Chapter 20 – Ramona
Chapter Twenty
Ramona
“ I s all this really necessary?” I motion around the stretch limo that was waiting outside Cooper’s building when we walked out a few minutes ago.
“Yes, it is. Do you know how much parking is at the arena?” Alise slides across the seat to hand me a champagne flute.
Did I mention this thing is fully stocked with every kind of alcohol and snack you can think of? When I saw a limo parked in the same place Cooper’s truck was before, I thought nothing of it, but I was surprised when Ms. Melanie greeted the driver and climbed in through the open back door. Alise quickly followed, leaving me standing on the walkway alone. It took Darius about three seconds to get hyped about his first limo ride, practically begging the driver to let him sit up front with him. How do none of them think this is strange?
“Couldn’t we just take an Uber or something?” I take a healthy pull from the glass. I mean, when in Rome, right?
People still do things like take Ubers in the city, don’t they? I have to admit I don’t spend much time in the city. Things could be different now. Okay, probably not. The only thing different about this trip into the city is Cooper Hendrix.
“Do you honestly believe that either of my sons would let any of us take an Uber?” Ms. Melanie says from across from me, her own flute of champagne in her hand.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed that Cooper has a slight problem with overreacting. His need to protect those he cares about overrides everything, including his common sense sometimes.”
She has a point. Ever since we met, Cooper has been trying to take care of me. But the question is, who is going to be there to take care of him? I would love to be that person, but a part of me wonders if he will let me. There’s a side to Cooper that seems closed off from everyone, a pain that radiates through his entire being at times. And that’s something I know a little about. Last night, Cooper let me give him a little of my pain, and hopefully, I can repay that soon.
Now is not the time. I force a smile on my face before asking, “And this is how you normally get to games?”
Ms. Melanie doesn’t say a word, just smiles and finishes her glass of champagne.
“Cooper usually has them pick us up at the house on game days, but since we had to bring you some clothes, it was just easier for him to arrange it from here instead.” Alise pours herself a glass of champagne before leaning back into the seat next to me.
“To drive, what? Ten miles?” I giggle, finishing my glass of champagne and handing it to Alise. I haven’t drunk anything more than a wine cooler since getting completely wasted with Alise at The Pit Stop on my twenty-first birthday, so this is going straight to my head.
“We aren’t that far from the arena, but my boys say they feel better knowing exactly where I am and with whom.”
“Do they have LoJack on you or something?”
Alise shakes her head before handing me a full glass of champagne. “Probably not the best way to make friends with your future mother-in-law.”
“Probably shouldn’t be talking about someone being my future anything with her sitting right here.” I bring the glass toward my lips, but Alise snatches it back quickly.
“Damn. I forgot how much of a lightweight you are.”
“I’m nervous.” I sag back into my seat, turning my head to look out the window.
For a ten-mile drive, this sure is taking a long time. I turn to look out the window. We’re moving at a snail’s pace. I know the Timberwolves are popular, but I didn’t think there’d be this many people trying to get to the game. I guess it was a pretty good idea that Cooper sent this limo for us. At least this way, we’ll be there at the start of the game instead of still trying to walk to the entrance from the parking lot.
“About?” Ms. Melanie leans forward and rests her hand on my knee, giving it a small squeeze.
“Going to the game. Meeting the team. Wearing this?” I pluck at the jersey Alise and Ms. Melanie browbeat me into wearing to the game today. Cooper said he wanted to see me with his name on my back, but I think this is taking it a little too far.
They could’ve grabbed any jersey from a sporting goods store, or I could’ve picked up the one from the will-call desk Cooper left for me, but no. Those two had other plans, claiming to want me to “stand out.” I don’t like standing out. I prefer blending in, if I’m being honest. That’s one reason I’m freaking out more than usual.
“I think it’s perfect. I knew I’d need it at some point in life, just not so soon.” Ms. Melanie smiles brightly, clearly pleased with her genius idea.
“But this isn’t even his number or the team colors. It’s an old Redwood Falls jersey from when Cooper was in high school.”
“Trust me. That jersey is one of his most prized possessions. I’m sure he will be thrilled for you to wear it to the game today.”
“You always said you wanted to be original,” Alise chimes in from her seat, raising her glass slightly in my direction.
“I’m talking about not wanting to see my clothes on every person walking down the street.”
“If you don’t want to wear it, then you don’t have to. I just wanted to do something special for you to make you feel welcome.” Ms. Melanie turns to look out the window, her shoulders sagging.
Oh, no. I know what Ms. Melanie is doing. Ma does the same crap to me all the time when she’s trying to get me to do something for her. And just like with my ma, I’m powerless to resist it.
“I do. Thank you so much for thinking about me.” I place my hand on top of hers and squeeze. “This is just a lot for me to handle. I literally met Cooper two days ago, and now I’m riding to a Timberwolves game with his mother in a stretch limo.”
“It’s okay, you’ll get used to it, sweetie. And I’m nothing to be worried about. You’ll make an amazing daughter-in-law.”
Alise winks at me before sharing a toast with Ms. Melanie. “See? Told you it was going to be okay.”
“I seriously can’t with you two.”
Darius is practically vibrating with excitement when we pull up to the arena. We’ve driven by here a few times and even took pictures with the mascot at an event a few years ago. Instead of dropping us off at the front of the arena, our driver takes us around to what I assume is a back entrance. We all thank the driver before piling out and being ushered inside.
Once inside, we head down a long hallway before coming to a stop in front of a small desk with a woman about my age standing there. She greets us immediately, a genuine smile on her face. “Welcome to the Timberwolves arena, Mrs. Hendrix. We’re happy to see you again.”
“What have I told you about calling me Melanie, Rachel? I’ve been coming to games here for years. We are practically family now.”
The girl’s cheeks pink slightly. And I can’t help but feel sorry for her. I reach my hand out and grip hers. “Don’t worry. She did the same thing to me when we met earlier today.”
“Rachel, I’d like you to meet my son’s girlfriend, Ramona.”
The fact Ms. Melanie doesn’t say which of her sons’ girlfriend I am doesn’t escape my notice. I had a feeling there was an ulterior motive to my surprise from Ms. Melanie and Alise. Instead of grabbing the one Cooper left for me at Will Call, I’m wearing his high school jersey. All this woman knows is I’m wearing an unfamiliar jersey with the last name Hendrix on it. Sneaky, Ms. Melanie. Very sneaky.
If Rachel is surprised by my introduction, she doesn’t show it. “It’s nice to meet you.” She turns her attention to Darius, who is standing quietly on the other side of Alise, wearing his own Timberwolves jersey, but with Beau’s number instead of Cooper’s. “And who might this young man be?”
“Darius King, ma’am,” he responds, holding his hand out to shake hers.
She gently places her hand in his, and he kisses the back of it. The little charmer, this woman is about to be putty in his hands. “Oh, what amazing manners.”
“He’d better or his nanny would tan his hide.” Alise has a fake smile plastered on her face as she eyes Rachel.
“Rachel.”
“Alise.” The icy tone in Rachel’s voice disappears the moment she turns her attention back to Ms. Melanie. “Do you need anything before heading up to the suite, Mrs. Hendrix?”
“No, thank you, dear. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” she responds, the smile immediately dropping from her face the moment Ms. Melanie isn’t looking.
Instead of buttons, there’s a card reader, but Ms. Melanie doesn’t skip a beat, pulling a white card from her purse and running it across the scanner. The doors to the elevator immediately open.
“Fancy,” Darius muses as we all step inside.
Ms. Melanie runs the card over another reader inside and the door closes. “Being the mother of two of their star players has its perks.”
As soon as the elevator moves, I bump Alise’s shoulder to get her attention. “Another one of your adoring fans?”
“You could say that.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“Well, you see—” Alise snaps her mouth closed the minute the doors open.
Shit. What did I do to deserve this? Of all the people we could share a private box at the arena with, it had to be Annamarie and her minion, Cordelia. What the fuck is she even doing here? Alise hates her guts, and Cooper is nice to her in public, but I doubt he’d offer to allow her to be in his private suite. There is something going on here, but I don’t have time to worry about that now. I’ll have to remember to ask Cooper when I see him.
“Good evening, ladies,” Ms. Melanie says, her voice taking a saccharine sweet tone to it, telling me she isn’t happy to see them at all. Damn. I liked Ms. Melanie before, but she may have just become one of my favorite people.
“Good evening, Mrs. Hendrix. It’s lovely to see you again. And you brought Alise and her friend, Ramona, today, too. How wonderful.”
“Yes. They are family,” she says, threading her arm through Darius’s. “Darius, why don’t we go see what goodies the team has arranged for the box today?”
Darius hesitates for a minute, torn between staying rooted in place and following Ms. Melanie. I nod my head slightly, letting him know everything will be okay. “Yes, ma’am.”
The minute Darius and Ms. Melanie are out of earshot, Annamarie’s claws come out. “How could you lie to that sweet woman?”
“Lie? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“As if either Beau or Cooper would give you the time of day. I get Alise. She’s been tagging along to these things for years. The Hendrix family does like taking on charity cases.” Cordelia’s eyes scan up and down my body before reaching forward and plucking the fabric of the jersey away from my skin. “You couldn’t even afford to get a jersey to support the team, so you stole a jersey from the high school hockey team.”
“Yes, of course, because the only way we could have anything is if we stole it, right?”
I’m so sick of this shit. I’d love nothing more than to pull my fist back and give Cordelia a much-needed black eye, but that’s exactly what she wants. Then she can claim to be the victim. The mean black girls attacked her without provocation and need to be punished. No one would think anything different. We’d be handcuffed and arrested with no questions asked because of the color of our skin.
“How very original, Cordelia. Too bad you don’t have any pearls to clutch.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Annamarie covers her mouth slightly, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she notices what I’m wearing. “I can get you something else. The last thing we want to do is embarrass Mrs. Hendrix if the cameras show the box during the game.”
“You both should lay off the hair dye. I heard it can cause brain damage, not that either of you has much of a brain at all,” Alise responds in the same sarcastic tone.
“Why do you always need to be so antagonistic, Alise? We are only trying to help you both. We don’t want you to be embarrassed or feel out of place.”
“Help? That’s what we are calling it these days?” I roll my eyes at both of them. Maybe it’s the few glasses of champagne I had in the limo, but I’m sick and tired of their shit. I want to enjoy my first hockey game with my new boyfriend in peace. “I’d never go to either of you for fashion advice.”
Alise guffaws loudly as a look of confusion spreads across both mean girls’ faces. They are wearing dark-washed blue jeans tucked into black knee-high boots. Their torsos are covered with bright pink fitted sweaters, their breasts practically spilling out of the top. They finish their horrid outfits with green puffer vests. They look more like two hookers on the prowl than someone attending an NHL hockey game.
“What are you talking about? My daughter said we looked skibidi before I left the house.” Cordelia looks down at her outfit before turning to her friend for support. However, judging by the look on Annamarie’s face, she doesn’t plan on being forthcoming with it.
“Never say skibidi again.” Annamarie pinches the bridge of her nose. “You aren’t cool because you can use nonsense Gen Z phrases. That’s one thing that will never happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“You being cool.” Annamarie storms off toward the door, no doubt in search of the new outfit she offered me a few moments earlier.
But Alise isn’t done with Cordelia and her nonsense yet. “Not to mention wearing pink. It’s not Wednesday, after all.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s almost breast cancer awareness month. We always wear pink in October,” Cordelia rebuts, but Alise isn’t having it.
“Every day? Really? You walk around looking like a bottle of Pepto willingly. Seriously, you could just wear a pink ribbon pin like almost every other human being on the planet.”
I’d love nothing more than to let this verbal sparring match continue between these two, but I need another drink and some food. “Why don’t you run along and continue scheming and failing about how to get a Hendrix brother to give you the time of day? Melanie and Darius are waiting for us.” I thread my arm through Alise’s and practically drag her toward the other side of the suite where Ms. Melanie and Darius are waiting.
“My hero.” Alise lays her head on my shoulder, pretending to swoon.
“Don’t start, you.”
“Okay. Okay. I just want to say that I can’t wait to see their heads spin when Cooper comes into the suite looking for you.”
“Me either.”
Much to my dismay, Cordelia leaves the suite a few minutes after we rejoin Darius and Ms. Melanie. However, I remain on edge, waiting for her or Annamarie to attack. Neither one of them takes too kindly to losing.
“Did you miss me?” Cooper whispers in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me tight against him. “I knew my last name would look good on you.”
“Of course.” I spin in his arms and plant a kiss on the edge of his chin.
“Come on, you can do better than that, Beauty.” My knees weaken as his lips press against mine softly. My hand tangles in the short hairs at the base of his neck as the other grips his shoulder. I use the leverage to raise onto my toes to deepen the kiss further. Fire ignites in my belly as memories from this morning filter in.
“Unless you want everyone in this room to see me do some very indecent things to you, we need to stop. If not, then please keep kissing me like that.”
“Point taken.” I smile against his lips before stepping out of his embrace and threading my fingers through his.
Cooper pulls me toward the wall of glass at the front of the box and through a door I didn’t notice before. The sounds of the arena as it fills with spectators reach my ears.
“You’re going to need to explain this to me because I know nothing except that the little black thing goes into the net.”
He pulls me down into one of the stadium chairs near the railing, lifting my legs to lie across his lap. “That’s the gist of it. There are three twenty-minute periods with an intermission after each one. The Timberwolves are in white, and the Wolverines are in red. The teams switch sides after every period.”
“Simpler.”
“When the puck gets past Beau, boo. If it goes into the other net, cheer. Easy, right?” His hand absentmindedly massages my calves.
“And where is Beau, exactly?” I lean forward, my head swiveling back and forth, searching for the last name Hendrix.
“Right there, in the net.” Cooper points toward the left side of the rink where someone about Beau’s size is stretching. I can’t see anything but the green-and-black pads covering the person’s arms and legs, a helmet completely covering their face, with a large Timberwolves logo and a design of some sort in the team colors on the side.
“He’s a goalie?” Cooper nods his head, his eyes never leaving the ice. “That’s gotta suck for your brother.”
I know there’s a lot of pressure to score points and win a game, but being the one to stop the shots has to be even more pressure. Not only do you need to help your team score points, but you also need to keep the other team from scoring them, as well. I don’t know much about sports, but being the last line of defense between a win and a loss has to be the most stressful position on the team.
“Which one?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, completely confused by his question.
“Cole plays for the Wolverines as a starting center. Not only does he have to score to win, but he has to do so against one of his older brothers. I’m not sure the thought has even crossed Beau’s mind. Sure, it sucks when we’re scored on, but he can’t be perfect all the time.”
“Wait, your younger brother plays for the other team?”
I knew he had more than one brother and that Cole also played hockey, but he is on the opposing team? Damn, that has to double suck for everyone involved, but especially Ms. Melanie. No matter what happens, she has one son who lost and one who won.
“Yes,” he deadpans, not bothering to elaborate. If I were smart, I’d leave it alone. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to talk about it, but my nosiness gets the better of me.
“Is that why you guys don’t speak anymore?”
“No.” Cooper leans over and kisses me, effectively ending the conversation. “The game is going to begin soon.”
I nod and smile before turning my attention toward the ice. The first twenty minutes of the game go by quickly, the puck constantly moving from one end to the other. Neither team has an advantage over the other. I clap and cheer at the appropriate times. Thank fuck for that.
Cooper patiently answers all of my questions, not once getting annoyed with me. And I asked a lot of questions. His eyes stayed locked on the game, coaching the team from his seat right next to me. I offered to stay up here with Alise and his mom so he could get closer, but he declined.
“I would love nothing more than to stay here and be your personal commentator for the game. I just hope we can get a W for your first-ever NHL game.” He smiles down at me, pressing his lips to my forehead for what feels like the millionth time.
No matter what is happening on the ice, he never stops touching me. Whether it is his hand massaging my calves, his fingers threading through mine as we awkwardly attempt to clap our hands, or soft brushes of his lips against my head and cheeks. It’s like he can’t stop touching me for fear that I might disappear, but he never kisses me, much to my dismay.
“Leon angles and Cole Hendrix swings back through center. Three abreast of the attacking line, but Cole can’t split the seam there and misses an opportunity for the Wolverines to get on the scoreboard.”
I have no idea what any of this means, but Cooper lets go of my legs and moves to the edge of his seat. I move my legs to the floor, anticipating that it might be time to jump up and cheer. My eyes focus on every moment Cooper makes as the announcers continue with their play-by-play of the game.
“Richards carries back through neutral, only as far as the Wolverines line, and shoots on the run. Harvey stops the puck on the line, saving the Wolverines once again and allowing the Timberwolves to get the lead. But here comes Bower, stealing the puck on the rebound, and he scores!”
Cooper and I both jump out of our seats. The arena erupts in a roar of cheers as the Timberwolves finally score after two periods of nothing. I jump up and down in celebration, but my eyes remain locked on Cooper. He’s happily cheering for his team before he turns and lifts me into his arms, crashing his lips to mine. Joy bubbles in my stomach, a combination of our team scoring a goal and finally getting another kiss from Cooper.
“I think we need to score more goals soon.”
“And why is that?” Cooper’s eyes are alight with excitement as he kisses the tip of my nose.
“Because I get kisses when we score.”
“You can have a kiss any time you want, Beauty.”
“I know, but they seem more special if they come after we score.”
“Fair enough.” Cooper kisses my forehead before lowering me back to the floor, but neither of us takes our seat. A new type of energy hums in the arena, hunger for another goal gripping every Timberwolves fan.
“Five-on-five play continues as the Wolverines turn over the puck again in the Timberwolves defensive zone. Bower passes to Crosby in the center. Crosby races to the outside, performs a beautiful curl and drag around the back of the net to the goal mouth and scores! The Timberwolves are up 2-0.”
Cooper doesn’t even bother to cheer before curling his arm around my waist. My eyes slip shut as he cups my cheek and uses his tongue to part my lips, deepening the kiss. We both get lost in the moment, only breaking apart for a few seconds before leaning back in for a second time.
When we pull away a second time, Alise is pointing toward something. “I hope you two weren’t planning on keeping this a secret.”
My eyes widen in horror as the kiss Cooper and I just shared is replayed for everyone in the arena to see before flicking back to a live feed. Cooper shrugs before leaning in again for another kiss.
“It seems like Cooper Hendrix is doing a lot more than watching the game tonight.” The announcer chuckles as the arena erupts a second time.
“I guess the cat’s out of the bag now.”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the world found out that Ramona King and Cooper Hendrix were a couple.