Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Josie
“Thanks, have a good night,” I tell my Uber driver as I rush out of his sedan at the front entrance to the Nashville arena.
Glancing at my watch, I groan when I see the time. Eighteen minutes to puck drop. Dane sent me an electronic ticket to a premium front-row seat right on the glass, where he said Jenn would be waiting for me. When he looks at the seat at game time, I want to be there.
I barely caught my flight here on time. Since deciding to start my own business, I’ve been on the go every waking minute. It’s been worth it, though. I secured an office space yesterday and I’ve scored two clients already. I poached both of them from Jane, which feels extra good.
Garver Publicity offers boutique services, which is basically a positive spin on the fact that I’m just getting started and hardly have any clients or employees.
I’m excited about what I do have, though, and about how quickly I’ve managed to put it together. Both Linda and Erin have put in their two-week notices with Jane so they can come work for me.
It was scary, making this leap and taking the money Dane offered me. But the new and improved Josie believes in herself relentlessly. I went back to my newly leased office space alone yesterday evening, crying as I stood in the recently renovated downtown warehouse space.
My aunt forced me to jump off this cliff, but I’ve already found my wings. It felt incredible being able to offer Linda and Erin salaries that are twenty percent higher than what Jane pays them. They both deserve it. I told them we’re going to build this business together, and it’s going to be an inclusive, peaceful, collaborative environment.
“Ticket, ma’am?” an usher asks me when I reach a ticketing gate.
I pass him my phone and he scans the barcode, then points me in the direction I need to go.
As I descend the concrete steps to reach the front row, I take in the view of the rink. The ice is smooth and perfectly polished, ready for skate blades. I’ve never been so close to a game.
Dane got me this seat so I won’t have to see Monica, who’s either with Arnold or in the team’s friends-and-family section of seats. I’m happy, and seeing her would ruin my good mood.
By the time I reach my seat, I’m sweaty and probably flushed. Jenn stands up from her seat and greets me with a warm smile and a hug.
“Hey, girl,” I say. “Thanks for sitting here with me.”
“Anytime. I love watching games up close.” She eyes me as I exhale heavily. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve just been moving nonstop for the past twelve hours. I even worked on the flight here. I’m so happy I came, though. I needed this.”
The lights go down and the pregame show starts. My gaze is locked on the visiting team’s bench, my heart racing with excitement when I see Mammoths players coming out.
There’s Dane. He looks over at me and I grin like a teenager with a crush. The day has felt chaotic, but seeing him makes me immediately relax.
The game starts and I force myself to follow the puck instead of Dane. Though I do get to see plenty of him, too, because he and Dalton are passing the puck back and forth.
“Aiden told me about your job thing,” Jenn says, leaning over while keeping her eyes on the game. “I’m glad you’re going into business for yourself and we’re here to support you however we can.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it. I’ve already found an office space and hired two people.”
She glances at me, grinning. “That’s amazing!” Returning her gaze to the ice, she slams her hands on the glass as Aiden battles with a Nashville player for the puck. “Fight for it, baby! Don’t let him get away!”
She’s her husband’s biggest fan, and the closer Dane and I get, the more I realize how important it is to me that we have the same kind of relationship.
He believes in me more than anyone ever has. I wish my mom could have met him because he’s exactly the kind of man she always hoped I’d choose for myself.
Jenn slumps back against her seat as Nashville regains control of the puck and all the players head for the other end of the ice.
“Has Dane told you about my brother?” she asks.
“I don’t think so.”
“He’s in real estate. I called him earlier and told him how great you are and he said he’ll hire you.”
The Mammoths’ fans in the crowd cheer as Lucas, the Mammoths’ goalie, saves a goal by blocking the puck with his leg.
“That was nice of you, thanks,” I say. “I’d love to meet with him sometime. Does he sell residential or commercial real estate?”
She looks confused for a second. “Oh, he doesn’t sell real estate. I mean, I guess he does sometimes, but it’s not really him selling it. He owns a bunch of real estate. His business name is Hudson Enterprises. You should look him up.”
I momentarily forget the game just feet away from us. “Jenn. Is your brother Michael Hudson?”
“I call him Mikey, but yup. You’ve heard of him?”
For a few seconds, all I can do is laugh. “Heard of him? He’s one of the most successful business owners in all of Minneapolis. My aunt has been trying to court him away from his current PR firm for years .”
She grins. “Well, he’s yours now. I’ll send you Mikey’s number. He’s a delegator, just so you know. He likes to hire people and have them work independently.”
I side hug her, tears welling in my eyes. “How will I ever thank you for this? Just to get a meeting with him is such an opportunity.”
“You’re my friend, of course I’ll look out for you. You’re going to smash it with this business; I know it.” She jumps up and I join her, returning my focus to the game. “Get it, Dane!”
Dane comes around the net from behind it and he slides the puck in it from the corner, his teammates surrounding him right after he scores a goal.
As he skates away from the net, he looks at me and puts his gloved hand over his heart. I put my palm over my heart, my chest expanding as I fall a little more in love with him.
“That man would crawl through glass for you.” Jenn gives me an impressed look. “I’ve never seen him like this.”
“I’m pretty crazy about him, too,” I admit.
For the rest of the game, we laugh and cheer so loud my throat is sore when the Mammoths win 5–4. We eat hot dogs and nachos and each drink a lukewarm, overpriced beer. I didn’t realize how much I was missing time with my best friend, Lina, who is caring for her mom in Texas as she battles cancer.
As Jenn and I wait for the guys to walk out of the locker room after the game, I order Lina some flowers, wine, books and chocolates. I don’t want to be one of those women who neglect friendships because she’s in a relationship. Lina and I talk on the phone when she can, but it’s not often.
I open my schedule and make a note to book myself a flight to visit her and her mom. When I slide my phone into my bag and look up, I lock eyes with Monica.
She’s wearing the exact same jersey I am, with Dane’s number on it. A familiar flare of worry and annoyance flickers through me as a smug smile plays on her lips.
“She could pass for a high school student,” Jenn says from beside me.
At the sound of deep male voices, we turn and see several players dressed in suits walking out of the locker room. One of them is Dane, who locks eyes with me and smiles.
I can’t wait for him to get to me, so I meet him halfway, practically flying into his arms.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he says in my ear.
“Me too. Great game.”
Dane scored two of his team’s five goals tonight, including the game-winning one.
“There was this woman I was trying to impress,” he says playfully.
I lean back and smile up at him. “Lucky girl.”
“I’m not sharing you tonight. If anyone asks us to go out, tell them fuck no.”
“I think I’ll let you tell them that, actually.”
“Dane, I need you for a few minutes,” Monica says from nearby.
My excitement at seeing Dane fades as we both turn to look at her.
“I told you I’ll be busy with my girlfriend until tomorrow.”
She purses her lips in annoyance. “I set up an interview for you. We need to get going.”
“I’m leaving with Josie. Cancel the interview and don’t set up any more.”
He takes my hand and leads me toward the exit, Monica hot on our heels.
“Arnold won’t like this. He wants good publicity, not ‘you shall not ass’ hashtags and photos of you with your flavor of the week.”
Dane stops. I look over at him and say, “Ignore her. She’s just trying to get under your skin.”
He turns to face Monica, who is glaring at him with a brow raised and a hand on her hip.
“Did you just call Josie my flavor of the week ?”
She scoffs. “Yeah. It’s not like she’s wife material. And you were told no women. Dane, you can either come with me, or I’m calling Arnold.”
“We’re done.” His tone is measured, but I also hear a note of fury. “I don’t just mean tonight; I mean permanently. When you call Arnold, you let him know he can keep either you or me. Not both. I won’t dress for the next game unless you’ve been fired.”
He squeezes my hand as we walk away, my heart racing with a mixture of adoration and trepidation. Dane is risking his career over this.
Once we’re out of earshot, I say, “I don’t want you losing your place on your team over me. Monica is annoying, but I’m used to it.”
“No one talks about you that way and gets away with it. Arnold made his point, and if he thinks this team is better off without me, I’ll let him make that call.”
“But if you get traded--”
“I won’t.” He looks around to make sure no one is within earshot. “My teammates are with me on this. I talked to them after the game. Either Monica gets fired or none of us are dressing for the next game. Arnold will fire her. There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
“Are you sure?” My voice is nearly a whisper.
“About Arnold? Or about us?”
My heart pounds hard as I say, “Both.”
He cups my cheek and smiles. “I love you, Nosy. You had me at ‘ touch my cat and I’ll stab you in your sleep .’ And when I’m in, I’m all in. No one mistreats my girl and gets away with it. Got me?”
Love for him swells in my chest. “Got it. And I love you, too.”
He leans down to kiss me, and just before his lips reach mine, I murmur, “Obviously you’re getting laid tonight.”
He laughs. “Obviously.”
After a quick, soft kiss, he leads me from the arena to the car waiting for us in the parking lot. Neither of us looks back as the car pulls away. That’s where the past is, and we’re finally completely focused on our present and future.