14. Reese
CHAPTER 14
REESE
The away section is on their feet, myself included, cheering our heads off as Clay and Lawson work together to score the game-winning shot against the Maple Leafs.
We’ve just won. Holy shit. The Cup really is in our sights this year.
Blakely and Monroe agree with this insight, the three of us beaming long after the game has ended.
I have to skip the bar celebration despite being on cloud nine that we won. I head back to my hotel room while everyone else is getting ready to go celebrate the win, Nash offering to stay behind with me, but I encourage him to go out. He deserves a night of fun after all that hard work, and I won't be long, I just have to wrap up a few work things first.
That's the beautiful thing about having my career take off in a way I always hoped for, I have more on my to-do-list than ever before.
And the first order of business right now is fixing and adjusting an ad for my sister’s business.
I open my laptop and log into those accounts, shifting and adjusting the metrics on a few things before picking up the phone to give her a call.
“Hey, sis!” she answers on the second ring. “I saw your team won. That's amazing!”
“Thanks,” I say smiling. “They kicked ass tonight. I'm so proud of them. The Cup is an absolute possibility this year.”
“Oh, I love it when you talk hockey to me,” she says in a playful tone.
I laugh, shaking my head. “I was just giving you a heads-up that I fixed those metrics we talked about on the ads we've been running for the new lip stain.”
“You didn't!” she gasps. “You should be out celebrating with that gorgeous man of yours.”
Heat rushes through my body at just the thought of Nash, and I can't help but feel excited when she refers to him as mine .
“I'll go celebrate with him in just a little bit,” I say. “Even though he isn't officially my man. But I wasn't about to leave your ads hanging when you needed me.”
“I didn't mean you needed to fix them right this second. I was asking if you could fix them within the next day or so.”
“You're a client,” I explain. “As much as I love you and I'm a fan of all things you do, you're still a client. That means if you have a need I'm going to see to it.”
“You always were the serious one,” she teases. “I miss you. I can't wait to see you in the off-season,” she says. “Have you given any thought to that two-week trip to Jamacia I've been talking about?”
“I've thought about it a lot,” I say. “I want to go with you, I just haven't really had a lot of time to think about my schedule outside of the day-to-day. It's crazy what happens when your page goes viral like you've always wanted it to. Comes with more work than you would think.”
“At least that's a good problem to have,” she says. “You know, you could always bring your boyfriend with you too. I'm thinking about bringing mine.”
“Oh, if Connor is going to come, then I don't need to go. It could be a couple’s trip for you.”
“Yeah but if you brought Nash then it would be a couple’s trip for both of us and it would give me a chance to interrogate him.”
I laugh, allowing my mind to run away with that fantasy.
Nash in a pair of swim trunks, walking along the beach with me, a private bungalow for two overlooking the turquoise water. It’s a dream, for sure, one that I want to make a reality, but don’t know if it’s in my power to do so.
“I don't know if we’re at that stage,” I finally admit.
“Oh, come on,” she says. “I see your videos, I hear it in your voice, and I can read it in your texts whenever you talk about him. You're totally in love with that guy.”
My heart does a little flip in confirmation. “I think I am,” I finally admit out loud, and the relief in that is almost dizzying.
“Holy shit,” she gasps. “I didn't think you’d actually admit it. You really are in love with him?”
“That's ridiculous right?” I say, trying to backtrack. “I mean, we started this relationship based off of a lie. A lie we wanted to continue in order to get views. And while so much good has come out of those videos and all the spotlights I keep doing on these players, I can't help but wonder if that's all it is?”
“I don't think anybody would stick around that long if that's all it was,” she says.
“But then again, I've never met the guy, so it's hard to say. Either way, if you're in love with him you need to tell him.”
“Ah yes, that's so easy. Letting a notorious bachelor know I've fallen for him when that's exactly what I told him I wouldn't do in the first place.”
“I get that it's hard,” she says. “But wouldn't you rather know now? I mean it already sounds like you're in a little too deep to be asking these sorts of questions. It's gonna hurt like a motherfucker if he actually is just in it for the benefits.”
I groan, shaking my head.
“Well it is,” she continues. “Wouldn't you rather just get the hard out of the way now?”
“No,” I answer adamantly. “I'd rather just live in denial and enjoy the day-to-day bliss that I've been enjoying for the last five months.”
Five months.
Five months where we've gotten to know each other, grown closer, learned about each other intimately. It's been the most fun five months of my life.
“Okay, well if we're going to live in delulu land I guess we can make you president. I'll be VP this time where I try to advise you to come back to reality.”
I laugh, her joke helping ease the tension growing in my chest. I know she’s right, so were Monroe and Blakely, who continue to urge me to have a regular conversation with him about where we stand, but it doesn’t immediately make me grow the courage to do it.
“I love you,” I say.
“See how easy that was to say?” she teases. “I love you too. Now stop working and go have fun with that maybe man of yours.”
“Will do,” I say. “I'll text you later.”
I hang up the call and open up the Badgers’ social page, wanting to check it before I officially log out for the night.
The analytics are great, and our engagement is off the charts.
There are a few comments on one of the new spotlight videos I did for another player that are getting a little bit out of hand, but I know that comes with the territory. There haven't been any dangerous comments yet, but some of the fanbase is taking things a little bit too far when talking about how delectable one of our Badger players is.
I make note of it but add that there haven't been any lines crossed yet. I'll make sure to keep an eye on it.
After checking a few more things, I officially sign out of work and hurry out of my game outfit and into my night-on-the-town outfit. A quick text in the group chat lets me know where everybody has landed for the night, and I order a Lyft, heading into a popular local bar within twenty minutes.
Monroe said that they were sitting in a big group of tables in the back, and I walk that way, only stopping when someone calls my name.
“Reese!” the man calls again, drawing my attention. I recognize Darrell, one of the rookies who likes to hang out with Liam, who Monroe happens to be dating, rushing up to me.
“Hey, Darrell,” I say, “What's up?”
“You look amazing tonight,” he says, his eyes trailing the length of my pale green dress that flows just above my knees.
“Um, thanks,” I say even though it sounds more like a question.
We've ran into each other a few times before, but we aren't exactly tell each other how we look friends.
“Yeah, of course,” he says, smiling awkwardly at me. “Hey, I was wondering if you think maybe you could help me with my coverage too? You know the same way you've been helping Stokehill?”
“Ohh,” I say, relief barreling through me. I have no idea why I thought he was making a pass at me, but this makes way more sense. I've been working with several different players and giving them spotlight features on the page, creating irresistible edits for them that have helped them get extra deals. “Yeah, I can do that,” I say. “I'm only the social media manager, so I can't find the deals for you, but I can definitely cut you an edit that can get attention.”
“Yeah, that would be awesome,” he says.
“I would just need to schedule it out,” I explain. “I've been running a lot of features, and I have some back content I still have to post. I need to make sure to get footage of you during practice, games, and anywhere else you think might be prevalent to put in an edit and get people's attention.”
“Oh, shit, yeah, that's a lot,” he says nodding. “Maybe we can get together next week when we're all back in town? Meet up and talk about it more?”
“Absolutely,” I say. “Here's my card, you can text me when we're back in town.” I hand him a business card from the few I carry in my purse and head off in search of my friends.
They're easy to spot, a rowdy bunch in the back, loud enough to be heard over the blasting music throughout the entire place. And I can't blame them, that win was exactly what we needed.
I make my way over to them, smiling at Blakely and Lawson, then Monroe, who is sitting at a table with Liam just across from them, and Pax, Clay, and Baylor are all at another.
Clay looks like he's having a miserable time, but Baylor is talking his ear off about something, and Pax is just sort of glaring off into the distance. I feel a pang of empathy for him, noting that his eyes flit to Monroe every now and again.
But then Nash is standing up from Blakely and Lawson's table, his smile effortless as he spans the distance between us like he just can't wait for me to make it to him. He scoops me up, slanting his mouth over mine in a breathtaking kiss that has tingles erupting all over my body. I wrap my arms around his neck, unable to stop my smile as I kiss him back, my heart racing as we connect.
“Missed you,” he says, setting me back on my feet but not letting me go.
I laugh. “Missed me?” I ask. “You saw me only an hour ago after the game.”
He shrugs. “It's true,” he says. “It took everything in me to come out here tonight and not just sit in your hotel room and wait for you to be done working.”
I grin up at him, playing with the button-down he's wearing. “Well, I was waiting to tell you this, but I did happen to book that room just for me,” I say, batting my eyelashes up at him.
His grin deepens, his eyes darkening. “You should’ve said that sooner,” he says. He glances over his shoulder at our friends. “Have fun tonight! We're heading out.”
I laugh, waving to my friends as Nash interlaces our fingers and guides me out of the bar.
The door to our Lyft barely closes before his hands are on me, his mouth at my neck, showering me with teasing kisses that have my heart racing.
“You really didn't want to hang out with everyone tonight?” I ask. “Because I don't mind?—”
“We hang out with them all the time,” he says. “There's only one person I want to celebrate tonight with and that's you. But if you want to stay?—”
“No,” I cut him off, running my hands over his chest as the Lyft takes us back to the hotel. “I'm exactly on the same page as you.”
And it’s such a refreshing place to be.
I love his passion, not only for his commitment on the ice, but for me . It’s still hard to believe that he’d rather watch Netflix with me on the couch in our PJ's than going out to the hottest clubs like he used to. Hard to believe that he’d leave a celebration with his teammates and friends, just to spend an evening with me alone in a hotel.
I hate that there are still doubts clinging to me, clouding up my mind and my judgment in a way that has me more confused than ever. I chide myself, calling myself a coward for not just asking him.
He's always been so gracious about everything, so why wouldn't he be about this?
And that terror that clung to me every time I thought about it.
It's because I’m in love with him, just like I told my sister.
I’d actually fallen in love with Nash Stokehill, and I’m terrified to lose this feeling. Losing him seems like a greater risk than any I've ever taken before.
We make it through the hotel lobby, anticipation fluttering beneath my skin, my emotions swirling in a storm that threatens to erupt at any moment.
We head toward the elevator, and step into the empty space, the doors barely sliding closed before his mouth is on mine, his fingers tunneling in my hair.
I gasp, melting into the embrace and parting my lips for him. He slides in, his tongue moving against mine in a hungry frenzy that has my hands gripping his shirt to hold him closer.
All my thoughts disappear, my entire being narrowing to the need racing through my body.
He deserves my full attention, my full commitment.
This man, who is incredible beyond words, not only on the ice or in front of the cameras or performing for my edits, but to his core . He's funny and smart and has sacrificed everything in order to take care of his family when no one in the world would ever expect him to. No one would ever put that kind of pressure on him, but he’s just too good of a person not to.
He's everything and then some and he deserves just as much.
The elevator dings, the door sliding open on my floor.
I'm the one to break our kiss, interlacing our fingers as I tug him toward my room.
I've never been this nervous, and we've had our fair share of sexual escapades.
But this feels different, more important somehow, and I have no idea if he feels the same way but I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to show him just how much he means to me.
Even if I don’t have the courage to speak the words out loud.