“What did you do to make her angry with you?” Lad asked.
Fucking Lad. “Who said she is mad at me?”
“I assume you would be happier if she were not mad at you.”
Since Lad had a point, Jake just shrugged.
“Did you at least ask her if she wanted to come to the game?” Shane asked.
“I am not asshole. Of course I did. But I haven’t checked my phone yet. She is not able to make contact until after school anyway.”
“So why is she mad at you?”
He paused. “I told her I loved her and wanted her to be with me. I don’t think she believes me and I don’t know how to make her believe.”
Silence.
“How do you screw up ‘I love you’?”
Twisting around, Jake saw Shane shaking his head, his expression full of disbelief.
“There are issues. She has job offer in Charlotte. I told her to quit and stay with me.”
“Everybody’s got issues.” Shane shrugged. “Yeah, Faith’s are a little more involved, but still. I was there the day that asshole stood her up. Did I tell you that?”
Shane had Jake’s full attention now. “No, you did not.”
“It was one of my first dates with Bliss. Hell, I didn’t know even know Faith and I wanted to punch that bastard.”
Jake hated even thinking about the man Faith had planned to marry. But he’d shaped Faith’s outlook on relationships and Jake was now paying the price.
“This does not help me.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Shane grimaced. “Sorry, man. I don’t know what to tell you.”
“I know exactly what you need to do.”
Jake turned to Lad. “So tell me.”
“You need to have a great fucking game tonight to show her you are worth taking such a risk. What woman would want to be with a man who couldn’t take care of her? Show her she is right to put her trust in you.”
*****
Faith had her phone in her hand when someone knocked on her door. She hadn’t even taken her coat off yet but she hadn’t wanted to wait any longer to text Jake.
Even if she had no idea what to say. Except congrats and good luck. It was the least she should say.
She wanted to say so much more. Like, how proud she was. How happy she was. How sorry she was that she wasn’t going to be there. Even though she wanted to be there.
Shaking her head, she turned back to the door and opened it to find Bliss standing there holding a huge bag from Arby’s.
“We can eat on the road.”
Bliss walked by her, closing the door behind her. Faith followed her into the living room, blinking in her wake.
“Traffic’s going to be horrendous,” Bliss continued, “but, if we leave now, we should be there before puck drop. Mike’s waiting in the car. Let’s go.”
Faith blinked. “What are you doing here?”
“We are going to the Colonials game.” Bliss gave her a once-over. “Are you sure you don’t want to change? You’ve got five minutes.”
Of course she wanted to change.
“I—”
“If the next words out of your mouth are not ‘don’t know what to wear,’” Bliss held up her left hand, index finger pointed skyward, “I swear I will carry you over my shoulder to the car and strap you in. You’re going. He’s going to want you there and you are not going to want to miss this.”
It took her a second to sort through the variety of emotions tugging at her right now.
But the only one that mattered was her fierce desire to say yes. To get in the car and be there when Jake took the ice.
“Five minutes.”
Turning on her heel, she headed up the stairs to her room to change.
Ten minutes later, they were in the car, headed toward Philadelphia.
Bliss’s brother, Mike, had greeted her with a high five and a huge smile and now sat in the back seat, munching curly fries and grinning like he’d won the lottery.
She knew how close Mike and Jake were. Of course he was excited. And his excitement erased some of her nerves. But after about forty-five minutes, as they got closer to Philadelphia, that pit in her belly opened again.
“All right, do you want to tell me what happened between you and Jake? And don’t tell me nothing because Shane already told me some of it.”
A quick glance over her shoulder showed her Mike had fallen asleep so she couldn’t use him as an excuse not to answer.
“What? How?”
“Jake told him and Lad at lunch today. Why didn’t you tell me about his job offer in Charlotte?”
“Because I’m not sure I’m going to take it.”
Bliss spared her a quick glance. “With your resume, you could get any job you wanted. Why not get one in Philly?”
She huffed out a hard sigh. “Because that seems almost as bad as dropping everything and letting him take care of me like a freaking mistress. Doesn’t it? Isn’t it written in the feminist code of conduct, ‘Thou shalt not take a job in a geographical location solely because the man you’re sleeping with has a job in the same town’? And what happens if he gets traded? I’d have to quit. What if I’ve only been on the job a couple of months?”
Bliss’s face screwed up with amused exasperation. “People pick up and leave jobs all the time for whatever reason. Just because you want to spend time with a man doesn’t mean you’re giving up your entire life to wait on him hand and foot. You’re overthinking this. Why can’t you just be happy that you both want to be together and figure things out from there?”
Faith shook her head, trying to shake her thoughts into some order, as well. But the fact that she was in the car, headed to his game, meant she’d already made up her mind about part of the problem, hadn’t she?
“I am happy for him. And maybe all that other shit just doesn’t matter. He’s about to get everything he’s worked so hard for and I’m thrilled for him. I want it for him. But I feel like if I just drop everything I’ve worked so hard to get back, I’ll be giving up. For so long, I was dependent on my mom just to be able to live. And now that I’ve got my independence back, I’m going to give it up for another man?”
Bliss huffed out a frustrated groan. “Oh my god, please stop letting that asshole keep you from moving forward with your life. Jake is nothing like Jimmy. Jimmy proved himself to be a total asswipe. Jake is nothing like him.”
She’s not wrong.
“But what if this is all just implodes after a couple of months? What if it doesn’t work out?”
Bliss reached over and grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Maybe instead of thinking of all that could go wrong, you think about everything that’s right between you two. And how much you’ll be giving up if you don’t take the leap.”
*****
I am so excited for you!! Have a great game tonight. I can’t wait to talk to you after.
Jake had gotten Faith’s text just before he got to the arena. Since it had been a long shot that she’d be able to get to the game, he was happy she’d texted at all. Well, mostly happy.
But maybe it was better that she wasn’t in the stands. He needed every ounce of concentration.
The Colonials were playing the league leader tonight, and Boston played hard and fast.
The sold-out arena held an energy he’d never experienced before and, when he stepped onto the ice for warm-ups, alone as was custom for players making their NHL debut, and took a lap with a huge grin on his face, he catalogued everything so he could tell her later.
Because he would tell her later. He wanted to share every single second with her and, if he had to do that on the phone while she was in Charlotte, that’s what he’d do until he finally got her to say yes and she joined him in Philadelphia or wherever he was, and they made a life together.
The crowd cheered, and the fans gathered at ice level banged the glass and boards in welcome. It was a high like he’d never experienced before.
Then he got down to business.
/> His first couple of shifts were choppy and he got beaten at the blue line by one of the leading scorers in the game. Luckily, Shane made a glove stop that had the crowd on its feet.
After that, he settled into the rhythm of the game. While he didn’t set the ice on fire, he certainly didn’t embarrass himself. He was steady. Solid. He and Lad played like they’d never been apart, which the coach noticed and had some good words for them on the bench after their shift.
And while the Colonials didn’t win, they fought to the end.
The locker room was quiet afterward, but he, Lad and Shane kept up a steady conversation. He hadn’t smiled so much in months. Except when he was with Faith.
He would call her as soon as he got back to Lad’s apartment. Lad had been rooming alone since he’d been called up, as all the other guys were married or had roommates, so he’d be staying with Lad. He was happy to do it and, hopefully, if he stayed up, they would continue to room together. Unless…
Don’t get ahead of yourself.
Right now, he only wanted to hear her voice, to tell her about the game.
And if she doesn’t answer? Or doesn’t want to talk?
No. He refused to consider that. They would make this work. They would figure out how to make their relationship work. Because now that he’d found the woman he wanted in his life, he would do what it took to have everything he wanted.
When they reached Lad’s apartment door, Jake dug his phone out of his pants in preparation for calling Faith.
But when he stopped in front of the door, expecting Lad to open it, he found his friend behind him, grinning like a crazy person.
“Why do you look insane?”
“You will thank me later.” Lad thumped him on the shoulder, put a key in his hand, then turned and headed back down the hall. “I will see you tomorrow morning by eight. We will need to get to practice.”
“Lad? What the hell? Where are you going?”
“Open the door,” Lad called over his shoulder. “And you are welcome.”
Apparently, his body realized faster than his brain what was about to happen because his heart tripped over itself as he fitted the key in the lock. By the time he had the door unlocked, he knew what he’d find on the other side. Who he’d find.
The door opened directly into the living area, where he found Faith standing by the couch, watching him with an expression he recognized on her beautiful face. She was worried. He wanted to wipe that look off her face forever.
Unrealistic? Probably. But he wanted it all the same.
“Hi.”
She sounded unsure, as if he might not be happy to see her. That was something he could reassure her of immediately.
Dropping his bags by the door, he walked to her, gaze glued to hers.
Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet. She gave a quick yelp before he sealed his mouth over hers and kissed the surprise off her lips.
Her arms wound around his shoulders without hesitation and he held her against his body as tightly as he could without cutting off her circulation or crushing her lungs.
He had to temper his strength and the strength of his desire for her. Didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. But the fact that she was here meant everything to him.
For several long seconds, he kissed her until both of them could barely breathe. Reluctantly, he let her up for air before swinging her into his arms.
Her arms circled his shoulders, her lips curved in a still uncertain smile.
“You were in stands for the game.”
He wasn’t asking a question but she nodded in response.
“I couldn’t miss your first game.” She ran a hand into his hair and tugged on the strands, sending a shudder through his body. “I knew as soon as I got your text that I wanted to be here. I just didn’t know how to make this work. I’m still trying to come to terms with what this all means. But I had to be here tonight.”
He started walking, hoping like hell that Lad had thought far enough ahead to make his bed. Otherwise, he’d have to stop to find sheets. And he would. But it would slow him down and he was on a roll.
“I’m glad you are here now. I’m sorry I made you doubt yourself in any way.”
Since he hadn’t been in this apartment before, he had only a general idea of where he was going. The place wasn’t that big. The bedrooms couldn’t be that difficult to find.
“None of this is your fault.” Faith’s voice dropped, regret clear in her tone. “I’m the one with the issues. And I’m going to continue to work on them. But I want to be with you while I figure things out.”
He kicked open the door at the end of the hall, stuck his head inside and realized it was too neat to be Lad’s.
And the bed was made.
He would be sure to thank Lad tomorrow for having his back.
The light from the living room made it possible for him to see as he walked to the bed then set her on her feet next to it.
“Tomorrow, we will talk more. Tonight, I only want you to know I love you.”
Her smile made his heart feel like it was burning to ash in his chest. “I love you, too. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. I’m sorry I made you doubt—”
He lowered his head for another hard kiss before he put his hands on her and began to strip her shirt over her head.
“Thank you.” His hands slid up her now-bare back, fingers stopping to work her bra clasp. “But now I think I would much rather hear you say you want me.”
Her smile turned wicked and now his blood felt like lava, burning hot.
“You’re really bossy.”
“You already know this. Say it.”
Her smile widened. “I’m not sure I should give you everything you want. It’ll make you greedy.”
Her bra loosened and slid off her shoulders but his gaze stayed on hers.
“I already am greedy for everything you can give me.”
The bare need in his voice made her smile soften. Maybe he should be embarrassed by how much he wanted her and how willing he was to beg. He wasn’t.
“I want you.”
Now, his voice held a mix of greed, desire and flat-out yearning. “Say it again.”
She lifted onto her toes and slid her hands inside the collar of his suit coat, pushing it off his shoulders until he took the hint and took it off. Then she started working on his tie.
“I want you.”
“Again.”
She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed that off his shoulders.
“I want you…,” she put one finger on the center of his chest, “to lay down on that bed. Then I’ll show you just how much I want you.”
Because he would do anything for her, he did exactly what she wanted.
And she gave him what he needed.
Her.
But wait! There’s more Redtails Hockey!
Check out
The Brick Wall
The Grinder
The Enforcer
The Instigator
The Playboy
The D-Man
The Machine
Stephanie Julian
Published by Stephanie Julian
Copyright 2019. Stephanie Julian.
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Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].
All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
STEPHANIE JULIAN
Stephanie Julian has been a daily news reporter, a freelance feature writer and a movie, theater and music
critic but what she loves most is writing heat with heart. She’s happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons.
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The Machine Page 18
