Mr. Swoony (The Nest #3)

Chapter 42

Forty-Two

Eloise

As soon as I get inside the Uber, I pull out my phone to text Conor.

I’m sorry I missed you before you went to the rink. Good luck tonight.

How did the appointment go?

I love that he’s more concerned about me than the fact I missed seeing him off before his first game of the season. I feel like a shitty girlfriend.

It went great! I’ll fill you in later. I can’t wait to see you play.

Yeah, there’s something I forgot to warn you about.

Shit, what is this about?

My dad is going to be there tonight. He sits with Kyleigh, which means he sits with you too.

My stomach gets queasy, but before I have time to respond, he sends another text.

I’m sorry. I should have planned a dinner or something. Guess I just don’t like to share you. But Kyleigh will be there, and he’s a great guy. You’ll be fine. Still, I’m sorry.

He sounds so worried.

I can’t wait to meet him.

I’m not sure whether I feel nauseated from not eating enough at lunch or from the fact that meeting parents isn’t easy. But I have to remind myself that meeting Conor’s dad likely won’t be like meeting Tristan’s parents, where I felt as though I was under a microscope.

Don’t worry about me. I’m good. See you there.

I can’t wait to show off for you.

I chuckle softy, and the Uber pulls to the curb.

If I’m going to see all your moves, I gotta get ready.

You’ve seen my best moves… hang around after the game, Kyleigh will bring you to see me.

Okay… see you in a bit. Good luck!

I pocket my phone and climb out of the car outside the apartment building. I enter the security gate code and jog up the stairs. Kyleigh’s already coming down the stairs decked out in Rowan’s jersey, a pair of jeans, and cute boots.

“Oh, look at you.” I press the code to unlock the door to the condo. “Give me, like, ten.”

“No worries. How was it?” She follows me inside the apartment.

“Great.” I take off my light fall jacket and hang it on the coat hook, toeing out of my shoes. “She’s as wonderful as you said.”

I toss my purse on the breakfast counter and notice a box there with a note on top.

“Oh, and here I thought my brother didn’t have any game. I should’ve expected this.” Kyleigh comes up next to me.

“What is it?”

She shrugs, but I can tell from her smile she knows exactly what’s inside.

I take off the note and read it.

From me to you.

I’d be honored if you wore it.

I place the note facedown next to the box.

“Yeah, I don’t want to know what kinky shit he wrote.” Kyleigh leans her hip on the counter, waiting for me to open the package.

I do, and inside, tucked under some tissue paper, is a Chicago Falcons jersey with the number forty-nine and NILSEN on the back. Kyleigh smiles, watching me hold it up.

“I never thought I’d be a hockey girlfriend.” Back when I went to Henry’s high school games with Jade, I never aspired to date one of the players—in good part because of the shit she dealt with from other girls. Though I ended up having to deal with the same thing at the country club with Tristan. Everyone wanted to marry a Somerset.

“You’ll come to find out that it’s pretty awesome. Now go put on that jersey and let’s go. You want to be there for warm-ups.”

I glance at Kyleigh, and she shakes her head, laughing and shooing me with her hand.

Within fifteen minutes, I’ve refreshed my hair and makeup, changed, and put on Conor’s jersey. Kyleigh calls the Uber, and on our ride, I fill her in on how my meeting went with her client. We’re planning to have one more shopping day before the job is complete. And the best part is that she’s referred two of her friends to me. I’ve done some research on how to make being a personal stylist a successful venture, and the possibilities in front of me are exciting.

“So, you like it?” Kyleigh asks.

“I love it. I cannot thank you enough for thinking of it and suggesting it in the first place. I’m not sure I ever would’ve thought of styling as an option for me.”

“I’m happy for you. It’s great to be your own boss. Let me tell you.” She turns to me and opens her mouth to say something, then turns away.

“What?” My head tilts.

“Have you met my parents yet? Because I’m pretty sure my dad is going to be there tonight.” She cringes.

“Conor messaged me about a half hour ago to let me know.” I laugh.

She shakes her head. “I swear men, but you have nothing to worry about. My dad loves everyone. He’s not going to grill you with questions or anything.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.” And I find that it’s the truth. I want to meet the man who played a role in making Conor the amazing man he is.

We talk about the game and what to expect. She tells me about her parents and their divorce, which I know a little about from Conor.

We arrive at the arena, and Jade and Bodhi are already in their seats when we make it to our row.

“Eloise! Kyleigh!” Bodhi runs over to us and hugs our legs. “First game!”

“Did we miss warm-ups?” Kyleigh asks Bodhi, and he takes her by the hand over to the plexiglass.

“His jersey, huh?” Jade asks, plucking at the sleeve. She’s wearing Henry’s jersey and even has his number on her cheek.

“He left it for me. It would be rude not to wear it.” I sit with her.

I only see the opposing team on the ice. I hope we didn’t miss warm-ups. Kyleigh seemed like she really wanted to be here for them.

“You wouldn’t want to upset him before his game.” She playfully rolls her eyes, and I knock her with my elbow.

“Yeah, it was the polite thing to do.”

Once our laughter dies down, she turns to me. “You’re happy?”

“Very.”

She plucks the jersey again. “And you understand the statement you’re making by wearing this and sitting with us?”

“I do.”

“If Tristan or your grandparents see?—”

“I understand, Jade. But he’s my boyfriend, and if people have a problem with that, then it’s their problem, not mine.”

A smile rises on her face, and she opens her arms, swarming me in a hug and shimmying us side to side. “I love that we’re hockey girlfriends together.”

I do love this world Jade’s been living in since she got back together with Henry. It’s one where they all have each other’s backs.

A knock on the plexiglass draws our attention, and we both turn. Conor stands on the other side and eyes me. Already, the lust in his eyes spurs my lady parts into a frenzy. His gaze roams up and down my body, causing heat to radiate through me. He winks and skates off toward the net.

I watch him for a bit, and holy shit, now I get why he’s so good in bed.

My mouth drops open. “Is he doing the splits?”

Jade and Kyleigh laugh, and Kyleigh pats me on the shoulder. “That’s why we don’t miss warm-ups. Although I’ll be watching Rowan.” She concentrates on another area where Rowan and Tweetie are together.

But I can’t strip my eyes off Conor. The hip thrusts or flexors or whatever the stretch is makes my pussy purr for him. My body heats, and my mouth waters watching how smooth he is on the ice. I glance around the area to see who else might be ogling my man, but I remind myself that I’m the one who knows what he looks like under those pads.

His ass might look great as he gyrates against the ice, but I’ve had that bare ass in my hands. My fingertips have dug into his flesh and spurred him to thrust harder into me. I might be his girl, but still, I get why puck bunnies want the players. They’re doing a Magic Mike show before the game.

“You must be Eloise,” a deep voice says, drawing my attention away from Conor.

I turn and come face-to-face with what I assume Conor will look like in his older years. And here I’ve been ogling his son thinking about how he fucks me until I’m boneless. I hope I wasn’t obvious.

He extends his hand to me. “Troy Nilsen.”

I slide my hand in his. “Eloise Corbin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, too. Are you a hockey fan?” He comes along side of me, watching his son with the countenance of a proud father.

“Honestly? Not really. I don’t understand the ins and outs of the game.”

Troy chuckles. “Well, at least you picked the guy on the team with only one task—to stop the puck from going in the net. And I’m happy to explain whatever you want.” He looks at me and winks. Just like his son, I bet he was pretty damn smooth in his day.

“Smile!” Kyleigh gets in front of us, holding up her phone, and snaps a picture.

She moves over to Bodhi and takes a picture with him eating a plate of nachos, then one of her and Jade. I sit down next to Troy, and Conor winks and waves on his way back to the locker room.

Before the game starts, Troy goes to get a drink. As we wait for the festivities to begin, I pull up my social media, wondering if I should take a picture of myself here at the game and make us social media official. Tell the world that I’m with Conor Nilsen and currently sitting in the front row and wearing his jersey. But when I enter the app, I go into my notifications to see that Kyleigh has a personal account and has tagged Jade and myself and her dad in the pictures she took with the caption, “Starting the season with a bang.”

I scroll through the comments, pausing when I come across one in particular.

3Nilsen49

Oh cute, the blonde thinks he’s hers. Joke’s on her I guess.

My heart lodges in my throat. This is what I was warned about, and I can handle it. It’s just some random stranger. When I go to her account, I find it filled with videos of Conor, but the one that catches my eye is the one she just posted of him doing his warm-ups earlier tonight.

Whoever this girl is, she’s in this arena too.