Cara sat back, the hurtful words acting like a slap in her face. "I'm not making a fool of myself."
"Is that what you think?" Anna rolled her eyes. "Those women aren't your friends, Cara. They're probably only being nice to you because you got knocked up by one of the guys on the team."
Cara started to deny it then stopped. How could she deny it, when she had thought that exact same thing the other night?
That didn't mean Anna had to be so blunt or hurtful about it. Why was she so angry? She could be impatient and self-absorbed—Cara of all people knew that. But deliberately hurtful? Not usually. And when she was, it was generally because she was in a mood and she didn't really mean it.
Tonight was different, though. Anna had been impatient and on-edge before they even left the apartment. She had taken one look at Cara's outfit of jeans and a Bombers sweatshirt then rolled her eyes. She had muttered under her breath when they were forced to sit in traffic for a few minutes as they approached the arena. She had complained that they had to pay for parking. Then she complained even more when they had to go to will-call to pick up the tickets. Everything had been an inconvenience but Cara had simply ignored it. Anna had been quiet for the first period, looking around as she drank her beer, and Cara had stopped worrying.
Now Anna was complaining about the beer—even though she'd already had two large cups—and their seats. And even the women they were with. No, they might not be Cara's friends, not yet. That didn't mean they couldn't be. And for some reason she didn't understand, Cara was suddenly protective of them.
"That's not why they're being nice, Anna."
"Oh please. Don't kid yourself. They—"
"Anna, stop. Not tonight. I'm not—" Jenny grabbed her arm before she could finish, pulling on her until she finally stood.
"Look!" Jenny pointed at the ice. "Travis has a breakaway! Go, Trav!"
Cara's gaze danced around the ice, trying to figure out where Jenny was pointing to as people stood and cheered all around them. There he was, heading toward the net all by himself. Cara held her breath, not daring to blink for fear she'd lose track of Travis as he sped across the smooth surface. Closer, closer still, the little black puck tucked in close to the stick in his hand.
Cheers and shouts echoed around them, growing louder with each long stride that brought Travis closer to the net. He stopped suddenly, pulled back on his stick—
Then spun around and moved even closer. Cara saw his arms move then the light behind the net was flashing as a loud horn added to the noise around them. Travis dropped to one knee and pumped his arm, then raced across the ice as several other players pulled him into a hug.
Did Travis score? Had she somehow missed it? She turned to Jenny, only to have the other woman pull her into a hug as she jumped up and down.
"Did you see that? The way he read the goalie before taking the shot? It was beautiful!"
Haley and Megan and Savannah and Courtney all reached over, patting her on the shoulder and arms as they smiled and laughed. Cara glanced around, wondering again what she missed. How she missed it.
"Did he score?"
"Of course he scored. That's why the horn's blaring. Didn't you see it?"
"No. I missed it. I was looking but I missed it." Disappointment welled in her chest, confusing her. Why was she so disappointed? It didn't make sense. Travis had scored the other night, too, and she had seen that one. So had the others. But for some reason, they seemed more excited tonight, congratulating her like she had been the one on the ice. That didn't make sense, either.
Which, for reasons she didn't understand, only added to her disappointment.
"You didn't miss it. It just happened so fast, you don't realize you saw it. Look, they're going to replay it." Jenny pointed to the giant scoreboard above the ice. Cara focused on the large screen, watching as the camera zoomed in on Travis. There he was, larger than life, moving toward the net. Only this was in slow-motion so she could actually see it.
And it helped when the camera zoomed in on the little black puck, following it as it sliced through the air and hit the back of the net hard enough to make the netting stretch.
They replayed it two more times, showing a different angle each time. Applause echoed around them with each replay. Could Travis hear it? Unless he was deaf, he must. She looked at the bench below them, her gaze picking out the back of Travis's jersey. He was leaning forward, one arm braced against the small wall in front of the bench as he looked up at the screen. One of his teammates nudged him in the arm and he turned, giving her a view of his strong profile. Even from this far away, she could see the way the corner of his mouth lifted in an excited grin as he said something to his teammate.
Her heart tripped in her chest and she quickly looked away, trying to ignore the flash of desire surging through her. This wasn't like her. At all. The impatience over Anna's attitude. The sudden protective streak over the women around her. The unexpected need and desire warming her from the inside out.
Hormones. It must be hormones. That was the only thing that made sense.
She took her seat, shifting to get comfortable as Haley leaned back and slapped her on the leg. "Your guy did good out there, Cara."
A rush of pleasure washed over her at the words. Your guy. He wasn't, not really. But it wouldn't hurt to pretend, would it? Only for a second, while everyone was so excited over Travis's goal.
She turned to Anna, ready to ask her if she had managed to see the goal or if she had missed it, too. The smile on her face wavered, finally dying under the cold expression Anna leveled at her. "Wh-what?"
"You know you're only kidding yourself, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"He's not your guy. The only reason he's even with you is because you got knocked up. And the only reason that happened was because I sent you over to him instead of going myself."
The excitement Cara had been feeling only seconds ago disappeared. Shock and hurt replaced it, making it hard to swallow. A loud ringing echoed in her ears, the sound separate from the din of laughter and excitement in the arena. Heat scalded her face—the heat of embarrassment, of sadness and pain.
"I—I don't understand."
Anna leaned closer, each sharp word slicing deep when she spoke. "It shouldn't have been you, Cara. I was the one flirting with him. I sent you over as a joke, never thinking he'd actually take you home. Just remember that before you get too comfortable and start thinking about playing house with him."
Cara's eyes burned and she tried to blink the moisture away. What was Anna saying? That Travis had been flirting with her instead? That he had wanted to take Anna home and only settled for Cara when she walked over? That he would have settled for just anyone?
No, that couldn't be right. He wasn't like that.
Or was he? As much as she might want to think otherwise, she didn't really know him. There was nothing between them—nothing except the baby she was carrying.
A baby from their one-night stand.
She turned away from Anna, tried to pretend her friend's words didn't hurt. But they did and she was as helpless to stop the pain as she was from stopping the tears burning the back of her eyes. She needed a distraction, something to take her mind off everything Anna had just said, but the only thing she could think of to do was reach for the cup of soda in front of her. She started to do just that then quickly stopped when she noticed three sets of eyes focused on her.
Jenny. Haley. Savannah.
No, they weren't looking at her—they were looking at Anna. Glaring at her with undisguised anger and impatience.
Haley stood and slowly made her way across the row, not stopping until she was directly in front of Anna. She brushed her wild mane of fiery red curls from her face and leaned over the empty seat, her hazel eyes flashing with anger.
"Sweetheart, I hate to tell you this, but Travis wouldn't have touched you with a ten-foot pole."
A furious blush stained Anna's face, turning the pale skin
blotchy. She narrowed her eyes and started to say something but Haley leaned forward, one long finger pointed directly at her.
"Don't even think about it because you will lose. Now why don't you just scurry back to whatever hole you call home and let us enjoy the game without you fucking it up."
Anna hesitated long enough that Cara knew she was weighing her options, trying to decide if the other woman was really a threat or not. Anna's sense of self-preservation finally kicked in and she leaned down to grab her purse. She slid the strap over her shoulder then stood, giving Cara an expectant look. "You coming?"
She didn't want to. She needed time away from Anna, time to let the words lose their painful punch. Anna would apologize later, Cara was sure of it. She was simply in one of her moods, upset about something and taking it out on Cara.
But the pain was still too fresh, the words still ringing in Cara's ears. She didn't want to leave with Anna, not when she was like this. She didn't have a choice, though—Anna had driven, she had no other way to get home.
Cara started to lean forward to grab her own small purse when Jenny grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned to ask her what she was doing but Jenny wasn't even looking at her—she was staring at Anna.
"Cara's staying with us."
"But Anna drove—"
"Doesn't matter. We'll get you home."
The offer surprised Cara, eased some of the pain from Anna's words. But it didn't matter because she had to go home with Anna. If not now, then later, after the game. She tried to explain that to the other women but Anna was already leaving, walking away without a single glance back.
"What a jealous bitch. She's a real piece of work." Haley muttered the words as she moved back to her seat. Jenny laughed but the sound was soft, maybe a little forced. She reached out and patted Cara on the shoulder then grabbed the cup in front of her and took a long swallow.
"Don't worry, we'll get you home. And if we don't, Travis will." Jenny took another sip then tilted her head to the side and studied Cara. "You know she was lying, right? Travis would have never taken her home. He's not like that."
"He took me home."
Jenny bit her lower lip then looked at Haley, like she knew she had said the wrong thing and was now silently asking for help.
"Yeah, but that was out of character for Travis. He really isn't like that." Haley twisted in her seat and patted Cara on the leg. "Which means he must have really seen something in you in order to take you home."
If the words were supposed to make her feel better, they failed. Cara knew what they were trying to do and she appreciated the effort, but nothing they could say would make her feel better. Whether Anna was telling the truth about that night or not didn't matter. Yes, the words hurt. More than she wanted to admit. But worse than the words—what hurt the most—was the realization that she didn't know her friend at all. Yes, Anna could be abrupt and short and maybe a little too critical, but she had never deliberately tried to hurt Cara the way she had tonight.
Or had she? Maybe she had, and Cara simply kept making excuses for her. Blamed her behavior on her moods. Blamed her sharp tone on the drama of the moment. Blamed her biting criticism on whatever argument Anna had just had with the boyfriend of the day.
But not once had she ever realized—ever admitted—that Anna could be so deliberately hurtful.
And if she was wrong about that, what else was she wrong about?
Chapter Fourteen
"She said what?"
"Keep your voice down. I don't want Cara to know what we're talking about."
Travis almost laughed when Haley glanced over her shoulder then turned back to him. Did she really think Cara didn't know? Did she and Jenny really think Cara couldn't tell something was going on as soon as they grabbed him and pulled him to the side? He barely had a chance to take off his coat when they arrived at Mystic's before both women descended on him and dragged him away. He didn't miss the flash of surprise that crossed Cara's face, or the way she dropped her head, refusing to look at anyone.
He glanced over at their table, his gut clenching at the way Cara sat there. Head down, shoulders slumped, hands folded in her lap. Sitting with the group but not really a part of it. He wanted to rush over and pull her into his arms, reassure her, tell her everything would be okay.
But first he had to find out exactly what the hell was going on because neither Haley nor Jenny were making any real sense. Did Cara's roommate actually say he had been flirting with her the night he first met Cara?
"Tell me again what she said. Her exact words."
"I don't remember her exact words. She just said something about how the two of you had been flirting and that you would have gone home with her only she sent Cara over as a joke."
Jenny nodded. "And that the only reason you were with Cara now was because you knocked her up. Um, her words. Not mine."
"Why the hell would she say something like that? Dammit! Damn her!"
Both women stared at him, their mouths slightly ajar. Haley cleared her throat and playfully nudged him in the arm. "Damn, Travis. I didn't know you had it in you."
"What?"
"You swore. I don't think I've ever heard you swear before."
Jenny nodded, a small grin teasing her mouth. "Well, they do say it's the quiet ones you need to look out for."
"True. And he is the one who had a one-night stand and ended up getting the girl pregnant."
Travis ignored the heat flaming his face, opened his mouth to tell the two women that he was hardly the only guy on the team to have a one-night stand. He slammed his mouth closed at the last second, finally remembering who he was talking to:
Tyler's wife.
Zach's fiancée.
Keeping his mouth shut was the safest thing to do. If the two women didn't flay him alive, his teammates would. And he had a feeling his teammates would be gentler with him.
He pushed the thoughts from his mind and forced himself to focus on the immediate problem: what Cara's roommate had told her. No wonder she was sitting over there, looking dejected and alone. What he didn't understand was why she believed it.
No. What he really didn't understand was why her roommate had said it. He said as much to the two women who had him backed into the corner of the noisy bar.
Jenny exchanged a quick glance with Haley then turned back to Travis and shrugged. "My guess? She's jealous."
"A jealous bitch, you mean," Haley added with a small sneer. She ran a hand through her long hair, brushing it away from her face. "I don't know if they're just roommates or if they're supposed to be friends or what. What I do know is that whatever it is, it's toxic. Cara needs to get out of that relationship."
Travis didn't have to ask Haley how she knew. He remembered what had happened last season, how Haley's ex had stalked her and nearly killed her. She still had the scars from the encounter and Zach still hadn't gotten over it, still blamed himself for letting it happen.
Was Cara's relationship with her roommate like that? Not physically, no. But Travis had seen enough in that short amount of time last night when he'd picked Cara up to know it wasn't healthy. He didn't like the woman, hadn't liked her from the very first minute he'd met her. And he certainly didn't like the way she had talked to Cara, putting her down and belittling her.
"But why would she lie like that? I never even saw her that night. At least, not that I remember." He remembered seeing Cara, remembered exchanging a few furtive glances with her and thinking about going over to talk to her. Then she had come over to him. If she had been with anyone else, he hadn't noticed.
"Who knows why? And the why doesn't matter. What matters is that I think Cara might actually believe it."
"You need to talk to her, Travis." Jenny glanced over her shoulder then sighed. "I mean, look at her. She's such a nice girl. My heart breaks for her."
Travis looked back at the table, his jaw clenching in anger. Talk to her, yes. But what could he say? What could he do? The protective streak in him
wanted to carry her off, hide her away somewhere and protect her. He didn't know Cara well but he was fairly sure she wouldn't appreciate that.
And that wasn't like him, anyway. At least, not usually. He was the quiet one. The shy one. The one who kept his head down and stayed out of trouble.
But that had been changing, ever since he met Cara.
No, not since meeting her—since finding out she was pregnant. With his child. Was that why he was suddenly so protective?
He nodded to the two women then pushed away from the corner, his strides strong and even as he made his way back to the table. Cara glanced up at him, surprise flickering in her dark brown eyes when he pulled the chair out next to her and dropped into it. He draped his arm across the back of her chair and leaned forward, his mouth close to her ear when he spoke.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Fine. Just, uh, just a little tired."
"Are you sure that's all?"
Cara's gaze shot toward Jenny and Haley. A small blush stained her cheeks and she quickly looked away, back down to the hands folded in her lap. "I'm sure."
Travis bit back his sigh of frustration. He wanted her to open up to him but he couldn't force it, just like he couldn't force her to be comfortable with him. If she wasn't opening up to him, that meant she wasn't comfortable, right?
And he had no idea what to do about it.
He glanced around the table, silently seeking assistance. His gaze landed on Aaron and a flare of hope shot through him. Aaron would know what to do, wouldn't he?
The older man looked over, his dark brows shooting up in silent question. Aaron glanced at Cara then back at Travis and he held his breath, waiting for advice.
And kept on waiting.
The corners of Aaron's mouth quirked with a quick smile as he leaned forward, speaking over the loud music coming from the jukebox. "Too bad it's not karaoke night. Travis could sing something for us."
Travis blinked then quickly frowned. That was his advice? It couldn't be. It made absolutely no sense. And how would singing accomplish anything anyway?
Playing For Love (The York Bombers, #6) Page 10
