”

  There was a delay of several seconds while Gabi registered that she was now talking to Ryan, and while her voice was calmer than it was with Luke, Ryan knew his sister well enough to pick up the underlying venom. “What did you two do to her? We finally get her some place she’s safe, she’s comfortable, and now she wants out?”

  Ryan sighed soft – he so didn’t want to be talking about Emma to his sister, especially not right now. “Why were you looking for me for, Gaba?” He was banking on the baby name cooling her down further, and when he heard a soft giggle in his ear, he knew he’d accomplished his goal.

  “Oh Turtle, I just wanted to make sure you two were settled in. If you’d figured out dinner yet. There’s a great pizza place around here; you order it, then go pick it up and cook it yourself, so it’s cheap but it’s good.”