by Jacob Chance
“He wanted you to be?”
“Yes, but it was more that he never approved of my dancing.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“No, I’m serious. He thought my dancing was a ‘nice hobby’ and I’d give it up once I finished school.”
“I don’t know you that well, but I can tell you’re extremely talented. Not that I’m a dancing expert, but as a hockey player, I recognize your athleticism and coordination. It would be a shame to waste that natural ability. Especially because someone else wants you to.”
“I’m not planning on wasting it. Being a professional dancer is all I’ve ever wanted. Brian didn’t want to accept that.”
“What does your sister do?”
I pluck a piece of lint from my shirt. “She’s an administrative assistant at a law firm.”
“So, she can slide right into the secretary role for him when he’s ready.”
“Exactly. And I’m not saying he’s with her because of her job, but maybe it’s a clue that they’re better suited than we were. At least she won’t have to fight with him about her career choice.”
“No one who cares about you should ever want you to give up what you're passionate about. He sounds like an asshole to me.”
“Unfortunately, it took me until he cheated with my sister to see how much of one he is.”
“Better late than never. At least you know now.”
“Exactly. I’m extremely disappointed in myself. I shouldn’t have stayed with him for so long.”
“Go easy on yourself. I’m saying this as someone who wasted years on someone who didn’t deserve me.”
“Why did you stay with her so long?” I utter the words without thinking. Will he answer?
He sighs heavily. “That’s a good question. I’m not sure I have the answer yet.”
“If you don’t want to tell me that’s fine. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s not that I don’t want to. There’s no easy answer. I think there were a lot of reasons and they all piled up. I thought she was beautiful, and at first she was kind.”
Kind? Stacey? Are we thinking of the same person? I think she only pretended to be kind until she got him and then she didn’t need to anymore.
“And then she wasn’t?” I prod. I want to hear what he has to say.
“There were signs she wasn’t who I thought she was, but I guess I chose to ignore them.”
“It’s funny how we can do that. Love makes us all stupid, and, if that isn’t bad enough, it makes us blind to their faults.”
“It sure does. Which is why I’m taking a break from it all,” he explains.
“Me too. I can’t afford another mistake like Brian.”
“You’re older and wiser now.” He smiles.
“I like to think so, but maybe I’m not. It’s simpler if I avoid testing myself.”
“I’m thinking the same thing about me. I need to make sure my eyes are wide open next time I’m in a relationship. But what if I can’t see the truth? Maybe that’s my big relationship flaw.”
“That you see the best in your partner?”
“Or I see them differently than they are. The way I want them to be.”
“Well, if you don’t mind me being blunt, actually, even if you do, I’m going to be.” I grin at him. He turns and gives me a quick answering smile. “If I had to guess, I’d say your ex was on her best behavior until she had you in her clutches.”
“You make her sound like an evil temptress.”
That’s because she was. “I’m just saying.” I shrug.
“You really think she put on an act?”
Hell yes, she did. “She wouldn’t be the first person to do that, female or male.”
“Good point. And you could be right. I hope you’re not, though.”
“What’s it matter? You’re done with her.”
“I know, but then she was fooling me for our entire relationship, instead of the last couple of months.”
“I understand that, but you guys are over, so it doesn’t make a difference. What matters is that you’re never going to fall for her bullshit again.”
“Right. Just like you’re not going to let Brian suck you back in this weekend.”
“As if I would.” Does he think there’s a chance in hell I would let that happen?
“I know that sometimes exes can play with your emotions and make you think you made a mistake.”
“Has yours done that?”
“No, because I’ve only seen her once since we broke up. And I was so angry, I barely spoke to her.”
“Well, there’s nothing that Brian could say to change my mind. Not even if he crawled on the floor in front of me and kissed my feet.”
He laughs. “Is that a fantasy of yours?”
“Maybe,” I joke.
“What kind of things are we doing this weekend? You told me to pack a little of everything and my bathing suit. I took that to mean that we’d be doing casual and not so casual things.”
“Tonight we have dinner with my immediate family at the house I grew up in.”
“Are we staying there?”
“No. I didn’t want to be stuck around Brian and Beth, so I made a reservation at a hotel.”
“Wait a sec. I’m sorry to interrupt, but your sister’s name is Beth?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Brian and Beth.” He shakes his head. “It’s perfect with everything you told me. I should’ve expected something so adorable.”
“Adorable my ass. Sickening is more like it.”
“You do have an adorable ass. I can think of some better adjectives, though.”
He thinks my ass is adorable? I want to ask what other adjectives he’s thinking of, but I don’t want to encourage him. And I’m sure he’s joking anyway.
“I told the hotel we’d be checking in later tonight,” I continue explaining as if he never made those comments. “I hope you don’t mind sharing a room with me. If you do, I can pay for you to have your own.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine with sharing. Besides, how would that look if we had separate rooms?”
“Yeah, that’s true. Some of my relatives are probably staying at the same hotel. It’s the nicest one in the area. We’re going to spend a lot of time with my family this weekend, and I want to apologize in advance. I’m related to them and I don’t even want to be around them that much.”
“Everyone feels this way about their own families. You don’t need to apologize. I offered to be here and it will be fine. Stop worrying. I can handle whatever gets thrown my way.”
“Okay, if you say so. Remember this conversation when they’re on your last nerve and you’ve had enough.”
He chuckles. “Come on. They can’t be that bad.”
“Still think they can’t be that bad?” I question wryly. Brian has been doing his best to grill Oliver. I think the only thing he hasn’t asked him is his blood type, but the night is still young.
Oliver flashes me a smile. “I got this. What are you worried about?”
Leaning closer, I place my lips under his ear. “I feel bad. You’re here to help me and he’s making your life hell.”
Oliver turns his face toward mine and presses our foreheads together. My stomach flutters madly at our connection until I remember he’s putting on the dedicated boyfriend act. And quite convincingly too. Even I forgot it’s pretend.
“We can laugh about this when we get back to the hotel. For now, just relax. I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.” His warm breath teasingly wafts over my lips. I’m overcome by the need to know what it would be like to kiss him.
Would his lips be gentle on mine? Or would they be hungry and eager?
The urge to press my mouth to his is so strong, I clench my hands into fists until my nails dig into my palms. Slow down. We’re just pretending here. I have to caution myself. Our interaction is so fun and natural, it’s easy to forget the real reason he’s here with me.
> “Oliver, what did you say your last name was?” Beth asks, breaking us apart.
“It’s Ice.”
“Oliver Ice?” Brian snickers and I shoot him a warning glance he doesn’t notice. “How cute that you play hockey and have Ice for a last name.”
Oliver rubs his chin. “Yeah, you know, no one’s ever mentioned that to me before.”
“You should hear the crowd chant his name at the games. It’s awesome,” I jump in. “They shout “You got Iced, Iced, baby. It’s so cool.”
“How old did you say you are?” Brian continues as if he didn’t catch the sarcasm Oliver delivered or the fact that I’m trying to diffuse the situation. What the hell? I thought he’d already asked all the questions.
“I don’t think I did say, but I’m twenty-three.”
“Did you repeat a grade?”
“I’m on the five-year plan,” he explains with a shrug.
“Too much partying?” Brian condescends.
“No. If you must know, I had a girlfriend who cheated on me and, unlike Ava when you did the same to her, I didn’t deal with it well.” Score one for Oliver.
Brian shuts right up and my sister looks like she swallowed a lemon. I want to ask her what she wants to add, but I don’t want to hear it.
“Ava told me what a talented hockey player you are,” my dad interjects.
“I don’t know about that,” Oliver downplays.
“Are you hoping to play professionally?”
“No. I’m not aiming for the NHL. Playing for the Terriers is all I’ve wanted, and my time with them has been better than I ever imagined.”
“What are you going to school for?”
“Business.”
“Nice choice.” Dad nods his approval. My eyes flick to Brian and he looks disappointed. What’s the matter? Can’t stand your future father-in-law approving of anyone else?
“How did you two meet?” My mom smiles at me.
“We work together at Score.”
“Are you a dancer?” Beth inquires.
“No.” Oliver shakes his head. “I’m one of the bartenders.”
“That must be fun,” Brian remarks, but it’s obvious he doesn’t mean it. His disapproval is there for all to see.
“It’s great. I make great money working there and I get to watch Ava dance.” He smiles down at me and my chest fills with gratitude and other emotions I’m not ready to think about. “There’s nothing more beautiful than watching her perform. She’s a sight to behold.”
“She really is,” my mom agrees.
“We should make it a point to take a trip into Boston some weekend and see this place you’re working at for ourselves,” my dad says.
“Score is an upscale club. I think you’d both like it.”
“What are you going to do when you move back to Connecticut after graduation?” my sister asks.
“Who said I was moving back here? I love Boston.”
“I assumed you’d return to where you belong,” Beth snips.
“The way I see it, I belong wherever I want to be.”
Oliver wraps a strong arm around my shoulders. “You belong with me.” If only he meant those words.
Chapter Seven
Oliver
Her willowy frame fits perfectly cuddled to my side. The words I’m saying are all part of our act, but it occurs to me that I wish I meant them. And even crazier? Maybe a small part of me does.
There have been a lot of conflicting thoughts and emotions racing through me during this meal. I feel protective of Ava and I’m not sure why. Stacey never brought out that quality in me. This is a first, and I’m navigating new territory. I’m feeling extremely conflicted about it too.
We can only be friends. Maybe if I say it to myself enough times I won’t forget.
My eyes skate across the table to her ex. I know exactly what’s going on here. Brian is in a predicament. He wants Beth, but he wishes he could have Ava too. And that’s not going to happen if I have anything to say about it.
Seeing the two sisters together, I can’t imagine what he was thinking. Ava is clearly the more attractive one. And it’s not just her looks, it’s her personality too.
Beth has a flat affect about her, where Ava practically shines with inner energy and light. Maybe he went with the sister who is easier to mold, the more malleable one. He seems controlling, and Ava doesn’t strike me as the type to go along without expressing her opinion. At least she’s not from what I’ve seen firsthand. Some guys can’t deal with strong women. They feel threatened by them. Brian seems like he’d fall into this category.
I help Ava clear the dishes from the table and carry them from the dining room into the kitchen. Setting the stack on the counter, I automatically start to rinse them.
“You don’t have to do that. Technically you’re company.” Ava stops next to me.
“No problem. My mom trained me well. She hated leftover mess, so we had to load the dishwasher immediately after dinner every single night.”
“Hmm, sounds like your mom is a smart lady.”
“She’s great in a lot of ways. Maybe you’ll get to meet her someday.” Shit. We’re pretending to be a couple, but we’re not really one. “I mean, if you get to return the favor and come to one of my family functions.” I cover my slip.
“Oh, right. Of course I will. Just say when.” She opens the dishwasher and organizes the rinsed dishes inside. “I hope you like chocolate cream pie. My mom makes a phenomenal one.”
“I eat just about anything, especially if it’s home cooked. I miss my mom’s cooking every day.”
“Are you an only child?”
“Yep, I am. They got so lucky with me, they didn’t want to push their luck with another one.” I wink.
“I’m sure that’s it,” she drolls.
“They tried to have more kids, but with no luck. I’m not disappointed that it’s just the three of us. I never felt lonely like a lot of only children do. We had a lot of kids in our neighborhood and my parents were always active. My dad taught me how to skate when I was four.”
“Was he a hockey player too?”
“He played in high school, but not college. And I remember him playing in some adult leagues when I was a kid. Mom and I used to go watch the games.” I dry my hands on a dish towel and set it down on the counter.
She closes the dishwasher, straightening up. “Your parents sound great. I hope I really do get to meet them,” she offers, a gentle smile curving her shiny, pink lips. There’s only a matter of inches separating us right now. It would be so easy to close the distance and cage her against the counter.
Raking my teeth over my bottom lip, I fight the temptation and manage to reply, “I hope you do too.”
“Hey, no fooling around in the kitchen.” Her sister giggles. Brian follows behind her with a scowl on his face. Are things not going as well for them as he hoped? Or is he annoyed Ava and I are together? But why should he care?
If he’s happy with his new relationship, then he has no reason to be concerned with what Ava does. Unless he’s having second thoughts about letting her go. I need to test him.
Pulling Ava toward me, I wrap her up in my hold. Her slender arms settle around my lower back and she stares trustingly up at me. Knowing she’s so comfortable in my arms makes me want to be more careful with her. I don’t want to do anything to disappoint her in any way.
“How about some of that pie you promised me?” My voice sounds hoarse, making the innocent comment seem suggestive.
Ava’s lips quirk and I know she noticed. “You can have all the pie you want.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I chuckle.
The slam of a cabinet has my eyes bouncing to the other side of the room. Brian has a stack of plates in his hands. Good. We’re already getting to him and we’ve barely tried. By the end of this weekend he’ll be hating himself for letting her go.
We stop in front of the hotel check-in counter. I set both of our bags down on the floor.
/>
“Hi, I’m Ava Madigan. I booked a room for us.”
The clerk types on the keyboard for a few seconds. “Okay, one king-sized bed.” She nods, glancing between Ava and me.
“No,” Ava gasps. “It’s supposed to be two queens. Can we have a room with two beds, please?”
The clerk types for a bit and then shakes her head. “I’m sorry. There’s a renaissance fair in town this weekend and we’re booked solid. The only available room we have is a king.”
Ava opens and closes her mouth as she struggles to make a decision.
“We’ll take it,” I interject, reaching in my pocket for my wallet. I hand over my credit card before Ava can grab hers.
She shakes my extended arm. “What are you doing? This is on me.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m getting free food and a weekend away with great company. I don’t mind paying for the room.”
She presses her lips together as if she’s not happy about it before uttering, “fine.”
I sign the receipt for the clerk and she hands over two keys. I hand one to Ava and scoop up our bags, gesturing for her to walk in front of me with my chin. “After you.”
The minute the elevator doors close, she punches in the number eight and turns on me. “Why did you do that?”
“Pay for the room?”
“No. Agree to one bed.”
“It’s a king-sized. Do you know how huge hotel beds are? We’ll never even make contact with one another.”
“You shouldn’t have paid for it either. You’re my guest. You’re helping me. This isn’t supposed to cost you anything more than your time.”
“If I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t have.”
“It feels wrong to let you come out of pocket.”
“You let me worry about that.”
“How do you think it’s going?” Leaning back against the padded headboard, I look over at Ava. She turns her head, meeting my gaze. “I think our acting was a success so far.”
“What’s your end goal?”
“What do you mean?” Her fingers nervously pluck at the top sheet draped over her legs.
