Trivial Pursuits (Chicago On Ice Book 2)

by Aven Ellis

It’s Monday morning, and I’m sitting in an eclectic breakfast cafe with Collins. I’m going to the guild later this morning, and Landon is going to meet me there to watch me work. But I wanted to catch up with Collins to see in person how she was doing since breaking up with Gabe.

  “Very good,” the server says, scribbling it on her pad. Then she turns to Collins. “And for you?”

  “I’ll have the biscuits and gravy. And a side of home fries,” she says, still scanning over the menu. “Oh, and scrambled eggs. With cheese.”

  The server nods and takes her menu. “I’ll have that right out.”

  Collins sighs. “That’s my comfort food. All I’ve wanted lately is biscuits and gravy.”

  I pour a touch of half-and-half into my coffee and swirl it with my spoon. “Truth. How are you?”

  Collins’ toffee-colored eyes immediately fill with tears, and my heart breaks inside my chest the second I see them.

  “Um,” she says, picking up her coffee and taking a sip, “not good. Not good at all, Livy,” she says, her hand shaking as she puts the large latte cup back down on the table.

  I reach for her hand, placing mine over hers, across the table.

  “I mean, I wanted this, right?” Collins asks aloud, her voice thick with unshed tears. “So I shouldn’t feel so sad for myself. I have no right to.”

  “Doing the right thing, even if it’s your choice, doesn’t mean you aren’t going to feel heartbreak, too,” I say reassuringly. “You loved Gabe. Of course you’ll miss him, and the qualities you loved about him. But that doesn’t mean he was The One for you, sweetie.”

  “Everyone is making me feel like this is a mistake,” Collins says. “Gabe’s family is distraught. Gabe still thinks I’m going to ‘come to my senses’ in time. My own parents asked if this was some kind of ‘cold feet’ and if I was being too rash. My friends from Purdue think I’m crazy. Some have even dropped me on Connectivity and sided with Gabe or because their boyfriends are friends with Gabe.”

  Collins draws a shaky breath of air and continues. “But my heart keeps telling me I don’t love him the way I should. And after all this time, shouldn’t I feel that? Wouldn’t I know?”

  I compare her feelings about Gabe to what I felt with Landon yesterday. How much fun we had together at the aquarium. How it felt so complete to nap in his arms that afternoon. How Landon touched my Alice in Wonderland necklace, brushing his fingers over all the charms, wanting to know the meaning behind them because it was my favorite book. How we shared that passionate kiss, something neither one of us had experienced in that way before.

  And I know what I’m beginning with Landon is special. We’ve only had a few dates but I know he’s different. What we have is different. And I can’t wait to see where this will go.

  “You would,” I say, thinking of Landon. “You would know. Your heart is telling you this isn’t right. Gabe can be a great guy on paper. He can be wonderful and kind and fun. But that doesn’t mean he’s the right guy for you.”

  Collins blinks back tears. “I hope my heart isn’t leading me in the wrong direction.”

  “It’s not,” I say firmly. “I promise you it’s not. And when you find the right guy, it will be like finding the missing piece to the puzzle.”

  Collins exhales. “I’m going to hang on to that thought.”

  “I mean it,” I say, squeezing her hand again. “You’ll heal from this and be so grateful that you were real and honest with yourself.”

  “Okay,” she says, smiling gently at me. Then she clears her throat. “Enough about me. How are you?”

  I hesitate for a moment. I still haven’t told her about Landon, but I feel safe enough in what I’m building with him to share it now.

  “Um, I’ve had a few dates this past week with a guy,” I say, feeling my cheeks grow warm as I think of Landon.

  Collins’ eyebrows shoot straight up in surprise. “What?” she shrieks. “Who? When? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I take a sip of my coffee. “Well, I wasn’t sure if it would go beyond one or two dates. And you were going through turmoil with Gabe and it didn’t seem right to—”

  “Wrong. You can always tell me your news no matter what I’m dealing with,” Collins chides. “So details. Who is this guy?”

  I draw a breath of air for courage. “Um, you’ve seen him before.”

  Now Collins looks confused. “What?”

  “I’m dating Landon Holder,” I say quietly. “The hockey player.”

  Collins’ mouth drops open in shock. “No!”

  I nod. “Yeah,” I admit. “Turns out we’ve been playing each other on TriviaPlayOrPass! under different names the past few weeks. We discovered that fact, and we’ve gone out a few times. He’s different, Collins. I know he is. Landon’s not what he appears to be on the surface.”

  Collins studies me for a moment before speaking. “Livy, I’m always going to be honest with you. I love you. I have been your friend since we had chemistry class together our junior year. I’m going to say what I think, and I promise you I’ll never say another word about it again.”

  My chest tightens. “You don’t think this is a good decision,” I fill in for her.

  “I don’t. Livy, you had your heart broken by Troy. An athlete. A flirt who swore you were different. Can you bear it if the same thing happens again?”

  “Landon is not Troy.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s a professional athlete. One who has been all over social media with tons of different girls.”

  “Landon didn’t date them,” I say, defending him. “Not one of them. He might have hooked up with those girls, but I know he was honest and upfront about his intentions. That’s the way he is.”

  “But that is what he’s telling you,” Collins insists. “You don’t know their side of the story. What if you are another one of those girls? You aren’t a hook up girl, Livy. You never have been. What if this ends after sex happens?” Then she stops, her eyes wide. “Oh, shit, have you slept with him?”

  “No,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m being cautious, Collins. I’m not going to rush into this because Landon has never really dated before.”

  “Don’t you think that’s weird?” Collins asks. “That he has only hooked up and never dated a girl seriously and he’s in his twenties?”

  No, considering his past, it’s not. I think. Landon has purposefully tried not to get involved because of what happened between his mother and father. Because of his dad’s advice. Possibly because he’s terrified of being hurt himself.

  Yet here he is, spending time with me. Saying these beautiful things about how I’m different.

  And I know I am.

  “Trust me, if anyone is going to be super careful, it’s me,” I say honestly. “I wouldn’t take a chance like this if I didn’t trust Landon. You know I wouldn’t.”

  Collins studies me, and I see skepticism in her eyes.

  But that doesn’t change the fact that I know Landon. Not Landy, the player she has seen on Instagram.

  I know Landon.

  “Okay,” Collins says, nodding. “I won’t speak of it again.”

  “It’s all right, I know you’re being my friend,” I say gently. I clear my throat. “He’s actually meeting me at the guild after practice today. Landon wants to see how I make jewelry. Speaking of which, I’m going to have tag prototypes for Ms. Wilson this week.”

  “Uggggggggggh,” Collins groans, putting her head in her hands. “I hate her. She messages me all day long wanting updates. Or to give me ‘enhancement’ ideas.”

  I smile. “At least I have you as my buffer.”

  Collins shoots me a mock glare. “You have no idea how lucky you are to have me as your friend.”

  I smile warmly at her. “I do know. And thank
you for everything you said. I love you for caring so much.”

  “I love you, too,” Collins says, smiling back.

  The server arrives with our breakfasts, and just as I pick up my spoon, my phone buzzes. I turn it over and see it’s a message from Aubrey:

  OMG OMG LANDY’S TALKING ABOUT YOU ON INSTAGRAM

  And her message is followed by a string of love-related emojis.

  My stomach flips over in excitement. I immediately swipe open my Instagram account and pull up Landon’s post. It’s a picture he took while we were napping, one I didn’t even know he snapped. I’m asleep in his arms on the sofa, and GiGi is curled up asleep next to me. Landon is grinning in the picture, and my heart flutters when I see the happy expression on his face. Then I read the caption:

  Love lazy Sundays with the girls #relationshipgoals

  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! It’s all I can do not to explode in my seat. My heart is dancing, my pulse is burning, and happiness courses through every inch of me.

  He’s putting his feelings out there.

  I’m not going to be a hook up.

  I’m not one of many.

  I’m the only one.

  I feel nothing but joy. And once again, in less than 24 hours, Landon Holder has claimed another piece of my heart.

  I smile as I see Landon heading across the studio. I wave to get his attention, and his face lights up the second he sees me. He cuts over to the table where I’m sitting, and butterflies shift happily in my stomach as he approaches.

  “Hey,” he says, leaning down and affectionately kissing my cheek. “I’ve missed you.”

  Oooooooooh, I don’t think another piece of my heart went to Landon as those words escaped his lips.

  Because I’m certain a whole big part of it just fell into his hands.

  I grin at him as he tugs off his coat. He’s wearing jeans, rugged boots, and a red and black plaid flannel shirt, with a black beanie covering his gorgeous locks.

  “Hi,” I say happily. “How was practice?”

  “I had a maintenance day,” Landon says, sitting down on the stool next to me.

  “Translation?”

  Landon grins. “It means I didn’t skate.”

  Concern fills me. “Are you okay?”

  He lightly rubs his index finger over the crease in the bridge of my nose. “Yes. I’m fine. Just means I got to do off-ice conditioning today. All players have them. No need to be concerned.”

  Relief sweeps through me. “Okay.” Then I smile at him. “I like your Instagram post today.”

  “I do, too,” Landon says, his eyes focused on mine.

  “Relationship goals, huh?” I ask.

  He stares at me. “I didn’t know I had them. Until now.”

  Ooooooooooooooh!

  Before I can respond, he clears his throat.

  “So do I get to use a torch today?” Landon asks, changing the subject.

  I burst out laughing. “Hold on there, cowboy. It’s a process.”

  Landon leans over and glances down at my HP Notebook. “Hey, you designed this?”

  “Yes,” I say excitedly. “This is a dog bone. It’s one of the charm prototypes we’re working on today. It’s a whole process called fabrication, which is manipulating metal.”

  Landon puts his phone down on the table in between us. “I can tell you love this,” he says, studying me. “So what do you love about it? What makes you drawn to metal design?”

  Excitement fills me as I see how much he wants to learn about my passion.

  “I love the whole process of working with metal-manipulating it, cutting it, sawing it. Forming it into a three-dimensional shape and finishing it. And here, at the guild, I have access to the equipment needed to do that.”

  “Hey, before we start,” Landon says, “is there a restroom I can use?”

  “Oh, sure,” I say, nodding. “Go out and turn left, head down the hall, and you’ll see there’s one.”

  “Great. Don’t start without me,” he says, cocking an eyebrow.

  “I promise,” I say happily.

  Landon grins and heads off. I’m reviewing my design when his cell phone rings. I look up, but Landon’s already gone down the hall. I glance down at his phone, and when I do, my heart freezes inside my chest.

  My stomach bottoms out.

  Because I see the name flashing across his screen, one important enough that he had saved it in his contacts.

  The person calling him is Kayla Paine.

  Chapter 17

  TriviaPlayOrPass!

  In Holly Martin’s bestselling novel Fairytale Beginnings, Milly has a rival for Cameron’s affections. Who is she? DesignerA, play or pass to Scott921?

  While Kayla’s name disappears from Landon’s phone, the sick feeling attacking my stomach has done anything but. I try to be rational. Kayla is dating Mountain Man. Landon might be a flirt, but he would never cheat with a teammate’s girlfriend. They’re friendly with each other.

  Guys and girls can be friends.

  Of course they can.

  Then I remember the way Kayla was touching him and flirting with him and—oh no, what if they are seeing each other on the down low?

  My past reaches up and grabs my heart with both hands, shaking me to face reality. How many times did Troy say “she’s just a friend?” How many times, over and over, did I believe that when he was cheating on me the whole time? How it destroyed my faith in men? How devastating and humiliating that was? I vowed I’d never let any man treat me like that again.

  Is Landon about to do the same to me?

  Landon isn’t even my boyfriend. We’ve only gone out a few times. He’s free to go out with other women if he wants to.

  But I don’t want him to. I want him to want me, only me, like I only want to be with him.

  “Okay, now can I use the torch?” Landon teases, pulling out the stool next to me and taking a seat.

  I study him, his face open and smiling at me. I look into the blue eyes I’m beginning to know, and I wonder if I’m not seeing everything I should.

  “Your phone rang after you left,” I say simply.

  Landon reaches for it and swipes the screen. I study him, waiting to see if his face reveals anything. He furrows his brow for a second, and then puts his phone aside.

  “Nothing important,” Landon says easily.

  Suddenly anger flickers through me. And before I can think about what I should say, words come flying out of my mouth.

  “It’s Kayla,” I say, staring at him.

  Landon appears surprised. “Um, yeah.”

  “I saw her name on your screen,” I say, my voice taking on an edge. “Your teammate’s girlfriend is calling you? Really, Landon?”

  His blue eyes flash. “Are you accusing me of something, Livy? Because if you are, you should come out and say it.”

  I throw down my pencil. “I’m not going down this road again. I can’t, even for you,” I blurt out.

  “What? What road?” he asks, his voice etched in confusion. Then he pauses. “Wait a minute. Are you actually jealous of Kayla?

  Irritation lights like a fire in me, spreading rapidly and threatening to go out of control. “Jealous? No, I’m not. But I don’t think it’s right your teammate’s girlfriend is calling you,” I say.

  “She’s a friend. There’s no need for you to be paranoid, Livy.”

  The words sting me. The same words Troy said when he was cheating on me.

  “I won’t be lied to again,” I blurt out.

  Landon’s face turns to one of bewilderment. “Why do you say that? Why don’t you believe me? What have I done to deserve this kind of judgment? Is this how you really feel?”

  “Landon, if
you want to be the guy who goes out with a teammate’s girlfriend, go ahead. But I want no part of this. I won’t be one of your many girls. And after what I shared with you about Troy, I think you’d care enough about me not to put me through this.”

  “Whoa, are you fucking serious?” he asks angrily. “You’re comparing me to your ex?”

  I’m about to speak but Landon continues.

  “So you think I’d do that? You really believe that? Kayla and I are friends. That’s it. No different than I’m friends with Aubrey, and you don’t seem to mind that.”

  “Don’t you dare equate this with my best friend,” I say, my voice going up. “She doesn’t call you. Aubrey isn’t putting her hands all over you in public. Kayla is. And how do I know there aren’t a million more Kaylas in your cell, Landon? You’ve made it clear you don’t date seriously. Am I something novel you’re trying? How long will I last?”

  Landon’s face completely changes. He looks as though I’ve slapped him across the face with my words. I wait for him to argue back, or tell me to fuck off, but he doesn’t.

  Instead, to my shock, he stands up and grabs his coat and phone. He takes a few steps away, but then stops and turns toward me.

  “You’re not novel to me, Livy,” Landon says, his voice full of hurt. “I like you. I like you so much it scares the fucking shit out of me. It’s only been you since that day at school. It’s been you that I can’t get out of my head. The way you taught the kids. How warm and gentle you were when talking to them. How you’re a trivia geek like I am. How you teased me. How talented you are, how you’re passionate in pursuing your dreams, how nice your family is. How beautiful you are. How your skin smells like vanilla and caramel, and the scent of you fills my head when you’re gone.

  “It’s you,” he continues. “You’re the one I want to see. But apparently you can’t get over the fact that I have a past. I am friends with girls. And if someone needs to talk to me, I’m there for them. And maybe if you were over your own past, this wouldn’t be an issue for you. But since it is, maybe we should stop this right now before it gets out of control.”