by Julia Bevan
Chapter 12
Luke
"Luke, are you alright?" Ben asks lightly, leaning over my shoulder as I slouch on the bench and wait for the game to start. The rest of the team is restless, eager to get the game underway, but I'm struggling to find any interest in it at all. Crowds of our fans are filling the stands, waving their banners and chanting for the Pumas to win. A few weeks ago, it would've filled me with joy. It would've reminded me just why I'd chosen to play hockey, but now... it feels so empty. Nothing matters, not if Josie isn't someone I can share it with. An entire week has passed since we said goodbye after Ben's unexpected arrival at her home. I'd kept waiting for the gloom to lift and for my eyes to see a little clearer, but so far, it's only gotten worse and worse. I haven't been able to focus at practice, I haven't been sleeping because I constantly dream of her face. I haven't been able to eat because everything is tasteless. I've never once gone through a breakup like this before. Though I haven't had a ton of relationships, when I parted ways with any other woman, my bounce back was almost instantaneous. I always had hockey to fall back on and save me. This time, it just isn't making my heart feel any better. "I'm fine," I mumble to Ben, mustering up a very halfhearted smile that he sees right through. "Man," he sighs, "there must be something in the water. Every time I talk to my sister, she's all down in the dumps too." "She is?" I ask, hating myself for being so interested. Ben nods, clapping my shoulder, "Come on, we've got to line up for the anthem." Our coach directs us out onto the ice as the song begins to play through the speakers. The other team glares over, their hands over their hearts, their eyes focused on us. They're trying to intimidate us before the game even starts. Usually, I'd love trying to do the same, but this time my eyes sweep towards the empty seat that Ben always saves for Josie. I know she won't come, but just the thought of seeing her for a split second makes me feel so much better than I can't help the glance. I'll probably find myself looking over there a thousand times during the game, letting pucks right by me into the goal. I'd be lucky if my team wants anything to do with me by the time the game is done. "Luke!" Ben hisses, shoving my shoulder to get my attention, "Why are you just standing there?" Blinking, I glance around, noting that the other players have already skated to their starting positions. Swallowing hard and holding up a hand in apology, I glide expertly over the ice towards the waiting goal. I settle in front of it, struggling to focus on the game. In seconds, the players in front of me are darting back and forth, their jerseys clashing together as bodies roughly hit and the puck flies back and forth. Any other day, I would be absorbed in the madness on the ice that I wouldn't notice the door up at the top of the arena slowly open. This time, however, it's all I see. I look up, catching the top of a woman's head slide inside, but I can't see her clearly enough to make sure that it's not Josie. My feet move on their own, skating slowly forward, desperate to try and get a look at the woman who'd just walked in. I follow her, not even hearing the sounds of Ben and the coach and the rest of my team shouting at me to go back to the goal and do my job, I am utterly consumed by this woman. She turns suddenly, sinking into a seat beside another man, and I realize it isn't her. My heart sinks down to my feet like a concrete weight. Ben skates in front of me, waving his stick to try and get me to focus. I shake my head, remembering where I am, but when I turn to go back to the goal, someone is standing behind the glass. My heart pounds against my ribs, the stick dropping from my hands in shock. Josie stares at me, her palms pressed to the glass, her nose fogging it. Forgetting Ben, forgetting everyone, I start to skate towards her just as one of the players on the opposite team shoots the puck into our unprotected goal. The player makes a sharp turn, spraying ice towards his fans as he rejoices the point. He's so focused on his celebration, and I'm so focused on Josie that neither one of us seems to see each other. We collide head-on, both of our bodies flying back against the ice. The last thing I hear is both Ben and Josie screaming my name before I smack hard into the side of the rink and everything goes black.
Chapter 13
Josie
Luke's body ragdolls as he skids backwards limply across the ice, the rest of the players going instantly still. The other man who Luke ran into slowly sits up, taking off his helmet and shaking his head. Luke doesn't move. A team of medics rushes over to him, carefully rolling Luke onto a stretcher and getting him off the ice. I frantically follow them, barely feeling the ground under my feet in my hurry to reach him. When I dart around the corner, I come face to face with my brother. Ben's face is white as a sheet, his mouth drawn into a hard line. His eyes churn with such a wide array of emotion that I can hardly pick a single one out. The secret was out, Ben had seen the way Luke and I looked at one another. "You two. You were what, together? Is that why the both of you have been so down this week?" he goes abruptly stiff, his pale face turning slightly green, "Was it him who was over last week when I came by?" "Ben... this doesn't matter now. Luke is hurt, we have to figure out how bad it is." I can tell he wants to argue more, to lecture me and scold me about how dumb and traitorous the short-lived affair with his best friend was, but right now we have Luke to focus on. He begrudgingly nods, leading me past the players' bench to a small medical bay on the side of the hockey arena. When we walk inside, a doctor is stripping off Luke's padding and jerseys. His eyes are closed, his body so still that for a second I can't even tell if he's breathing. One of the medical technicians carefully eases off his helmet, revealing a bruised face. "Concussion is likely," the doctor murmurs to one of his assistants, "we've got to check for broken bones and stretched ligaments now." "A concussion?" I echo weakly, suddenly feeling faint on my feet. I wobble to the side, reaching out for something to steady me. The only thing I find is Ben's arm. He stiffens under my touch, jaw clenching, but allows me to cling to him. "Is it bad?" Ben asks gravely, watching the doctor inspect Luke. "If he doesn't come too soon, I'm going to have to send him to the ER... but if he fell on his back right, it could be a game ender," the doctor responds, just as seriously. "Only time will tell." "No!" I cry out, "His career can't be over. He loves hockey!" Ben and the doctor exchange a look and Ben pulls me away. "The doctor knows that Luke loves hockey. I know that Luke loves hockey. Unfortunately, that doesn't make a difference if he's badly injured, Josie." "Luke is stronger than that," I whisper back, fingers curling hard into fists. "I don't care what the doctor says or what anyone says. Luke is going to be fine." Ben stares at me, his own helmet resting tucked under his arm. He's still wearing his skates. His face is as hard as a stone mask. I can tell he's still angry at me, but right now all I care about is the limp man on the examination table. I push past my brother, leaning over Luke and taking his hand tight in mine. I squeeze it, pressing the back of his strong palm to my lips. "I'm here, Luke, I'm right here. You're going to be fine..." He looks so lifeless and stiff there, like he's never going to open his eyes. I feel tears slowly welling up, streaking down my cheeks. I squeeze his hand tighter, willing him to respond. A long minute passes, and then another. The doctor gestures at his technician to call for an ambulance. Then, suddenly Luke squeezes my hand back. "Luke!" I cry out excitedly, drawing both Ben and the doctor closer. My lover's eyes slowly crack open, gazing up at me quietly. "Am I dead?" he asks, mouth cracking into a lopsided smile. Tears, now of joy, surge down my cheeks and I bury my face into his chest. He winces, his hands running through my hair. "How are you feeling?" Ben asks quietly, "What hurts?" I feel Luke turn towards my brother, and his fingers freeze in my hair. "Uh, besides my dignity? Not too much," he says uncertainly, like he's waiting for Ben to lose his temper. "Thank god," Ben sighs, shaking his head. Slowly, I straighten up and step back so that the doctor can carefully examine Luke. Ben gazes at us, then slowly reaches out and wraps an arm around my shoulder. He pulls me against him, giving me a comforting squeeze. Even though he's furious at me, he can't help but console me. I really do have the best brother in the world. It occurs to me that I haven't told him that. "This could've ended your hockey days," Ben says sternly at Luke. "You
could've lost everything if you'd injured yourself badly enough." Luke gazes back at Ben levelly, allowing the doctor to help him sit up. He bends slowly one way, then the other, giving a faint wince when the doctor finds a bruised rib. "Not everything," Luke says quietly, his eyes now meeting mine. My cheeks go warm, and I bite my lip to keep quiet. I have no idea what I'm supposed to say right now, what I can say to make this better. Now that Ben knows, will he reject us both? "She really means that much to you?" Ben asks quietly. Luke doesn't even hesitate before nodding, still staring right at me. "This last week has been hell without you, Josie. I don't care about anything, even hockey, as much as I care about you. All I want is to have you in my life. I want you both in my life," he adds, nodding at Ben. "I feel the same," I whisper, squeezing Ben back. Ben stares at us, chewing his lower lip. He heaves a sigh and squeezes his eyes shut, his head shaking. "It's going to be hard for me... really hard. But if you two make one another happy, I don't want to stand in the way of that. Luke, you're my best friend, and Josie, you're always going to be my little sister. You two are the people that matter most to me on this planet. You both deserve nothing but the best." "I know it'll be difficult for you to accept, but I'll do anything I can to make it easier for you... especially now that I'll have more time on my hands," I say with a faint laugh. "What do you mean?" Ben releases me, arms folding over his chest. "Peter fired me. I saw it coming from a million miles away after I told him I wasn't going to let him treat me the way he has been. Maybe I wanted to get fired. I enjoy architecture so much and I'm not about to give it up, but I want to be able to have a life outside of the office too." Ben finally offers the hint of a smile, "I'm glad, Josie. Every time I saw you, you looked miserable. Now I'm going to go tell Coach what's going on." He reaches over, giving Luke a hug before pressing a kiss against my forehead and leaving. The doctor, who'd been watching with the same interest that one might view a morning soap opera, suddenly pretends to busy himself with some paperwork as Luke reaches out to take my hand and pull me closer. "I never want to spend a day away from you again," he says quietly, sincerity gleaming in his eyes. "I've had things in my life I thought I loved, but not until I met you and then lost you did I realize what love really is." My breath catches in my tight throat, "...Are you saying...?" "I love you, Josie Mills," he whispers simply, eyes shining. I hadn't even realized how badly I've wanted to hear him say that until he'd actually spoken it aloud. I give a startled cry of delight, my whole body trembling with raw joy. "I love you!" I gasped back, throwing my arms around him and embracing him tightly. My heart is suddenly so full, both with optimism for the future and gratitude for the present. I don't know where my dreams will take me, but I do know that as long as I have him at my side, I'm going to enjoy the journey.
Epilogue
Josie
Ben lifts his champagne flute towards the people scattered around the tables before turning slightly to smile at Luke and me. "A year and a half ago," he begins slowly, mulling his words, "I found out about my little sister and my best friend dating. It destroyed me, to be honest. I was torn between being worried that they would both forget about me and being worried that I would have to mediate their troubles. Fortunately, neither one of those issues arose." Luke squeezes me tighter, his fingers lacing with mine while brushing over the ring on my finger. I rest my head against his shoulder, unable to stop smiling. This has truly been the best day of my life. "All that I really want to say on this gorgeous afternoon is that I am so happy to have walked Josie down the aisle towards the man of her dreams and I am so happy to be Luke's best man. To me, Josie will always be a Mills, but today she became a Porter. Congratulations, you two!" He lifts his glass again as our wedding guests cheer and we all take a long sip together. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" chants the crowd, turning towards where Luke and I are seated at the sweetheart table. Luke laughs and takes my face in his hands, pulling me against him as my elegant white dress spills over his legs. His lips meet mine with the same passion and tenderness of our first desperate kiss, and every kiss after that – of which there had been many. Over the past year and a half, we've had many reasons to celebrate. When Luke was cleared to return to the rink and every game he won after to when I finally opened my own architecture firm, every day had been sweeter than the last. "You make me happier than I could ever dream," he whispers against my lips, pulling back just enough to press his forehead to mine. "Meeting you was fate. There was a reason we saw each other from across the room, we were meant to be." "I couldn't agree more," I giggle, fingers coiling around his tie to drag him back in for one more sweet, endless kiss. Even though today was luxurious and beautiful and full of celebration and joy, I was looking forward to tomorrow. The morning would be quiet, a bird singing outside our window as Luke and I slowly woke, alone together. Every morning after that would be even better, forever. THE END
Sample Chapter From My Tennis Romance
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Chapter Four
The club garden is strewn with a hundred tiny sparkling lantern lights. Sara is tired. She is glad the tournament and its sponsors scheduled the after-party the day after the tournament. Sara needed the time for rest and recovery. Now, at the party, she is able to put her best foot forward. Sara had always insisted that working out is the best beauty secret any woman could have. She is now ready to put this theory into practice by wearing a pale pink cocktail dress that ably shows off her smoking toned thighs. She half wants to run into Jack Daily to see how he would react. Ten to one he’d have to stop himself from drooling, Sara thinks to herself. What’s more, her dress was a gift from one of her sponsors. The mini tank dress that drapes loosely over her flawless body looks fantastic. She knows that not only will Jack notice, whom she doesn’t care about (except to see him to eat shit), but also Rory will too. Let the games begin!
Sara politely accepts the praise of well-wishers who offer their congratulations for her win. She knows that at this phase of her tennis career, the business development aspect of the sport is as critical as training. After the initial gaggle of tennis admirers disburses, Sara takes a moment to herself.
“Congratulations,” comes a warm, delicious voice from behind her.
Sara’s can feel her body rev up as she recognizes it. It feels like a rush of warm liquid which originates in her core and then unfurls within her. Oh, Rory, you might just be perfect in every way, she thinks to herself. He is so handsome and so gracious, and he has probably the sexiest voice that she has ever heard. She does not kid herself that he is the reason she is there.
Since he was thoughtful with the flower in her locker, she has brought a gift for him. She just happened to find a little keychain made from tiger stone. Rory drives around in the sexiest little British sports car, and she thought the keychain would suit it. Of course, the fact that he called her a tiger the first time they played together also made the gift perfect, she thinks. She can’t wait to give it to him.
Sara developed a pre-conceived notion of the wealthy-born as soon as she started rubbing elbows with them at various tennis tournaments. Most of them are like Jack Daily. Talented, but often spoiled and entitled as well. This is why Rory fascinates her so. How did he avoid winding up like Jack? Where does his confident, yet humble, nature originate? The fact that people fall all over him just about wherever he goes is not lost on her. She sees in the corner of her eye the clutch of women, beautiful all of them, waiting to come on to him. She wonders if the raging crush she has on him is just what everyone else feels – if she isn’t just another face in the crowd.
She turns to him and feels her heart flutter at the sight of his smile. She is beaming.
“Congratulations yourself,” she says.
He is stunning. His dark chocolate colored hair is damp, as though he had stepped out of the shower not too long ago. His brilliant blue-green eyes ar
e lined in lashes of the same color. They stand gushing over each other.
“So, I have something for you,” she says in a whisper.
“I do too,” he says. “Can we go someplace private?”
“I would love to,” she admits. “Let’s see how well we do getting through that little cluster there without getting bombarded with questions.”
“They mean well,” he replies sympathetically.
“They do,” says Sara graciously. “I am a lucky woman.”
“And a beautiful one,” he says earnestly.
He takes her hand and leads her out to a quiet terrace.
“You know this place well,” she remarks.
“Kind of,” he says. “I practically grew up here.”
He takes a box out of his pocket.
“Give me your wrist,” he says.
Suddenly, Sara sees a delicate chain with a gold pendant on it appear around his fingers. It is a tennis bracelet, and he proceeds to slip it over her hands and fastens the clasp.
