9. Allie
Chapter nine
Allie
I know Gator from doing PT at the Eagles’ physical therapy room the past few weeks since I started my job. What I didn’t know was how persistent he could be. He roped me into going to the team dinner tonight, which I learned is really just an informal evening for the guys and their families to hang out with each other and build team spirit before the start of the season.
The good news is a night of delicious food at the assistant captain’s house. The bad news? Kenz will be there. I’m nervous that with her spidey senses, she’ll know something is up between her brother and me.
“You’re sabotaging everything,” I scold myself quietly as I brush my hair back into a ponytail. Tonight is a pool party with yard games and a cookout. I plan to be as casual as I can be and just blend into the background. With Kenz there, it shouldn’t be too hard for me to be a wallflower. She’s bright and bubbly. Although, she hates athletes with a passion. I still don’t know why.
I know that each time I’ve stormed off from Jake, after feeling hot and heavy for him, I’ve left him with some sort of scathing comment. In my heart, I know that I’m far more at risk of falling for him than he is at falling for me. He has millions of fans, most of them women, who all want a piece of him. I’m just a quiet girl building her career and don’t have much in the way of men chasing after me.
If there were to be a chance for him to develop feelings for me—unlikely—then it certainly won’t happen if I’m constantly cutting him down with my words.
“Knock, knock!” Kenz calls out from the hallway. She knocks on the door once and then pushes it open. To my great and utter surprise, she is not in pool attire. She’s in a glittery little dress that shows off her wide hips. Men love them, or so she tells me.
“Girl, what are you wearing?” I say with mock disappointment. I feel a weird bit of relief thinking she’s not coming tonight. I can just keep to myself and not worry about anyone or anything.
“So cute, right? I’m going out on a date tonight with a new guy.” She grins and playfully pushes me away from the mirror, surveying herself. Her face drops a little. “The last guy never came through for me. We were supposed to hang out tonight, but he canceled, so I thought I’d just grab a different guy and try my luck elsewhere.”
My heart goes out to her. She dates so many men that I’m surprised she’s not more jaded than she is.
“You liked that last bartender guy, huh?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I’m like most girls are with men. I don’t open up fast and I’m the first to walk away if it’s getting uncomfortable.” She winks at me, but I can see the hurt in her eyes. “You’re the same. You’re worse, actually. You’re so picky, you just never even give guys a chance! Which is good, actually, given your job is to put your hands all over hot hockey players.” She says it dramatically.
“Why do you hate those men so much? Just because Jake is an athlete?” I ask out of the blue. I regret it instantly. Her face falls.
“I don’t hate anyone. I just don’t trust most men, especially the super hot ones.”
My phone chooses that moment to ring, and she grabs it. I have a moment of panic, thinking it could be Jake calling me. Then I remind myself that he texts, not calls, me and that is rare. So far since moving in with him, his texts have been: “My shoulder hurts. Come fix it.” And then, “Where are you? I need a massage.” Of course, both of them are full of sexual innuendo that only I would see.
“It’s your mom. I love Sharon!” Kenz says. We all but grew up together, so she’s like a second daughter to Mom. Mom and Dad live in Florida now, so I don’t see them often.
“Hiiii!” Kenz says, putting the phone on speaker. “It’s your second daughter. I’m here with Allie. And I could not for the life of me talk her out of going to some NHL hockey players’ dinner event tonight. Maybe you can talk sense into her.”
I try not to glare at Kenz. The last thing I want is for my mother to be worried about me. I finally have an incredible job and if I know anything about my mom, it’s that she’s a worrier. She’ll find one thing that could go wrong and focus on it.
“It’s not an event!” I call out, trying to laugh off the implication that I’m getting dolled up to go parade myself in front of men. You just care about one man, my brain tells me.
I shake my head at myself and look away. “How is Boca Raton, Mom?”
My mom’s voice is light and friendly. “Everything is great, Allie. Same as usual. I wanted to call and get an update on your new job. But if you’re busy…”
“She’s not busy. She’s actually living with Jake now,” Kenz says, shaking her hips in front of the mirror to make the sequins on her dress dance under the lights.
“Oh,” Mom says, her voice tight. “Really, Allie? Why is that?”
I look at Kenz with irritation. I normally don’t mind her being bossy, but this is a bit too much. “Why don’t you tell her why, Kenz?” I mutter.
“Jake’s shoulder is still busted,” Mackenzie says, making a little face at me. She grins. I know she’s playing, but she has no idea how many secrets I’m walking around with right now. Her games feel like torture.
“Oh, no. Allie, are you assigned to work on Jake?”
“Yep,” I say, scooping up my phone. “I thought you’d be happy I’m working with someone we actually know instead of a strange man.” I raise my eyebrows at Kenz while my mom breathes a sigh.
“I just want you to do well, Allie. And hopefully, enjoy your job.” She pauses. “Is his career going to be affected by this injury, girls? Does anyone know?”
Kenz looks at me for the answer to that. If only I knew. I say what I think Coach or Ron would say, “We’re doing everything we can for him. He’s on bedrest, basically, until the opening game next week. We’ve tried everything else, so for now he’s giving it complete rest to see if that takes him over this curve and lets him heal.”
I think about the hot sex we had less than two hours ago and feel bad. His shoulder had a flare up because of the position we were in. I should have anticipated that and not let him take me that way… or at all.
“I was just teasing,” Kenz is saying. “Tonight is just a casual thing for the players and their families. I was going to go, but… something came up. So Allie will just have to go and fend for herself.”
“Kenz, that’s too bad. Are you flying tonight?” my mom asks.
I put my hands on my hips, ready to give Kenz a piece of her own bullshit. “Yeah, Kenz, what is ohhhh so important that you had to cancel on me tonight?”
She doesn’t even bat an eye. Instead, she laughs. “A man, of course. A new man.”
I shake my head. “Some friend,” I pretend to pout.
We finish up our conversation in time for Kenz to be ready to head out and for me to meet the others in the living room. Kenz saunters outside, promising to stop by if the date is so awful that she has to end it early. That leaves me in the living room feeling very casual in my blue jean shorts, little coverup top that hides only some of my bikini underneath.
“You look hot,” Jake’s deep voice sounds behind me.
I place a finger on my lips as he strides confidently toward me and pulls me in to him. He kisses me.
“Oh my God, you are so busted!” I say, looking around us.
“They’ve already left. I’m driving you and I. So that means no alcohol for me tonight, since I’m the DD.”
I laugh up at him and lean into him. “Alcohol is off limits for you until we get through this coming week. You need to rest completely—and Jones has you on such a strict diet, I doubt you’ll be touching alcohol this whole season if your recovery is slow!”
“Aw, man, you mean you’re not going to slip me any?” he says, as if crushed by the news of going sober during his recovery.
“Nope. Not one drop. But if it’s any consolation, I will not be drinking either. I’m technically on the clock, so,” I let my voice trail off, my eyes captivated by his full lips.
“See something you like?” he murmurs down at me.
A wave of guilt washes over me. I think of the life he has when he’s healthy and on top of the world—a life with models and hotties and all the women who look perfect, unlike me. I don’t belong with a gorgeous, successful man like him who has the world at his fingertips. I bite my lower lip and take a little step back.
“Allie,” he says, reaching out for me. “I know I have a shitty reputation for being a ladies’ man. And…” He shrugs.
I take that as his way of saying that’s who he is and there’s no way around it. He’s used to a new girl every week, I bet, and he’s not the type to settle down. For my own emotional safety, I need to just leave him alone. It’s hard, though. I’ve had a crush on him for so long. How do I just turn it off now?
“Yes. You do. And your sister would slap you right across the face if she knew we were…”
“If I knew what?” Kenz says as she swings the front door open. “I forgot my handbag in your room. Why were you guys talking about me?” Her eyes look between Jake and me. “Why are you standing so close to each other, and where is everyone else?”
Kenz’s hands are on her hips and her eyes are narrowed. Uh-oh. She is pissed off. I pull my arms away from his strong hands, wishing I didn’t have to. I feel so immature hiding from Kenz like this. Sure, secret sex with a hot man is thrilling. But at what point does it become just ridiculous and childish?
“I’ll get it for you,” I say, starting to walk away.
“No,” Kenz says, her eyes blazing. “You were touching my brother—or he was touching you. And you were talking about me. One of you damn well better start talking or you know I will assume the worst.” She glares at me. “You know what hockey guys are like. And you know he’s just as bad as the rest of them. Just because you’ve had a mountainous crush on him for literally your whole life does not mean that you get to—”
She stops talking and slaps a hand across her mouth. “Oops,” she mumbles from behind her hand.
Now I’m the one glaring at her. That was our secret. She knew she wasn’t supposed to ever tell anyone that back in the day, when I was a kid, I had a crush on Jake. I feel my cheeks turning scarlet red. And when I turn my eyes away from my traitorous friend to meet Jake’s gaze, I want to just sink into the floor.
His hazel eyes are humorous and he’s laughing! Kenz is in such big trouble right now over this.