“Are you ogling me?” He tries not to laugh, but it falls from his mouth anyway.
“No, I’m not,” I lie. “Where are we going, Brody?”
“We need to eat, don’t you think?”
Giggling, I agree. He still hasn’t told me where. Fine. I sit back in my seat, but we arrive at a restaurant within minutes of doing so. I can’t tell much about the place from the outside. There’s no denying the romantic atmosphere as we walk inside, though. The lighting allows each table to feel secluded in a room full of others. At the front of the dining area, there is a large grand piano and a man wearing a suit is playing a soft, alluring tune.
We’re seated at a small, round table in the center of the room, it seems. Brody pulls my chair out for me. It’s a sweet, gentlemanly gesture. He slides his chair closer to mine, making it where we’re facing the guy up from who is now singing in a quiet, but powerful voice. Brody slings his arm on the back of my chair and I look over at him.
“This place is lovely,” I say. The atmosphere is relaxing yet romantic and intimate. I unbutton my coat, feeling warm, and slip out of it before Brody takes it from me, hanging it off my chair.
“I’ve heard great things about this place, but I’ve never been before. So I’m really happy that you like it.” He smiles, leaning over to plant a sweet kiss on my lips.
A waiter walks up, greets us, and asks if we know what we’d like to drink. Brody quickly answers that we would like a bottle of wine. Once he leaves, I take an opportunity to tease him.
“What if I didn’t want wine?”
Brody grins. “That never occurred to me because I already know what you want. Wine tonight is something you want.”
Leaning in to whisper, my lips graze his ear as I say, “What else do I want?”
“Me,” he answers with such simplicity. “Us,” he murmurs confidently, scanning the menu. I freeze unable to find words to respond, staring at the man next to me. Brody lifts his head with a chuckle, brings my hand to his lips for a kiss, and then tells me with a nod to my own menu, “Might want to look that over.”
“Right,” I mumble, the word tumbling from my mouth as I try to find something appealing. Brody rests a hand on my thigh, and I really try to focus. The words don’t mean anything to me as his thumb moves back and forth over the hem of my dress as half of his thumb touches my bare skin. My thoughts are focused on what he said. What that means. Because I’m pretty sure that I just fell further in love with Brody. Two two-lettered words rendered me speechless and helpless to this hockey player.
“Selene?”
My head lifts and I realize the waiter has brought us our drinks and is currently waiting on me to order. “Oh, sorry. I’ll have the same.”
Brody chuckles, shaking his head before giving the waiter his order. Oops. He hadn’t said his yet. I reach for my glass as he walks away and Brody asks with curiosity, “What were you thinking about?”
Mm. This is good wine. I take another sip before I say, “Just you. Do you realize that I’ve given you all the power tonight? You picked my dress, the wine, and dinner.”
Brody laughs. “Yet, the way I see it, you’ve always held the power.” Before I can comment, he asks, “Are you excited about the game tomorrow?”
A grin automatically appears on my face. “So much. I’m beyond ready to be back in the arena. I miss it.” God, do I miss it. That’s my sanctuary and I haven’t been there in what seems like forever. Too much has been going on. Watching games on TV hasn’t done anything for me. Tomorrow, I’ll get hockey back. For some reason, I feel like I’ve lost it. “It’s going to be a little weird sitting next to Bradley, but seeing your face on the screen.” I laugh softly. “Good thing I can tell you two apart. Do fans ever mistake him for you when he’s here?”
“Sometimes. His hair usually helps distinguish us. Once, a girl saw him and freaked out, thinking I cut my hair.” Brody laughs at the memory with a shake of his head. Our waiter brings us our food, and when he leaves, Brody smiles at me, taking a deep breath. “Are you going to wear my jersey, Selene?”
“Hey,” I start playfully, nudging his shoulder with mine. “You stay out of my hockey wardrobe.”
“You do realize that I play on your team, right?” he teases. “I’m your captain, in fact.”
I roll my eyes at him, having to pause my response as I eat. “I know that, but I can’t be obvious about my favorite. Have to share the love for the other players too.”
He leans closer. “I’m your favorite?” he whispers.
“You always have been, Brody.” He seems almost skeptical, so I continue. “I’ve been watching Mustangs since Stacy introduced it to me. When you started playing for them, you easily became my favorite. I observed you, was mesmerized when you were on the ice. You’ve always been a fantastic player, Brody, and I saw you grow into your role as captain. I admired the person I saw on the ice, in interviews, in pictures, and whatever else was put out there for fans. There’s something about the way you play that demands my attention and respect. Stacy would have loved you.”
Brody’s lips part, but he doesn’t say anything. My throat is tight at having mentioned my friend twice, tears wanting to form and fall at her memory. He gives me a kiss and rests his forehead against mine for a moment.
“That has to be one of the best things anyone has ever said to me. Thank you. I wish I could have met her,” he says softly.
“Me too.”
The piano player announces that he’s taking a quick break, ruining our moment, but I’m thankful. I take a deep breath as we go back to our meal. When the tears stop threatening to fall, I resume our conversation.
“Thank you for tonight, Brody.”
He smiles. “I wanted to take you out.”
Our waiter comes to check on us and Brody orders some chocolatey dessert. The pianist/singer returns for some background music, inviting people to come dance, as Brody turns towards me in his seat. He takes my hands in his, demanding my attention.
“There’s something I want to tell you. It never hurts to hear these things and I need to make sure you know.” I nod, propelling him forward. “Moving in next to you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love your passion with hockey. It’s greater than my own and I’m a pro player. You have such strength. You named your dog Bonkers.” He shakes his head with wonder. “You are a remarkable person, Selene, and you’ve made my life so much better by being in it.”
His words move me, even as his comment on my “strength” nags in the back of my mind. No, I am strong. Being temporarily shaken and unsure doesn’t mean that I’m not. I want to lean over and give him a kiss that isn’t appropriate for a public place. I want to tell him how he makes me feel, how I feel about him. He should know, just like he’s made sure I know how much he cares about me. The waiter saves me from speaking, bringing us one bowl and two spoons. Brody doesn’t look away yet.
His voice is husky and quiet. “I love you. So much, Selene, so much.”
I remove my hands from his, place one over each cheek, and press my lips to his in a simple, but promising kiss. Promising more than what we have now without the words that I can’t say.
“Let’s eat our dessert before it melts.”
~
“When was the last time you went to one of Brody’s games?” I ask Bradley as we take a seat in my section.
“Last season. What the hell are you eating, Selene?” Bradley looks completely disgusted by my hotdogs and milkshake.
“Do you not have these delicacies in your home country?” I laugh.
“It’s gross,” he answers, ignoring me.
So I ignore him and eat my traditional meal. My mind wanders to last night. Brody made me feel like a pampered princess by the end of the night. After our dessert, we joined the couples on the dance floor, swaying to the music. He held me close and there wasn’t a need for an exchange of words. When we returned home, Bradley was back. Brody murmured in my ear something about kicking him out
, but we didn’t. I wouldn’t let him.
“Bradley?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for coming with me.”
He smiles. “You thank me too often, Selene.”
The lights dim, dragging our attention to the ice. “I’m going to use the restroom before the game starts.” Bradley nods and I make my out. There are still people mingling about. I’m halfway to the bathrooms when my eyes land on an unfortunately familiar face coming towards me.
Jessica. Wearing the same Ross jersey as I am.
What is she doing here? The second our eyes meet, she grins. I turn on my heels, narrowly avoiding running into a man, and hurry back to Bradley without looking back. My steps are quick. I can’t get back to my seat fast enough. My brain keeps telling me that I’m not running from her. I’m simply keeping her from ruining my night. This is my place. My home. Not hers. She won’t take this from me. She can’t.
“That was quick,” Bradley comments as I sit back down.
“Yeah.”
I don’t want to tell him she’s here. No need to mess his night up too. As long as she stays away, we’ll be fine. The puck drops, immediately dragging me into the game. Thank goodness. I honestly don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t get lost in this game. I don’t see my Brody on the ice, though. The captain of the Indiana Mustangs is on the ice, nothing more, nothing less.
We win, Brody scoring one of the goals, and Bradley goes on to drive us home. The rush of the game leaves me, forcing my thoughts back to Jessica. The weight of the entire situation weighs on me. It tires me out. Last night was wonderful, but it was a night where she wasn’t a problem. We can’t keep ignoring the looming trouble. It has to end. Very soon.
Without waiting for Brody to get home, I go to my room and fall asleep quickly with Bonkers nestled against my chest.
Chapter Twenty
Brody
“Where is Selene?” I ask when I walk into my house. Bradley is sitting on my couch, watching some horrible reality show.
“She pretty much blew past me to get away and into her house,” he says matter-of-fact.
“Well, what did you do to her?” I growl at him.
“Calm down. I think she just wants some time alone.” Bradley slaps me on the shoulder and walks up the stairs.
I pull my phone from my pocket and send Selene a text.
Me: I’m worried. Are you okay?
Selene: I’m asleep. I’m fine. We’ll talk later
I don’t really like the tone of the text, but she’s okay. Maybe Bradley’s right and she needs time alone. I sigh in defeat because I really want to run over there and be with her, but I know better.
~
The sun is brightly shining in my room when I leap up. I haven’t seen Selene, and I want to check on her before she leaves for work. I brush my teeth, throw on some clothes, and race out the back door.
Like clockwork, there’s Bonkers, chasing his tail in the backyard. I love that silly dog. I whistle, and he stops, looking at me. He practically jumps the fence to get to me. I laugh at him, when my eyes catch Selene standing at the back door with a coffee mug in her hand.
Her hair and makeup are perfectly done, and she’s dressed in a gray pantsuit. The purple blouse brings out her dark eyes. I wave at her, but she gives me a tight, thin smile back. This isn’t going to be as good of a morning as I first thought. She turns her back to me, and I put Bonkers down, heading to her.
“Good morning,” I say brightly hoping that I’m reading her wrong.
“Hey,” she says back with not much expression, walking over to the counter.
“Um, did you sleep well? I missed you in my bed.” I put my arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck.
“Yep, slept great.” She pulls away from me. Yep, she’s mad.
“Selene, what’s wrong?” I ask, not sure if I want to know the answer.
There’s sadness in her eyes when she finally looks up at me. I know what’s coming. I’ve seen that look, just one other time in my life.
“Brody, this isn’t working. I thought being a booty call was going to be simple, but now we’re in a relationship, and you’re expressing all these feelings to me. I can’t handle it all. Let’s not forget your crazy ass, pregnant stalker, who seems to be everywhere I turn.” She turns her attention to her feet, and my heart breaks.
“So, what are you saying?” My voice cracks a bit. Great, another person I love trampling all over me.
“I can’t, Brody. I honestly don’t want to deal with this. My love is hockey, my job, and my dog. This,” she looks up at me, “is ruining all of my true loves, and I’m not going to let it.” Her voice grows serious, but the tears creeping up in her eyes.
“Selene,” I beg, walking closer to her. “Please don’t do this to us.” I swallow back the lump of pain in my throat. I’m not going to lose her.
“Brody, there is no ‘us’.” She air quotes to me. “We were fuck buddies, and you let your feelings get in the way of that.”
“You have no feelings for me whatsoever?” I challenge her. I know better than that.
She stands there, not breaking eye contact with me, saying nothing. She can’t say the words because she knows there are feelings. She expressed so much to me on our date, and I want that Selene back. I want my Selene.
“Goodbye, Brody.” Selene crosses her arms.
“I’m not leaving.” I mirror her stance.
“Please, Brody. You can’t stay with me. It’s not going to work. And,” she pauses, closing her eyes.
“What?” I push for her to tell me.
She opens her eyes and one lone tear falls. “Being in that arena is home to me. That’s the one place where my memories of Stacy are the strongest, and I won’t lose that. Even for you, Brody.”
Another tear falls as I realize she’s right. I can’t hurt her any further. I love her too much. I step closer, thinking she’ll move away. When she doesn’t, I reach for her hand. I guide her to me and cup her face.
“No matter what you think or feel, I love you. I love you like no other person in my life.” I softly press my lips to hers, and I feel them quivering. The saltness of the tears now streaming down her face contrasts with the sweet taste of her berry lip gloss. When I break the kiss, I lay my forehead on hers. “I’ll wait for you.”
It’s the last words I say to her before walking out the patio door. I hear her sobbing, but I can’t turn back. I slam my back door with all my might, and I thought I had broken the glass for sure. My emotions are running in every direction, and I want to punch something.
“She broke up with you?” Bradley questions from behind me.
I whip around to see my twin brother, eating cereal at the table. “Did you know?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I got the feeling it was coming.”
“Thanks for the heads up, ass!” I shout at him.
The jerk chuckles at me. “Don’t get all pissed with me, you’re the one that caused this. No one else.”
I through my hands up in bewilderment. “How could this possibly be my fault? Please explain, ol’ wise Yoda.”
He throws his spoon down and stands up, coming over to me. “You need to get your priorities in check. You love Selene? Great, then lose the crazy chick. You want to run off in the sunset with Selene? Then maybe you should focus on the woman claiming she’s knocked up and proving that she isn’t having your child. Don’t come at me like I’m the enemy, Brody. I’m the one person that can help you out of this mess.”
“How can you be the one person to help me?”
“How many times have you been hit in the head with a puck? What do you think I’ve been doing the last few days with Selene? Twiddling my thumbs?”
In all honesty, I have no clue what he has been doing. I assumed he followed her around. “Um,” is my only response.
Bradley shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “You are such a hockey player.”
“Hey,” I yell at him.<
br />
“That girl loves you, but she doesn’t want your damn drama-filled soap opera you’re calling ‘Your Life’. Clean up the mess with Jessica, then go back to Selene. She needs hardcore proof that the crazy chick isn’t going to screw up her relationship with you.” He slugs me hard in the shoulder as he walks away from me.
“When the fuck did you get so smart?” I ask.
“Well, apparently you got the brawn and I got the brains, idiot,” he shouts over his shoulder.
I close my eyes and try to figure out what my next move will be. First, I have to go to practice.
~
I have never wanted to leave a practice so badly. I don’t hardly talk to anyone as I run to my car and go to the one place that will help me get Selene back into my arms.
“Mr. Ross, you don’t have an appointment to see Mr. Madison,” the young secretary tells me as I blow past her to barge into his office.
“Now. This moment. I want to know if she is pregnant.” I pound on his desk, making him jump.
“Brody.” His face goes slightly white.
“Should I call security?” the girl asks, but I never take my eyes off of him.
“No, it’s fine. Leave us for a moment,” Mr. Madison instructs her to leave. He gets up from his desk, coming over to me. “Brody, calm down.”
“Not going to happen. This situation is ruining my life, and I want it fixed. Now,” I command him as if he’s a player on the ice.
He nods. “Sit down.”
Even though I don’t want to, I relent and sit. Mr. Madison walks back to his chair and shuffles the papers around until he finds what he was looking for. “I planned on calling you. I made sure that this was served to Jessica today.”
He hands me a paper, and I read through it quickly. It was requesting proof of the pregnancy, and it had to be from a doctor and with official lab work. She had forty-eight hours to comply.
“Have we received anything?” I ask, urgent to know.
“Not yet,” he says sadly. “She has a little while to get back to us.”
The hurt overtakes me. I want to go home and tell Selene. Instead, I nod and leave the office. The ride home is pure torture. I hate my life without Selene in it. I pull into my driveway and see Bradley and Allison on the porch. I watch them flirting for a minute, and it makes me miss Selene’s smile, and I laugh. I take a deep breath and face my world alone.
A Hockey Player's Proposal (Oh Captain, My Captain #2) Page 14
